I've got a list, I do. Right at the top is truffle oil, an ingredient I see no use for at all.
I also think balsamic vinegar is way overused. There's nothing wrong with it. But there are a whole lot of other vinegars that often would be better choices. Unfortunately, now that the celebrity chefs have discovered it, Sherry vinegar is moving in the same direction.
I don't quite agree with Nan about boneless, skinless
chicken breasts. They're quite the thing when you want a tasteless, all but nutrient free protein.
I wouldn't say
bacon, per se, is on my list. But pancetta certainly is overused big time.
If we're to believe restaurant menus and celebrity chefs, mango is the only tropical fruit available. Ease up, guys, and explore some of the other great flavors.
I don't begin to understand the American fascination with
filet mignon, when there are so many other better
beef cuts available. I never had a
filet mignon that could hold its own against even a mediocre rib eye, for instance.
Koukougavia: regarding your comments about squid, I would say that all the cephalopods are
underused in the U.S. When, for instance, is the last time anyone on this thread had cuttlefish? Squid is probably the most used, but, thankfully, octopus is growing in popularity. I say thankfully because it makes it more available. I even have a reliable source of baby octopi in Lexington. If I can get it there I figure you can get it anywhere.