We’ve left the Great White North and are going down South. Destination: USA. What sort of food is truly American? Despite what you may think, original American food was very similar to that of Canada – the aboriginal people lived off the land, then later, new food arrived with the Europeans when they came to colonize the States.
It’s changed dramatically over the years, and as certain cultures are concentrated in various areas, their food begins to influence the local cuisine. True American food, some may argue, is fusion food. For example, hot dogs and hamburgers, which many consider to be American, are originally from Germany. They’ve just changed a bit to cater to the American taste.
Each region of the US has a pretty unique cuisine. Read on for several examples of dishes from various regions (and a few recipe links!).
Northeastern US food is heavily influenced by the coastline and immigration. There is a lot of seafood, Italian, and Irish food there, and some of the most famous dishes include Philly cheesesteaks, buffalo wings, clam chowder, and crab cakes.
Let’s head to the Western US, where we’ll find that food is more nature-based. The Slow Food Movement has taken hold there, and people are more likely to eat unprocessed foods. Pan-Asian food is also becoming more popular in the Northwest region, mixing in Asian elements with traditional American food.
In the Midwest, the food is heavily influenced by Northern Europeans. Pierogies, latkes (potato pancakes), and sausage dishes are common. Farming and agriculture are also prevalent, and beef, pork, potatoes, and dairy are staples.
And now we go down south: the weather is hot, the food is spicy, and the culture is rich.
In the deep south, food is influenced by both Caribbean culture and African American traditions; that’s where the term “Soul Food” comes from! This is the part of America that is famous for barbecue, hot sauce, and fried food. They’ve also got Cajun and Creole food, bourbon, and whiskey. Southern food is basically just a damn good time! Want to go Southern? Try your hand at making a cobbler, some sweet tea, or country gravy.
Southwestern food is a bit different yet. It’s more Mexican inspired, and is usually quite spicy. Chilies, limes, and cilantro are very common ingredients, and chimichangas, taquitos, and sopapillas are just a few examples of Southwestern US cuisine. It’s my favourite cuisine of the US – what’s yours?
I haven’t forgotten about Alaska and Hawaii, but we’re on a road trip here, so it’s a bit tough to go back and forth! What dishes are special to Hawaii and Alaska? Do you have any recipes that you’d like to share?
Now that we’ve gone through the US and it’s tasty foods (Phew! That was a lot to cover!), we have to get thinking about what region of the US we’d like to visit so we can try a special dish. Where should we go next? What food would you like to try?