Ten Foods That Make America Great

[shiv]

My additions would be the varieties of cornbreads that come from the South, and biscuits.

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I would second the biscuits. Biscuits and gravy are the ultimate comfort food for me, and heck, I'm not even from the South!

I would also add baked beans to the list.

[EdS]

America's most influential culinary contribution to the world is junk food.

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But if so, does it make American great?

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Great has many meanings. Defined as superior in quality or grand? No, not in my opinion. But defined as powerful and influential or outstanding in its significance or importance, absolutely. Every major city around the world that I've visited has American fast food chains and/or local fast food restaurants trying to emulate American fast food or at least the processes and procedures used to create it.

I don't want to drift too far off-topic so I'll leave it at that.

Edited July 5, 2005 by esvoboda (log)

[Soup]

Good article but I never can totally agree with anyone's top 10 list. It should really have talked about BBQ, Steak and Fried chicken. But it did make me think about shoo fly pie which I haven't had since 1993 (last time I took a trip to the Lancaster county area). There is a lot of great food in this country and I love the fact that unlike other countries (I've travel to) this country offers very good versions of many many ethic foods. Thank goodness for the immagrants that continue to bring different culinary traditions.

Happy fourth...

Soup

[Pan]

America's most influential culinary contribution to the world is junk food.

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But if so, does it make American great?

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Great has many meanings. Defined as superior in quality or grand? No, not in my opinion. But defined as powerful and influential or outstanding in its significance or importance, absolutely. Every major city around the world that I've visited has American fast food chains and/or local fast food restaurants trying to emulate American fast food or at least the processes and procedures used to create it.

I don't want to drift too far off-topic so I'll leave it at that.

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I respect that.

I'll only say that defining McDonalds and such as food that makes America great would be totally outside of -- not to say opposite from -- the spirit of the article, which talks about foods that a food-lover like jbonne feels are great. Many people feel that McDonalds et al. have done a lot of harm to the standards of taste that are behind exactly the kinds of traditional foods featured in the article.

[racheld]

I STILL don't get the Shoofly Pie thing. It's piecrust and molasses. Period. You might as well dip a biscuit and cut out all the rolling, crimping and fishing for compliments. Maybe it's because it's what they HAD. Okaaaaay. I see. That good ole American spirit of "making-do" which has always stood us in good stead (grudging acceptance dawning).

And stock photos---your photographer has a TTL eye too jaded by raccoon-eyed models and three-sprig spa food...that mingy little trio of naked shrimp look like shivering castaways on a raft, with no land in sight. That photog needs some pointers from Rachel and Jason, who take marvelous pictures while hurrying before the food cools and salivating over their fourth Po'boy of the day. See "Louisiana" for their Po'boy thread---those shrimp tumbling out of that bun would raise Lazarus. Their photos are works of art, deserving of frames and a gallery with one of those cute maroon rope things. They'd make excellent traveling companions, with all their bright repartee and knowledge of cuisine and stuff.

And Daniel---see his many "roadtrip" threads---makes nice pics with a 'cue in one hand and the other arm warmly ensconced around his "shotgun rider." I'm sure he'd be GLAD to travel with you to any and all BBQ tastings, snapping away.

Looking forward to the 'cue article. Don't miss Memphis.

rachel

[jbonne]

And stock photos---your photographer has a TTL eye too jaded by raccoon-eyed models and three-sprig spa food...that mingy little trio of naked shrimp look like shivering castaways on a raft, with no land in sight.  That photog needs some pointers from Rachel and Jason, who take marvelous pictures while hurrying before the food cools and salivating over their fourth Po'boy of the day.

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don't even get me started on our photo choices.

i personally have lots of great pix from N.O., but none of a po-boy. some fun B&W shots inside Liuzza's, though ...

[viva]

Just remember, whenever you see a hamburger, French fry will be there. Whenever you see a hot dog, French fry will be there. Through oil, through salt and seas of ketchup French fry will be there.

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also when you see a steak frites, a moules frites, a fish and chips, and about half the foods of northwestern Europe.

while i admire the French fry to no end, i think its provenance is a bit too global to hand credit fully to the USA.

Freedom fries, otoh ...

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I can personally attest to this, having spent the last 3 weeks in Belgium and France, where I've had pretty much every "-frites" combination possible. And they were generally a damn sight tastier than our freedom-frites. Especially with mayo! Ketchup has nothing on mayo as a fry condiment.

I'll give this one up to the Europeans.

[Daniel]

Thanks for the good words Rachel.. I must tell you however, I am a big fan of the shoefly pie.. I am Half Penn Dutch and it has been a staple on my mothers table.. When done correctly, i.e by my mother or grandmother it is an awesome thing..

