NATIONAL CUISINE
Apple Pie
Overview
Because almost any type of food can be found in the United States, it can be difficult to define modern American cuisine precisely. Traditional cooking was generally simple, limited by what the colonists and pioneers had available to them. Common foods included wheat-based yeast and quick breads, sweet or savory cornmeal mush, salted meats, dried beans, and seasonal or preserved vegetables, all prepared with very mild seasonings, if any. As immigrants arrived, they generally brought their traditional foods with them or improvised substitutes. Dishes of Italian origin are particularly common in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, for example, while Scandinavian and German specialties are common in Minnesota, and Caribbean food is regular fare in Florida. The country is diverse enough that food taboos are personal rather than regional.
Fish and seafood are commonly eaten all along the coast. Beef and chicken are the most commonly consumed meats, although pork is common. Lamb is eaten less often. Although wheat, rice, and corn are all widely available, ethnic communities generally retain their own preferences. Rice is a bit more common in the Deep South and in eastern Texas, while corn is more often used in the Southwest. Potatoes are the standard starch for most Americans. Vegetables are also regional to a degree. Okra, sweet potatoes, and collards, for example, are far more common in the South than in the North. Chilies and hot peppers are common in the Southwest where Mexican influence is strong, though food is not typically highly seasoned in the rest of the country. Fruit, both regional and imported, is common as an ingredient in sweets, savories, and juices. Desserts and between-meal sweets are popular. Pies in particular are a specialty, but there are regional cakes and desserts as well as countrywide favorites such as apple pie and chocolate chip cookies.
Classic American Dishes
APPETIZERS
Shrimp Cocktail
Shrimp Cocktail – Boiled, chilled shrimp served with a sweet, slightly spicy tomato-based dipping sauce, are a common hot-weather appetizer. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Oysters Rockefeller – Oysters on the half shell, baked in a rich spinach-butter-cheese sauce, are a classic appetizer generally reserved for important meals. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Buffalo Wings – Deep-fried chicken wings with a hot pepper, vinegar, and butter sauce are a popular everyday appetizer, usually served with a creamy blue cheese dressing and raw celery sticks.
SOUPS
Clam Chowder
Clam Chowder –Two main types of American clam chowder exist. Manhattan clam chowder is tomato-based, often includes an assortment of vegetables, and is sometimes slightly spicy. New England clam chowder is cooked in a milk- or cream-based broth, is often enriched with butter, includes potatoes, and is normally seasoned with mild herbs such as bay and parsley. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Corn Chowder – A New World food, corn is a common ingredient in many American dishes. Chowder is generally simmered in milk and mildly seasoned with onion, though Southwestern versions are likely to contain some chilies.
Yankee Bean Soup – Also known as navy bean soup, the beans are simmered in chicken stock with a little ham hock, onion, carrot, celery, bay, thyme, and other aromatics.
SALADS
Potato Salad
Caesar Salad – Romaine lettuce in a salty egg, Parmesan, and anchovy dressing is a popular salad throughout the country. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Potato Salad – Cold boiled potatoes in a mildly seasoned mayonnaise dressing are one of the most common salads in the U.S., and a staple at summer picnics and barbecues. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Three Bean Salad – Chickpeas or wax beans, kidney beans, and string beans are marinated in an apple cider vinaigrette with onions and celery. This is a typical summer side dish, often served at picnics and barbecues.
MAIN DISHES
Hamburger
Hamburgers – An everyday food almost symbolic of American food, hamburgers are ground meat patties grilled or fried and served on a bun. They may be unseasoned or have onion or prepared sauces mixed with the meat before grilling. Hamburgers are typically served with ketchup, mustard, pickle, lettuce, tomato, and onion, but a wide range of garnishes may be used, depending on the region and personal taste. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Fried Chicken – Chicken deep fried until crispy is a traditional dish throughout the U.S., but especially popular in the southern part of the country. Cold fried chicken is also traditional picnic food.(Recipe available in recipes section)
Gumbo – Popular in the southern part of the U.S., especially in Louisiana, gumbo is typical of American regional specialties. It is a spicy stew that normally includes onion, pepper, celery, garlic, bacon fat, and okra. Seafood gumbo usually contains shrimp and fish, but gumbo made with chicken and Andouille sausage is also common.
