Have you ever wondered if the United States has a national cuisine? For many people, Americans only eat hamburgers and fries. We have found out all about the taste preferences of modern American citizens.
Hot dogs in the park, donuts on the go, burgers sold at every corner – these are food habits that are strongly associated with the people of North America. However, Americans eat more than just junk food. The national cuisine of the United States is distinguished by a huge variety, since immigrants brought with them recipes for many dishes from European and Asian countries, and neighboring Mexico also contributed.
Also, in the menu of modern restaurants, they are actively trying to revitalize the cuisine of the indigenous people of North America – the Indians. Many chefs call it new Native American cuisine. The difficulty is that the recipes of most national dishes were passed down (to pass down) to descendants by word of mouth, so now chefs often have to try on the role of detectives in order to find the exact recipe.
If you have a passion for cooking and want to cook with English-language recipes, then one of our teachers can help you master the names of popular ingredients, cutlery, cooking processes and more. Enjoy your English!
Traditional American food
Let’s get acquainted with the most popular American dishes, without which no national holiday is complete. You’ve certainly heard a lot about Thanksgiving turkey, but today we decided to introduce you to something new.
1. Apple pie
Apple Pie is perhaps the most iconic dish in the United States. It appeared on the tables of Americans thanks to immigrants from Great Britain, Sweden and Holland. It was cheap to make such a pie, so for a long time it was the main food (a staple) of the colonists. Over time, Americans got richer, but apple pie caught on and became a fixture of American culture (Americana).
2. Macaroni and cheese
This mouthwatering Mediterranean dish was introduced to America by Thomas Jefferson, the President of the United States and one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence. The chef served the dish at a state dinner, and many loved it.
3. Ruben sandwich
It is not entirely clear who invented this sandwich, but there are two versions: the owner of the grocery store is a Lithuanian Ruben Kolakowski from Nebraska, or the proprietors of the New York gourmet café Reuben’s
4. Buffalo chicken wings
Legend has it that this recipe for chicken wings was invented by the owner of the bar, Teresa Belsito. Once she was mistakenly delivered wings instead of necks. So that the product does not go to waste, she came up with a recipe for this beer snack, which many people liked.
5. Bun with gravy
A biscuit with gravy was a cheap option for a filling breakfast during the Revolutionary War.
6. Clam Chaucer
Clam chowder is a variation of a French seafood stew.
7. San Francisco yeast bread
A sourdough bread is as much a part of the California culinary tradition as Napa Valley wine. During the hard times of the Gold Rush days, miners and settlers ate this bread, for which the sourdough was kept in pouches. For this, the settlers were nicknamed sourdoughs, and later this word was fixed in the English language in two meanings: yeast leaven; gold digger, prospector.
8. Corn bread
Cornbread is a pillar of South American cuisine. Many other dishes are also made from cornmeal: fried corn dumplings (hushpuppies), corn pones (corn pones) and cornmeal pancakes (johnnycakes).
9. Bannock (Indian fried bread)
Who would have thought that deep-fried leavened bread could be so delicious! Bannock (Indian fry bread) is said to have been invented by the Navajo Indians 150 years ago. They used flour, sugar, salt and lard. The incredibly high-calorie bread can be paired with honey, ground beef, cheese and lettuce.
10. Grits (corn porridge)
Grits are a type of hominy, that is, corn porridge. Corn porridge is eaten in different ways: no additives (plain), spicy (savory), sweet, etc.
11. Potato balls
To prepare potato balls (tater tots), potatoes (a spud) are grated (to grate), then mini-balls are made, which are fried until crispy. If you travel north from the southern states of America, you will be offered the same dish, but already called potato puffs.
12. Dried meat
Tough and spicy jerky is a nutritious and healthy snack. It is especially loved by backpackers as it is easy to fill and convenient to store. One piece of such a delicacy is equal in caffeine level to a cup of coffee. Therefore, the American army is actively buying it.
It is believed that the prototype of this snack was the so-called pemmican, which was prepared by the indigenous people of North America. They chopped the meat of a deer or bison, mixed it with fat and poured the juice of sour berries.
