About American food

From the fresh produce of sunny California to the plentiful seafood of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay – America is a country rich in resources and know-how. Food from the United States is much more than hotdogs, burgers and fries; there is a fantastic range of classic dishes from delicate crab cakes to the more hearty fare of the Deep South. Native cooking traditions, and those brought by early settlers and waves of immigration since, have developed a sophisticated cuisine that is distinctly “American”.

The Mississippi Delta is rich in fish, crab and shrimp. It’s also ‘soul food’ central: The huge population of African Americans in this region has resulted in culinary delights like jambalaya, gumbo, fried chicken, collard greens, black-eyed peas and grits. African slaves were resourceful when it came to cooking; chickens were easy to keep, catching a fish was free, and collard greens grew like weeds. The South is also famed for its delicious meringue-based key lime pie.

Further north, New England is renowned for its pure maple syrup, baked beans, brown bread, clam chowder and clambakes. In Buffalo – Buffalo wings (fried chicken wings) are served with blue cheese and celery. In other parts of the mid-Atlantic, Dutch influences are prominent – particularly among the Amish community of Pennsylvania who are famed for their “Shoofly pie” (a fluffy molasses pie).

Corn dogs.

Naturally, local produce plays a role when it comes to regional favourites – from Alaska where moose-burgers are popular to Hawaii where Polynesian pit bakes and pineapples reign supreme.

A key holiday commemorated with food is Thanksgiving, which is a reminder of the first harvest feast that the new settlers celebrated with the local Indians. Native produce like cranberries, pecan nuts and turkey are all on the menu. Other more inventive Thanksgiving dishes include the turducken: originating in Louisiana, it’s an elaborate heart-stopping dish consisting of a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken. The not-so-healthy but oh-so-delicious deep-fried turkey is also becoming a popular alternative to the traditional Thanksgiving turkey roast.

The all-American “Cook Out” is a proud tradition during the summer months. For centuries, North Americans have perfected the art of barbecuing, using many different types of wood to achieve a wonderful smoky flavour and combining dry spices to make rubs for meats as well as marinating. Barbecue techniques and special sauces reach art form in the southeastern region, where national competitions are common.

Fried green tomatoes.

When it comes to dessert, apple pies are still all-American, as are the cherry, pumpkin, key lime and pies that can be found in generous slabs in diners across the nation.

 

View our American recipe collection here.

Source: Petrina Tinslay