American cuisine is a difficult thing to define. As a whole, America is considered a huge melting pot of cultures and as such, their food has taken on the same role. The food varies with each region and most are a mixture of several cultures. Travelling though the U.S. guarantees a delightful cuisine experience.
Northeast
The Northeast part of America was the first home for colonists from England. As such, they have hung on to their English roots. They imported meat and vegetables from the motherland, but mixed it with their own local ingredients such as turkey, maple syrup, lobster, clams, cranberries and corn to create their own delectable treats.When living in the Northeast, try these local specialties:
- Boston Brown Bread—A whole wheat bread sweetened with molasses and raisins.
- Clam Chowder—a creamy broth with clams, potatoes and onions. Maine serves traditional milk based chowder while New York prefers a revolutionized clear broth with tomatoes.
- Maine Lobster—The simpler the better is the motto of the Northeast. Lobster found here will be simply boiled and topped with drawn butter.
Down South
Ironically, the strongest influence in southern cuisine came from a group of people who least intended to be there, the African slaves. After slavery was abolished, many African Americans stayed in the area and incorporated not only their food, but also cooking techniques into the southern culture. Techniques such as smoking meats, frying grains and legumes into fritters, boiling leafy green vegetables and making up hot, spicy sauces are all due to the African American influence. Traditionally, southern meals are large with many side dishes including homemade breads, biscuits, salads and condiments. Typical Southern dishes include:- Fried Chicken - One food item that started in the south, but has gained popularity with the surrounding regions as well.
- Pork Dishes - Often used as flavoring agents with greens and beans. Ham biscuits are eaten as a side dish for both breakfast and dinner.
- Hush Puppies—Small cornmeal breads deep fried in a circular shape. Sometimes they include corn, onions and peppers.
- Red-Eye Gravy—A thin sauce made with ham grease and coffee. Sometimes water is substituted for coffee. Usually, red-eye gravy is a dip for ham, but it is also used to top grits, cornbread or biscuits.
Louisiana—A Category of It’s Own
In Louisiana, southern food takes on a whole new meaning. Unique to this state, Creole and Cajun cuisine is dominant. While both Creole and Cajun are French influences with highly spiced rice and seafood, Creole is often more refined, subtly seasoned multiple course meal while Cajun uses few herbs, hot sauces and simmered slowly in one pot. If in Louisiana, give these native dishes a taste:- Gumbo—A stew or soup with meat (usually more than one kind of shellfish) and vegetables such as celery, bell pepper and onion. Usually, gumbo is served over rice though it may be eaten without.
- Crawfish Etouffee—Served with shellfish or chicken over rice. While similar to gumbo, it is often much thicker.
- Jambalaya—Made with vegetables, meats (usually chicken or sausage mixed with some sort of seafood) and rice. Jambalaya differs from gumbo because it cooks the rice in its mixture while gumbo only serves the mixture over rice.
Southwest
Prior to 1845, the southwest area of the United States belonged to Mexico, so it isn’t surprising to find that the cuisine in this area is largely influenced by the Mexican culture. Corn, beans, tortillas, salsa and chilies are included in most every meal. Southwestern specialties include:- Tamales—Usually eaten around Christmas time, tamales are steamed-cooked corn dough (masa) filled with meats, cheese and sliced chilies. They are then wrapped in a corn husk or plantain leaves before cooking.
- New Mexico Carne Adovado—Pork stewed in a sauce made up almost entirely of dried red peppers.
- Texas Chili Con Carne—A spicy stew-like dish with beef and pinto beans.
Midwest
Food in the Midwest are influenced greatly by the German, British, Italian, Hungarian and Scandinavian immigrants that settled here. Meals tend to be simple, yet hearty with lots of side dishes. Dairy products like milk, cheese and eggs are staple ingredients and Friday night fish fry is common especially in Wisconsin. Dishes that must be tried while living in the Midwest are:- Bratwurst—A sausage composed of pork, beef and/or veal. They are usually grilled, but may be cooked in broth or beer.
- Wild Rice Soup—Chicken, rice, carrots, leeks and celery in a creamy broth. Quite popular during the hunting season or on cold, windy days.
- Chicago Style Pizza—Deep dish pizza with a buttery crust, generous amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce.
West Coast
Typically, the West has a very diverse culture so pretty much any ethnic food is available. So it is no surprise that the West Coast has also mastered the fusion technique of taking ingredients from one or more cuisine and mixing them together to create an entirely new dish. Seattle has the best fusion cuisine with the mixing of Asian flavors and classical European cooking styles. Try these simple, yet amazing fusion dishes:- Bourbon Chicken—Chicken, good bourbon whisky and Asian soy sauce combine to create a flavorful dish.
- Asian Pasta Salad—Asian seasonings added to traditional salad with fish fillets.
- Hummus Guacamole—Hummus and Guacamole combine for a somewhat bitter, yet delicious condiment.
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