When I say Indian cuisine, Mexican cuisine or even French cuisine, do certain dishes come to mind? How about if I say American cuisine? What dishes come to mind? Is there even such a thing as American cuisine? That is the subject of this Cooking Tip.
Many will say there is no such thing as American cuisine. Others will say nothing is more American than the “Golden Arches.” If there is such a thing as American cuisine, it has been influenced by the fact that we began as a country of immigrants, each of whom brought their own food to these shores. Recipes had to be adapted, though, as not all ingredients available in their home countries were available here. How many times have you heard that a restaurant serves “authentic Italian food” or that it serves “Americanized Italian food?” What is the latter? Is it Italian, or is it American? Very little of what we call American doesn’t have roots in other cuisines. Perhaps the most American food is corn, a staple of Native American cuisine for millennia.
What Americans eat has also changed through time. Think of what might have been on our dining tables in the 1950s and what is on our table today. Back then, there was Spam, tuna casserole, meatloaf and Jello. Today, dinner is more likely to consist of processed foods, food kits or restaurant delivery meals.
Our country is also vast, with differing geography, climate and people. This has led to a distinct regionality of the cuisine. Whereas the definition of American cuisine can be nebulous, we might more easily describe Southern cuisine, New Orleans cuisine or New England cuisine.
If we were to describe a typical American cookout, it would most likely include hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad and coleslaw. If you head to the Northeast, you will surely find many seafood dishes, such as clam chowder and lobster rolls. Quintessential Southern dishes include fried chicken, biscuits/gravy, fried green tomatoes, and grits, which are all very different but all very American.
I often think of American food as what you will find in diners in small towns across the US. I recall looking for a place to eat while driving through a small town in the Midwest. The local café boasted dishes such as chicken fried steak, cheeseburgers, and roast beef with mashed potatoes. There might have been spaghetti and meatballs, but it was an Americanized version. The other type of eating establishment we found is any number of fast food places.
Although that sounds very American to me, I might be a bit unfair. What are your thoughts? Is there an American cuisine? If so, what is it? What would you suggest if someone was visiting from another country and said they wanted to try American food? Let me know!
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