[divalasvegas]

thanks to various folks for the compliments.  i assure you, the original list for possibles was very, very, very long.

you should, however, see some of the utterly nasty responses we've gotten to the list.  i'm just plain ignoring the outrage of a sizable Philly contingent about the cheesesteak (my basic response: tune in next year), but to the scrapple lovers out there (and scrapple was on my initial list), all i can say is: if people hate shoofly pie as much as they seem to, i can only imagine what they'd say about scrapple.

ditto chile verde. i particularly took pride in putting that in because it's an original, and it's a very not-too-obvious choice.  the NM folks who've seen it were overjoyed, while folks in Philly, Chicago and the entire Midwest think i'm on crack. ah well.

But I do think leaving out BBQ was grievous, no matter what lame excuse you gave.    You easily could have listed BBQ and then said something like, "From the Carolinas to Texas, from Kansas City to Mississippi, BBQ may vary in types of sauces, heat sources, and meats, but BBQ is all American, all the time." 

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we said in the intro that we didn't want to spark a battle about BBQ, mostly since i'll be doing a BBQ item for Labor Day. as someone who lives with a lifelong Austin native, and who has been told under no uncertain terms that no greater food exists than Texas brisket, i wouldn't dare to pretend that BBQ doesn't make the cut.

[edited re: chile verde]

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Mercy, jbonne! Sorry to hear about the "utterly nasty responses." Said it before, say it again: great article. However, being nosey, I really would like to see some of those nasty responses. Are these located in the feedback section of the original article? I'm always curious to see just how worked up people can get over things, especially food since I'm not a particularly opinionated person myself.

[NulloModo]

I STILL don't get the Shoofly Pie thing.    It's piecrust and molasses.  Period.  You might as well dip a biscuit and cut out all the rolling, crimping and fishing for compliments.    Maybe it's because it's what they HAD.    Okaaaaay.  I see.  That good ole American spirit of "making-do" which has always stood us in good stead  (grudging acceptance dawning).

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There is also the dark Karo syrup (sometimes), the egg, the cream (sometimes), and some other ingredients that pop in and out. Not too mention the crumb topping which can have cinnamon, nutmeg, et al. included.

Besides, there is nothing saying great food has to have lots of ingredients. A lobster roll is just lobster, mayo, and a bun. A great steak is just beef, salt, and pepper. Apple pie is apples, cinnamon, sugar, and a pie crust. These are all accepted culinary favorites, so there is definately room for the shoo fly pie.

[Andrew Fenton]

Shoofly pie is icky.

But the rest of the choices range from good to inspired. I particularly like the choice of Olympia oysters: it's non-obvious, fits a niche that none of the others do, and has a great story behind it. Fun article.

[Country Cook]

My favorite American foods at the moment are corn on the cob, and watermelon, adopted by us Canucks but quintessentially Yank IMO.

[divalasvegas]

Wait a minute I just noticed one glaring omission of a "food" used to make all sorts of American delicacies............. MIRACLE WHIP!

[Holly Moore]

Let's face it, the majority of foods that make America great pretty much follow the east coast and are skewed towards Philadelphia. Lobster rolls, fried clams, deep fat fried hot dogs, hoagies, cheesesteaks, srapple, crabcakes, pulled pork, roasted oysters, grits.

Almost making the east coast list: clam cakes, clam chowder, Texas wieners, blue crabs, egg creams, pretzels, dirty water dogs, pepperoni rolls, slaw dogs, liver mush.

Not on the east coast list: shoofly pie.

Other chunks of the country have a regional specialty or two, especially the major cities, but nowhere near the vast density of solid, true blue 100 percent American eats as found along the East Coast.

[Looking for the smirking, boastful smilie]

[jbonne]

However, being nosey, I really would like to see some of those nasty responses.  Are these located in the feedback section of the original article?  I'm always curious to see just how worked up people can get over things, especially food since I'm not a particularly opinionated person myself.  

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we kept most of the really nasty items out of the reader mailbag. but here's a sample:

New England Clam Chowder (of Massachusetts, nonetheless)--based on a recipe from French fishermen? What kind of lame, dumbass liberal wrote this stupid article, anyway? Go back to France (or Canada and get your subsidized drugs). And where's the Philly Cheesesteak? or Soft pretzels? Your stupid article gets half-a-star from me.

[divalasvegas]

However, being nosey, I really would like to see some of those nasty responses.  Are these located in the feedback section of the original article?  I'm always curious to see just how worked up people can get over things, especially food since I'm not a particularly opinionated person myself.  

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we kept most of the really nasty items out of the reader mailbag. but here's a sample:

New England Clam Chowder (of Massachusetts, nonetheless)--based on a recipe from French fishermen? What kind of lame, dumbass liberal wrote this stupid article, anyway? Go back to France (or Canada and get your subsidized drugs). And where's the Philly Cheesesteak? or Soft pretzels? Your stupid article gets half-a-star from me.