Pot Roast – Beef, slowly stewed with onion, carrot, potato, a little vinegar, and some mild herbs like parsley and bay is a common cold-weather dish, especially in the northern part of the country.
Chicken and Dumplings – A traditional American dish that is still quite common is chicken stewed with celery, onion, carrot, and bay. The dumplings are normally made from the same dough as baking powder biscuits in the North, and buttermilk biscuits in the South, though a simpler flour-and-water dough is also used in some regions.
SIDE DISHES
French Fries
Baked Beans – A very old dish especially popular in the northern part of the country, navy beans slowly baked in a molasses sauce are a common cold-weather dish. In areas where maple sugar is common, especially Vermont and Minnesota, maple syrup is often substituted for molasses. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Macaroni and Cheese – Elbow macaroni baked in a mild, rich dairy sauce is a common side dish. It is also served as a main course, and is an almost daily food for many American children. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Corn Bread – American corn bread is leavened with baking powder and typically contains a mixture of yellow corn meal and wheat flour. It is often slightly sweet. Many regional variations exist. In the Southwest, it is common to add a bit of chopped green chili and perhaps some fresh corn kernels, while in the Deep South, buttermilk is usually part of the batter. Corn bread is often served with butter and honey, and frequently accompanies bean dishes.
Creamed Spinach
Creamed Spinach – A steakhouse standard as well as a common home-cooked dish, chopped spinach simmered with cream and a little onion and nutmeg is a standard dish.
French Fries – Deep-fried julienned potatoes are a standard accompaniment to burgers, sandwiches, and grilled meats.
DESSERTS
Apple Pie – American pies, generally larger and thicker than their relatives from other countries, are a typical dessert, and pecan, pumpkin, rhubarb, key lime, banana cream, and lemon meringue pies can all be called typical American desserts. Apple pie, however stands out as the most typical American dessert, and is a constant in diners and at family picnics and celebrations. (Recipe available in recipes section)
Chocolate chip cookies
Strawberry Shortcake – A summer favorite, slightly sweetened baking powder or buttermilk biscuits are split in half and filled with sweetened whipped cream and strawberries.
Boston Cream Pie – Actually a vanilla cake, this dessert is filled with vanilla custard cream and topped with a chocolate glaze.
Red Velvet Cake – A southern dessert, this particularly sweet chocolate cake is colored with food coloring. Buttermilk and vinegar provide the soft, tender texture. It is generally frosted with a cream cheese icing and topped with a bit of sweetened coconut.
Chocolate Chip Cookies – One of the most common American sweets, chocolate chip cookies are made of flour, butter, a mixture of white and brown sugar, eggs, and leavening. Although some cooks chop their favorite chocolate to make these sweets, most Americans use ready-made semi-sweet chocolate drops. Chopped walnuts or pecans are a common, but not necessary, ingredient for these cookies.
BEVERAGES
Martini
Coffee – Although interest in Italian-style and flavored coffees has changed the American attitude to coffee to a degree, coffee has long been a typical drink throughout America. Traditionally, American coffee was made in a percolator, brewed weak by international standards, and served black. In some regions, adding milk and sugar is typical, while in others it is not, though allowances are normally made for personal taste. Electric drip coffeemakers are the most common brewing method today, and coffee is still a breakfast standard as well as being consumed throughout the day as well as with or after other meals.
Cola – Soft drinks are particularly popular in the U.S., and the most typical is cola, a dark-brown, caffeinated fizzy beverage. The most common varieties are internationally recognized brands, though some regional producers still exist.
Martini – Typically made of gin, white vermouth, and a pimento-stuffed olive, the martini remains a cocktail standard.
HOLIDAY FAVORITE
Roast Turkey
Roast Turkey – The standard Thanksgiving meal in the United States is roast whole turkey, usually basted with butter and stuffed with a bread and herb stuffing. Stuffings vary by region and personal preference. In the South, cornbread stuffing is common. Sausage is also a likely southern addition, and in the Northeast oysters may be used. Turkey is normally served with gravy, mashed potatoes, and cranberries stewed or jellied with sugar. Sweet potatoes, baked and sometimes topped with marshmallows, are another common side dish. A green vegetable is usually served, though it is more often an afterthought. Pumpkin pie is the standard finish to the Thanksgiving meal. Many Americans serve a similar dinner for Christmas, as well.
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