"American" food

Lessthanpenguins

American. Specifically Southern American.

Did a tour in the Navy, spent 7 months living in Japan. What I missed most there was Watermelon. I finally found one in Tokyo and it cost about $15 !!! I bought it anyway. It was tiny, nothing like the sweet ones we grew in the backyard growing up.

Never saw a pumpkin either.

Ok what I grew up eating was Crawfish, catfish, deer, chicken roasted with veggies, chicken and dumplings, cornbread, grits, shrimp, bacon used to flavor the mustard/collard/turnip greens, black eye peas, gumbos, soups, stews.

desserts were homemade blackberry cobblers, watermelon ice cream made by my mom, pecan cookies or pies or cakes, strawberry shortcakes. my mom made a pancake like shortcake that was done in bit of butter but no sugar, sliced strawberries in a simple syrup of honey put over it and then she served it with frozen vanilla pudding on the side.

mac and cheese does not come from a box, at least not here in the south anyways.

It's shell pasta boiled to al dente, cooled rapidly with icy water set aside. then the sauce that goes over it is heavy cream in a pan with a touch of salt pepper garlic in it heated with finely grated sharp cheddar, provolone, and gouda melted into it, then mixed over the noodles and put into a greased with butter not margarine dish, then lightly covered with a bit of finely grated parmesean cheese and baked 350 until bubbly, lightly browned and gooey.

very much a Sunday dish for after church. Yeast rolls and a roast with carrots or green beans or greens served with it. Although if you serve greens I'd recommend serving cornbread, just to avoid the whole you might be a Yankee conversation that you get If you serve yeast rolls.

Watermelon. American.

As for the apple pie...bleh. Hot dogs are gross too.

Watermelon is American.

I don't want to live anywhere I can't have watermelon and grits. Just wouldn't be worth it otherwise.

You must have been close to Gulf Coast for that diet. That sounds like what I grew up on. Making my mouth water.

lenore304

OMG I love those! (battered deepfried hotdogs on a stick) I used to get those at the fish and chip shop growing up, but I haven't had one in years. We also have all the other varieties of hot dogs too.

To those outside of the U.S. we call battered hotdogs "corndogs". I imagine because of the fact that the batter resembles cornbread.

Battered hot dogs here don't look like cornbread, they're like this:

OMG weird! They are like the battered fish that you see with fish and chips but with a hot dog in the middle! I bet those are damn tasty....here is the legendary State Fair of Texas corndog by the age old company Fletcher's. It's a tradition. I have to get one every year that I go.

runlilyrun

OMG I love those! (battered deepfried hotdogs on a stick) I used to get those at the fish and chip shop growing up, but I haven't had one in years. We also have all the other varieties of hot dogs too.

To those outside of the U.S. we call battered hotdogs "corndogs". I imagine because of the fact that the batter resembles cornbread.

Battered hot dogs here don't look like cornbread, they're like this:

OMG weird! They are like the battered fish that you see with fish and chips but with a hot dog in the middle! I bet those are damn tasty....here is the legendary State Fair of Texas corndog by the age old company Fletcher's. It's a tradition. I have to get one every year that I go.

Yes, exactly, we buy them from fish-and-chip shops. In Germany where they're often without the battery and served either with ketchup or curry sauce they're often also found at kiosks.

pcastagner

I'm from Germany and here we have apple cake (not exactly sure if it's the same as pie) and instead of hot dogs there's Currywurst (basically sausage slathered with ketchup and curry).

I have been to the US several times and while I think some of the fastfood chains aren't bad, I'd choose a basic italian or greek restaurant in Germany over these at any time (I'm not a big fan of german kitchen in restaurants, I rather eat these foods at home). Though the steak places in the US are pretty good and better than most steak restaurants in Germany. What I didn't see there as much as in Germany are the Döner Kebaps, I really love these here, though of course they're not german..

What really annoys me in the US are the plastic dishes and cutlery in the hotels at breakfast. This is just awful! And of course the extremely weak coffee.

Currywurst is SO GOOD.

Also I agree with someone upthread who said they weren't keen on American farming practices.

