In Search of American Cuisine

Lets get one thing clear. I'm not a Professional Chef. I've never been to culinary school, or even attended a cooking class. I believe my mom gave me a few pointers when I was in my teens, but besides that it's pretty much been trial and error when it comes to cooking.

That being said , I love to cook. I love to prepare old standards while experimenting with different seasonings, or even creating a dish with an ingredient that I've never had before.

A few weeks back I asked my wife what she was in the mood for , for dinner. After taking a few moments to decide, she said Italian. That's a very popular answer to one of our most asked questions. After she expressed her choice , I tried to narrow it down a little.

We all know what Italian food represents. Its Pasta, Pizza, Sauces , Bread, Meatballs , Sausage etc.. While there are many choices , we all can identify this type of cuisine.

This got me to thinking.. What do we classify as American Cuisine. Are there people in other countries craving American Food tonight? I mean its got to be more defined than Hot Dogs and Hamburgers!! Obviously one reason its hard to clarify is that we have so many diverse cultures in the U.S.. Only a very select few are native to our land, the rest of us are all immigrants from other countries. We are a huge Melting Pot, Right???

All of us tend to lean towards our own nationalities, as a staple in our food selections. But the great thing is, over a period of time in the U.S. we have blended these selections with other influences. Whether they be other immigrants tastes because they happen to live near us, or we choose to add local ingredients that are readily available.


Over the years ,I've lived on the West Coast in California, In the Southwest in Texas , The Northwest In Seattle, and the Upper Midwest in Minnesota. I've experiences many different views of food. I've never lived in the North East but have visited many times, and have decided I love food from this region. The same could be said about the South East. In every Region there are very specific tastes that are most popular and have become a signature of that particular part of the country.

Every Saturday I will try to pass on a recipe from a certain region of America. One that defines the approach to food in that particular part of the country. We will visit different states , select the local favorites and pass the our view of the best of these recipes to you.

Of course the real experts are the people who live in these regions. So of course, I encourage anyone to share their favorites and add their comments.

I try to follow five simple guidelines when making these selections.



1. It should be simple. Most of us don't have professional kitchens to create these meals. Ingredients should be readily available



2. Quick. Preparation should not take more than a half hour. This excludes marinating, and long slow cooks.



3. Limited cooking devices. All dishes should be made using an oven, stove top, or grill. No deep fryers, smokers, etc. Most people don't have these devices.



4. Healthy and Sustainable. These term can mean the same thing. Depending on your view , some dishes won't be as healthy, but ingredients should be sustainable. It's important to be able to enjoy these dishes for years to come. An example of this would be choosing a certain type of fish, our meat.



5. A true staple of the regions cuisine. Should be a dish that is popular in that particular region.



So lets see if we can find what truly is American Cuisine.



And remember, if you happen to be from a different country, this will be interesting as well. More than likely, we will be taking a standard from dish from a different country (Maybe yours) that has been adjusted to our influences.



Enjoy!