What's American Food?

[kentonio]

The [...] is rather important. Italians invented neapolitan flatbread, which is what I described elsewhere. It's quite good, but not really very similar to American Pizza. It's a light bread with very bright flavors and focuses strongly on the bread flavor and texture, with the cheese and tomato and basil as light notes.

American Pizza, think Domino's here, or even better, Chicago Style Deep Dish, is an entirely different food, no more similar than a quesidilla is to a pizza. Sure, both are flat breads with cheese and tomato on them, but beyond that they are not similar foods. NY style pizza is a very thin, crispy crust, with tomato sauce, cheap melted oily cheese, and other toppings. The taste primarily comes from the cheese and any toppings. Chicago style pizza is a thicker but still crispy crust, thick layers of sauce and cheese, and 'toppings' in the middle; the taste is primarily the sauce.

You can claim Chicago style pizza as American (mostly because it's ****ing horrible), but trying to claim thin based pizza is a losing argument. The Italians have countless variations on pizza, just like you do. More importantly they invented the concept. You can't just claim it on the grounds that you typically use a bit more cheese, or a slightly different sauce than they do.

[MikeH]

How do you get it to emulsify with no egg?

Milk already contains an emulsifier, and in fact is an emulsion itself.

[snoopy369]

You can claim Chicago style pizza as American (mostly because it's ****ing horrible), but trying to claim thin based pizza is a losing argument. The Italians have countless variations on pizza, just like you do. More importantly they invented the concept. You can't just claim it on the grounds that you typically use a bit more cheese, or a slightly different sauce than they do.

If you're going to call every cheese containing flatbread pizza, then the Italians lose to the Chinese, Spanish, and just about every culture that preceded them. The Italian concept of pizza (Pizza Margherita) and the American concept, even of thin crust, are entirely different things.

[Sava]

You can claim Chicago style pizza as American (mostly because it's ****ing horrible),

You are stupid and your country has ****ty food.

[MikeH]

If you're going to call every cheese containing flatbread pizza, then the Italians lose to the Chinese, Spanish, and just about every culture that preceded them. The Italian concept of pizza (Pizza Margherita) and the American concept, even of thin crust, are entirely different things.

Yeah, the Italian one is good.

[N35t0r]

Exactly.

1 part milk, one part oil, in a blender. Blend, adding a thin stream of oil to the mixture until it emulsifies. I use a hand blender, but a regular one will do as well.

[edit:] xpost.

[Sava]

There aren't too many foods that are originally "American". Different ethnic groups have come to this country and contributed to the cuisine. A lot of foods we consider to be "ethnic" are unlike their original counter-parts. I suspect there is great food in most countries (probably even in the UK somewhere). America doesn't really have kebab joints. That's something I wish would become a thing here.

Overall, I'd say America has the best food just because of the troll factor for non-USians.

[MikeH]

I'd say that the only good food in the US was in Texas to troll the USians.

[Sava]

I'd say that the only good food in the US was in Texas to troll the USians.

Texas barbeque is good. Also, I love Tex-Mex.

I don't think Texas has good pizza though. But then again, my Texas experience is limited to traveling through the state on a train on the way to Arizona.

[Colon™]

I'd say that the only good food in the US was in Texas to troll the USians.

I'd say Mexico is the only reason they have good food to troll the Texans.

[Dinner]

I make home-made mayonnaise with oil and milk (no egg, so it's not truly mayonnaise though). It goes great for sandwitches and stuff, especially with some garlic or curry powder.

Why not just make aioli as it tastes better and can easily be made in five minutes?

[N35t0r]

Alioli? It takes more work, mainly. In any case, adding garlic to this mayonnaise is pretty much the same.

[MRT144]

Corn is distinctly American.

ACK!

I asked my wife about this question and we both agreed that if you were trying to replicate American classics across the world, Corn based dishes would be the hardest. Tex Mex is probably the least accessible cuisine outside of the United States because the species of plants used in the creation and preparation of many tex mex dishes are unique to the southwest and in other parts of the world already have established nutritive substitutes.

[MRT144]

If you're going to call every cheese containing flatbread pizza, then the Italians lose to the Chinese, Spanish, and just about every culture that preceded them. The Italian concept of pizza (Pizza Margherita) and the American concept, even of thin crust, are entirely different things.

I wouldnt say entirely different. It's like the difference between two breeds of dogs, not two kingdoms of life.

[kentonio]

You are stupid and your country has ****ty food.

Your face is stupid, and we actually have pretty awesome food these days.