It COULD be so good, but in practice, no thank you. Ordered some once and threw it away after tasting it.

Germans are not the best at using spices.

They are good at using salt though.

debrag12

OMG I love those! (battered deepfried hotdogs on a stick) I used to get those at the fish and chip shop growing up, but I haven't had one in years. We also have all the other varieties of hot dogs too.

To those outside of the U.S. we call battered hotdogs "corndogs". I imagine because of the fact that the batter resembles cornbread.

Battered hot dogs here don't look like cornbread, they're like this:

OMG weird! They are like the battered fish that you see with fish and chips but with a hot dog in the middle! I bet those are damn tasty....here is the legendary State Fair of Texas corndog by the age old company Fletcher's. It's a tradition. I have to get one every year that I go.

yes you get then at fish and chip shops lovely.

For the person who mentioned watermelon - love it!

Danilynn1975

American. Specifically Southern American.

Did a tour in the Navy, spent 7 months living in Japan. What I missed most there was Watermelon. I finally found one in Tokyo and it cost about $15 !!! I bought it anyway. It was tiny, nothing like the sweet ones we grew in the backyard growing up.

Never saw a pumpkin either.

Ok what I grew up eating was Crawfish, catfish, deer, chicken roasted with veggies, chicken and dumplings, cornbread, grits, shrimp, bacon used to flavor the mustard/collard/turnip greens, black eye peas, gumbos, soups, stews.

desserts were homemade blackberry cobblers, watermelon ice cream made by my mom, pecan cookies or pies or cakes, strawberry shortcakes. my mom made a pancake like shortcake that was done in bit of butter but no sugar, sliced strawberries in a simple syrup of honey put over it and then she served it with frozen vanilla pudding on the side.

mac and cheese does not come from a box, at least not here in the south anyways.

It's shell pasta boiled to al dente, cooled rapidly with icy water set aside. then the sauce that goes over it is heavy cream in a pan with a touch of salt pepper garlic in it heated with finely grated sharp cheddar, provolone, and gouda melted into it, then mixed over the noodles and put into a greased with butter not margarine dish, then lightly covered with a bit of finely grated parmesean cheese and baked 350 until bubbly, lightly browned and gooey.

very much a Sunday dish for after church. Yeast rolls and a roast with carrots or green beans or greens served with it. Although if you serve greens I'd recommend serving cornbread, just to avoid the whole you might be a Yankee conversation that you get If you serve yeast rolls.

Watermelon. American.

As for the apple pie...bleh. Hot dogs are gross too.

Watermelon is American.

I don't want to live anywhere I can't have watermelon and grits. Just wouldn't be worth it otherwise.

You must have been close to Gulf Coast for that diet. That sounds like what I grew up on. Making my mouth water.

Mississippi. Lots of Louisiana people in my family and deep back water Mississippi country folks that grew their own food and spent weeks canning everything. If we didn't grow it, chances were our neighbors did or other kinfolks did and we traded canned goods back and forth like some people traded baseball cards. watermelon jelly and fig preserves were the only type of jelly or jams I knew existed until I got grown and realized you could buy it. But none of it tastes good after growing up on home made canned fruit jellies and jams on warm home made biscuits, never from the can.

I have a fig tree in backyard that provides the staple for my mom to make me jams and jellies now. Also got 3 pecan trees that give us the staple for pecan pies, and a peach tree that gives us fruit for canning. I trade a lot of that off for fresh grown greens and peas. It's a good thing to live close to nature.

kbeech06

OK, so I've read all 8 pages of this thread...and now I'm starving!!! :laugh: Hubby better get that bbq going soon or I'm going to eat the cat!

runlilyrun

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

Danilynn1975

and Muscodine wine. Is there anything better on a hot summer night sitting on the porch watching the kids chase lighting bugs sipping home made Muscodine wine?

jadethief

American. Specifically Southern American.

Did a tour in the Navy, spent 7 months living in Japan. What I missed most there was Watermelon. I finally found one in Tokyo and it cost about $15 !!! I bought it anyway. It was tiny, nothing like the sweet ones we grew in the backyard growing up.

