Stereotypically/typically "American" food you've never eaten, or tried only later in life

[Tropicalsenior]

15 minutes ago, lemniscate said:

Pineapple Cheese casserole. 

@Kim Shook mentioned it in the dinner thread and she has promised us her daughter Jessica's recipe. Some time ago, my niece sent me her mother-in-law's recipe for scalloped pineapple and it turned out to be a pineapple bread pudding. Actually, pretty darn good.

I have to agree with you on the green bean casserole. It's just a nice traditional way to ruin good green beans. I've never heard them called calf fries but I have eaten Rocky Mountain oysters. I had to have a few drinks to get up my courage to eat them so I have no idea what they tasted like.

Never tried rattlesnake but alligator is delicious.

Edited June 10, 2021 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[lemniscate]

16 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

alligator is delicious

 

Yep, this is true.  Had my first go with gator sausage in New Orleans at a breakfast dive that was amazing.  Sadly, The Tally Ho is no longer around.  I had cathead biscuits and over easy eggs and gator sausage.  I think a lot of my "not tried until older" American food is related to traveling to places where those foods are "normal".

Edited June 10, 2021 by lemniscate (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

31 minutes ago, lemniscate said:

I think a lot of my "not tried until older" American food is related to traveling to places where those foods are "normal".

I couldn't agree more! So many favorites are totally Regional. I would give anything to try a real Philly cheesesteak or a real Chicago Pizza. Things that we in other areas read about but can only try to imitate.

Butte Montana has something that is called 'John's Pork Chop Sandwich'. It is wonderful but only if you buy it at John's Pork Chop Sandwich Shop. He never divulged his recipe and anything else is just a very poor imitation.

[liuzhou]

8 hours ago, Tropicalsenior said:

alligator is delicious

 

Another alligator fan here.

 

[Tropicalsenior]

7 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

Another alligator fan here.

 

Years ago, I used to get a cookbook from the library by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the author of The Yearling. She had quite a few recipes for alligator. Unfortunately, at the time I was living at Lake Tahoe and it didn't have any Alligators so I never got to try any of them. After seeing that picture I'm just as glad I didn't.

[heidih]

39 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

Years ago, I used to get a cookbook from the library by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the author of The Yearling. She had quite a few recipes for alligator. Unfortunately, at the time I was living at Lake Tahoe and it didn't have any Alligators so I never got to try any of them. After seeing that picture I'm just as glad I didn't.

Another example of regionality. I've only had it in Louisiana. 

[Tropicalsenior]

14 minutes ago, heidih said:

Another example of regionality. I've only had it in Louisiana. 

I've only eaten it in Seattle. A young man that I worked with was from the south and every year, he and his partner and two other couples from the south would have a big Southern BBQ. They would have alligator flown in and served it several ways. The barbecued ribs were wonderful and it was always some of the best food that I ever ate. Those Southerners do know how to eat well.

Edited June 11, 2021 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

There is one food craze that I don't understand. I have never eaten raw oysters nor had any desire to eat them. I love cooked oysters and I will eat them in any way shape or form cooked, but please, can somebody explain why anybody would eat them raw.

[liuzhou]

2 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

There is one food craze that I don't understand. I have never eaten raw oysters nor had any desire to eat them. I love cooked oysters and I will eat them in any way shape or form cooked, but please, can somebody explain why anybody would eat them raw.

 

Because they taste better raw. I don't like them cooked, but love them raw!

[Tropicalsenior]

Perhaps another reason that I am reluctant to eat them is that I remember the time that my husband and I went to a popular Seattle Oyster Bar. He had two dozen raw oysters and I had Oysters Rockefeller. He spent the next two days worshiping the porcelain goddess and I didn't.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

5 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

There is one food craze that I don't understand. I have never eaten raw oysters nor had any desire to eat them. I love cooked oysters and I will eat them in any way shape or form cooked, but please, can somebody explain why anybody would eat them raw.

 

2 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

 

Because they taste better raw. I don't like them cooked, but love them raw!

An interesting way to enjoy the best of both worlds is an uncooked oyster pasta.    Essentially, almost liquify shucked oysters in a blender.     Cook and drain fettuccine; toss with olive oil and very small amount of minced garlic and chopped parsley.   While pasta is still steaming hot, pour over the emulsified oysters, mix and serve.    Like having the ocean on your plate.  

[Kim Shook]

17 hours ago, Tropicalsenior said:

@Kim Shook mentioned it in the dinner thread and she has promised us her daughter Jessica's recipe. Some time ago, my niece sent me her mother-in-law's recipe for scalloped pineapple and it turned out to be a pineapple bread pudding. Actually, pretty darn good.

I have to agree with you on the green bean casserole. It's just a nice traditional way to ruin good green beans. I've never heard them called calf fries but I have eaten Rocky Mountain oysters. I had to have a few drinks to get up my courage to eat them so I have no idea what they tasted like.