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Well, jbonne all I can say is and at least you're a good lookin' lame, dumbass liberal!!! Keep 'em coming and we can all laugh at these knuckleheads together.

[NulloModo]

Let's face it, the majority of foods that make America great pretty much follow the east coast and are skewed towards Philadelphia.  Lobster rolls, fried clams, deep fat fried hot dogs, hoagies, cheesesteaks, srapple, crabcakes, pulled pork, roasted oysters, grits.

Almost making the east coast list:  clam cakes, clam chowder, Texas wieners, blue crabs, egg creams, pretzels, dirty water dogs, pepperoni rolls, slaw dogs, liver mush.

Not on the east coast list:  shoofly pie.

Other chunks of the country have a regional specialty or two, especially the major cities, but nowhere near the vast density of solid, true blue 100 percent American eats as found along the East Coast.

[Looking for the smirking, boastful smilie]

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Of course, well, after all, anyone with any sense knows that the greater Philly area (including northern DE of course) is the center of the Universe. Why should it be any different culinarily speaking?

[mizducky]

However, being nosey, I really would like to see some of those nasty responses.  Are these located in the feedback section of the original article?  I'm always curious to see just how worked up people can get over things, especially food since I'm not a particularly opinionated person myself.  

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we kept most of the really nasty items out of the reader mailbag. but here's a sample:

New England Clam Chowder (of Massachusetts, nonetheless)--based on a recipe from French fishermen? What kind of lame, dumbass liberal wrote this stupid article, anyway? Go back to France (or Canada and get your subsidized drugs). And where's the Philly Cheesesteak? or Soft pretzels? Your stupid article gets half-a-star from me.

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Good lord. Not only is that vicious, but ignorant too (even the briefest Googling turns up several references for the French connection in the evolution of chowder). And what in the world has anyone's political affiliation have to do with it? Just because this letter-writer thinks chowder's a food exclusively associated with Massachusetts? (There are several other states in New England that would be rather amused with this assumption.) Well, you know what they say about it being better to keep one's mouth shut and be thought an idiot than to open it and remove all doubt...

[KatieLoeb]

Let's face it, the majority of foods that make America great pretty much follow the east coast and are skewed towards Philadelphia.  Lobster rolls, fried clams, deep fat fried hot dogs, hoagies, cheesesteaks, srapple, crabcakes, pulled pork, roasted oysters, grits.

Almost making the east coast list:  clam cakes, clam chowder, Texas wieners, blue crabs, egg creams, pretzels, dirty water dogs, pepperoni rolls, slaw dogs, liver mush.

Not on the east coast list:  shoofly pie.

Other chunks of the country have a regional specialty or two, especially the major cities, but nowhere near the vast density of solid, true blue 100 percent American eats as found along the East Coast.

[Looking for the smirking, boastful smilie]

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Of course, well, after all, anyone with any sense knows that the greater Philly area (including northern DE of course) is the center of the Universe. Why should it be any different culinarily speaking?

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True 'dis. :two snaps up:

[divalasvegas]

Please, oh please won't someone direct me to a pork pudding recipe? Also, unless I missed it, are grits native to the U.S.? If so, I nominate them/it/they/whatever for the list.

[Mnehrling]

Chili? (the stew not the plant)

Chicken Fried Steak?

Grits?

Fried Chicken?

Gumbo?

Greens & Salt Pork?

Pecan Pie?

I suppose we should have regional 10 lists as our food here is so diverse, each region standing on its own in the culinary world.

Edited July 9, 2005 by Mnehrling (log)

[Jaymes]

I find it utterly fascinating that, despite jbonne having said many times that this is NOT a TOP ten list, everyone still thinks it is. And is reacting accordingly.

That's a lesson regarding the impact one person can have on popular culture, ain't it?

[Behemoth]

I have to admit, I expected to hate the article but was pleasantly surprised. I for one liked all your choices. Even though I still don't get the whole Chicago hotdog thing.

I can't believe I never made the connection between pastrami and basturma -- the Armenain preserved beef. It seems so obvious now that you mention it.

[jbonne]

Well, jbonne all I can say is      and at least you're a good lookin' lame, dumbass liberal!!! Keep 'em coming and we can all laugh at these knuckleheads together.

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by this accounting, i should be ripe and ready for a network-TV gig.

I can't believe I never made the connection between pastrami and basturma -- the Armenain preserved beef. It seems so obvious now that you mention it.

of all the items i researched, the backstory on pastrami was by far the most interesting. mostly because i'd never thought about it, either. as any New Yorker would, i just assumed pastrami has always been with us.