What's American Food?

[Elok]

Back when I was doing TEFL in Peru, my students once asked me what constituted "American food." Burgers, fries and pizza (of the fast-food kind) were all they knew about it, so they turned up their noses at the concept. I wanted to jump to the defense of the ol' fatherland...but fell flat, because what is American food?

Almost all of the examples I can think of (i.e., distinctively American dishes) are from the South. BBQ, gumbo, jambalaya, greens, biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, and the like. The rest were a few scattered regional mainstays like clam chowder or crabs with Old Bay. Maybe macaroni and cheese? Apple pie? Those feel pretty "American" to me, though for all I know Brits or the French or somebody invented both. Er, hash browns? Doughnuts? There's lots of traditional foods that have fallen by the wayside as modernity and fast food took over, I'm sure.

If you grew up in the U.S., what do you think of as distinctively "American food"? I'd especially like to hear about regional favorites. I have no idea what sorts of food are traditional in Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, or California.

[Uncle Sparky]

Hamburgers, hot dogs, and pizza are quintessentially American. I think that if you take basically healthy ingredients, and process it in a way to make it yummy but unhealthy, you have "American food".

[loinburger]

American food also consists of imported food that's been Americanized, like chimichangas and General Tso's chilcken.

[Aeson]

Deep-fried Kool-Aid.

[Berzerker]

high fructose corn syrup

[SlowwHand]

Chicken-fried steak, black eyed peas, mashed potatoes and cherry cobbler for dessert.

[Hauldren Collider]

Back when I was doing TEFL in Peru, my students once asked me what constituted "American food." Burgers, fries and pizza (of the fast-food kind) were all they knew about it, so they turned up their noses at the concept. I wanted to jump to the defense of the ol' fatherland...but fell flat, because what is American food?

Almost all of the examples I can think of (i.e., distinctively American dishes) are from the South. BBQ, gumbo, jambalaya, greens, biscuits and gravy, fried chicken, and the like. The rest were a few scattered regional mainstays like clam chowder or crabs with Old Bay. Maybe macaroni and cheese? Apple pie? Those feel pretty "American" to me, though for all I know Brits or the French or somebody invented both. Er, hash browns? Doughnuts? There's lots of traditional foods that have fallen by the wayside as modernity and fast food took over, I'm sure.

If you grew up in the U.S., what do you think of as distinctively "American food"? I'd especially like to hear about regional favorites. I have no idea what sorts of food are traditional in Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, or California.

All the southern food you mentioned plus burgers and pizza. Maybe they were invented elsewhere but now they are distinctly American. Also throw in steak. And definitely breakfast cereal. I think we invented that?

[Imran Siddiqui]

There is also Tex-Mex cuisine, including chile con carne (which is distinctly American)

[Ben Kenobi]

Chicken-fried steak, black eyed peas, mashed potatoes and cherry cobbler for dessert.

That's Texan though. I don't think the yankees get to appropriate Texas cuisine.

[SlowwHand]

It would be my last meal request. If they're unfamiliar, it's their loss.

[kentonio]

.. and pizza are quintessentially American.

Italy just rang and asked if you could think about your previous post for a moment.

[kentonio]

All the southern food you mentioned plus burgers and pizza. Maybe they were invented elsewhere but now they are distinctly American.

If you eat a lot of pasta, do you get to claim that's American now too?

Also throw in steak.

Keep dreaming. You're a couple of millenia late on that one.

And definitely breakfast cereal. I think we invented that?

Yep, that one actually is American. Go USA!

[kentonio]

That's Texan though. I don't think the yankees get to appropriate Texas cuisine.

Why not? None of those things began in Texas, so apparently anyone can just claim them.

[Felch]

I think Doritos best exemplify American cuisine, in that they are as unnatural as they are delicious.

[Felch]

Keep dreaming. You're a couple of millenia late on that one.

We invented the corn fed cattle that made it possible for average Americans to eat as well as your nobility.