Never tried rattlesnake but alligator is delicious.

She finally sent me the recipe and I'll be posting a link soon.  But I'd love to have that scalloped pineapple recipe you mentioned.  It sounds like it would make a great dish to serve with/after a ham dinner.  

[Tropicalsenior]

Rather than take the time to copy it out which might take me forever, I'll send it to you as I got it. I scaled it down slightly and cooked it in the instant pot.

Edited June 11, 2021 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[kayb]

17 hours ago, lemniscate said:

Mentioned in another thread and it reminded me:

 

Pineapple Cheese casserole.  Had never heard of it until I spent Thanksgiving in SW Georgia with extended family.  I was skeptical but politely tried it and dang if it wasn't pretty delicious.   I tried making it myself, but it wasn't the same as being in The South with the lovely musical drawls telling stories, along that impossibly long table filled with happy eaters.   

 

Green Bean Casserole also something I never had until I went to other people's Thanksgivings, and that remains a big NOPE for me. 

 

Calf fries/Rocky Mtn Oysters I like.  Also, does fried rattlesnake count as Americana?

 

I had at one time a recipe for scalloped pineapple that had grated cheese and I forget what else in it. I looked for it, but it's not in the book I thought it was. I recall it being pretty good. Ill look for it.

 

32 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

There is one food craze that I don't understand. I have never eaten raw oysters nor had any desire to eat them. I love cooked oysters and I will eat them in any way shape or form cooked, but please, can somebody explain why anybody would eat them raw.

 

Because they taste the way the ocean smells, early in the morning.

[heidih]

29 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

Rather than take the time to copy it out which might take me forever, I'll send it to you as I got it. I scaled it down slightly and cooked it in the instant pot.

Is cr. pine creamed pineapple? Not familiar to me

[Tropicalsenior]

48 minutes ago, heidih said:

Is cr. pine creamed pineapple? Not familiar to me

I think that would be crushed pineapple.

[heidih]

Just now, Tropicalsenior said:

I think that would be crushed pineapple.

I must have creamed corn on the brain

[lemniscate]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

Is cr. pine creamed pineapple? Not familiar to me

 

Crushed pineapple I'd assume.

 

Edit: beat to it.

Edited June 11, 2021 by lemniscate (log)

[weinoo]

I'm gonna go with the stereotypical American food, the Korean corn dog. However, that's not because I can't find them...

 

Quote

The city’s selection of Hot Cheetos-dusted, fried potato-encrusted Korean corn dogs continues to grow this week. Two Hands, a national Korean corn dog chain that debuted its first New York location in the East Village this spring, has opened a new restaurant in Soho, at 250 Mott Street, between Prince and East Houston streets, where its serving the popular mozzarella and sausage dogs for takeout and delivery.

 

https://ny.eater.com/2021/6/11/22529328/korean-corn-dog-two-hands-nyc-soho-opening

 

Just...NONONONONONO

[MokaPot]

2 hours ago, Tropicalsenior said:

There is one food craze that I don't understand. I have never eaten raw oysters nor had any desire to eat them. I love cooked oysters and I will eat them in any way shape or form cooked, but please, can somebody explain why anybody would eat them raw.

 

I like oysters both raw and cooked. For raw, I like the brininess and texture. I can understand how the texture might seem creepy. If you don't like raw oysters now, you probably never will. However, I used to dislike uni (sea urchin, raw) and now I like it.

 

[Tropicalsenior]

This topic reminded me of a neat little cookbook that I bought a long time ago.

It was published in 1984 and I have spent a lot of time drooling over regional favorites. Many of them can't be duplicated. They are regional favorites because the ingredients are strictly regional. It contains the usual culprits, Philly Cheesesteak, Chicago Pizza, Hot Brown Sandwich, Cioppino and many more. The one that interests me most is the Vidalia Onion Custard.

Quite a few of the pages are covered with drool, but I did get my very best barbecue sauce recipe from it.

[Tropicalsenior]

4 minutes ago, MokaPot said:

However, I used to dislike uni (sea urchin, raw) and now I like it.

I love raw sea urchin and sushi and sashimi.

Edited June 11, 2021 by Tropicalsenior (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

18 minutes ago, weinoo said:

Korean corn dog

How are Korean corn dogs any more disgusting than the American ones?

[heidih]

2 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

How are Korean corn dogs any more disgusting than the American ones?

I don't think they are on the same plane. K-town one is instagram fodder, though it has been around and traditional 4th of July style dogs are not fancy and I'd argue the American traditional for purposes of definition here. Though I do enjoy  the bacon wrapped griddled dogs with griddled onion, jalapenos and "the works" outside clubs for the 2am alcohol absorption .and on street corners.

[Tropicalsenior]

1 minute ago, heidih said:

American traditional

No, I meant specifically corn dogs. Especially the grease soaked versions at the State Fair.