Never saw a pumpkin either.

Ok what I grew up eating was Crawfish, catfish, deer, chicken roasted with veggies, chicken and dumplings, cornbread, grits, shrimp, bacon used to flavor the mustard/collard/turnip greens, black eye peas, gumbos, soups, stews.

desserts were homemade blackberry cobblers, watermelon ice cream made by my mom, pecan cookies or pies or cakes, strawberry shortcakes. my mom made a pancake like shortcake that was done in bit of butter but no sugar, sliced strawberries in a simple syrup of honey put over it and then she served it with frozen vanilla pudding on the side.

mac and cheese does not come from a box, at least not here in the south anyways.

It's shell pasta boiled to al dente, cooled rapidly with icy water set aside. then the sauce that goes over it is heavy cream in a pan with a touch of salt pepper garlic in it heated with finely grated sharp cheddar, provolone, and gouda melted into it, then mixed over the noodles and put into a greased with butter not margarine dish, then lightly covered with a bit of finely grated parmesean cheese and baked 350 until bubbly, lightly browned and gooey.

very much a Sunday dish for after church. Yeast rolls and a roast with carrots or green beans or greens served with it. Although if you serve greens I'd recommend serving cornbread, just to avoid the whole you might be a Yankee conversation that you get If you serve yeast rolls.

Watermelon. American.

As for the apple pie...bleh. Hot dogs are gross too.

Watermelon is American.

I don't want to live anywhere I can't have watermelon and grits. Just wouldn't be worth it otherwise.

You must have been close to Gulf Coast for that diet. That sounds like what I grew up on. Making my mouth water.

Me, too. But add sausage gravy and biscuits, sausage gravy over sliced fresh out of the garden ripe red tomatoes, banana pudding piled high with meringue, and fried corn. I like my apple pie with a slice of melted cheddar cheese on top.

My mom's family is from Indiana and I used to go to the family reunions just for the persimmon pudding.

Danilynn1975

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

a bridie. meat pastry type sandwhich baked or fried?

bmiller211

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

don't know looks like a pasty!!

kbeech06

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

Cornish Pasty!!! YUMMYYYYYYY!!!


Hmmm, I'm an American IN the UK, so I guess I can't guess....lol

lenore304

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

The shape is like a calzone but I'm betting it's more like a handheld chicken pot pie?

Lessthanpenguins

Mississippi. Lots of Louisiana people in my family and deep back water Mississippi country folks that grew their own food and spent weeks canning everything. If we didn't grow it, chances were our neighbors did or other kinfolks did and we traded canned goods back and forth like some people traded baseball cards. watermelon jelly and fig preserves were the only type of jelly or jams I knew existed until I got grown and realized you could buy it. But none of it tastes good after growing up on home made canned fruit jellies and jams on warm home made biscuits, never from the can.

I have a fig tree in backyard that provides the staple for my mom to make me jams and jellies now. Also got 3 pecan trees that give us the staple for pecan pies, and a peach tree that gives us fruit for canning. I trade a lot of that off for fresh grown greens and peas. It's a good thing to live close to nature.

I agree. I'm from Houston so total city but a lot of my family is from back water Louisianna or BFE west texas, so I'm used to living close to the land for stints at a time and man does that make your feel good.

jadethief

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

It looks like a calzone to me, lol

Lessthanpenguins

Me, too. But add sausage gravy and biscuits, sausage gravy over sliced fresh out of the garden ripe red tomatoes, banana pudding piled high with meringue, and fried corn. I like my apple pie with a slice of melted cheddar cheese on top.

My mom's family is from Indiana and I used to go to the family reunions just for the persimmon pudding.

MMMM Sauage gravy and biscuits. I know what the misses is making for breakfast tomorrow. Hello fat thighs.

acpgee

Canadian living in London. I miss the hot dogs you can get in any cafe in Paris. A baguette, split lengthwise with two grilled hot dogs inside and slathered with melted gruyere cheese served with dijon mustard. Sigh.

debrag12

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

It looks like a calzone to me, lol

nowhere near close

BenchPressingCats

I hate apple pie and hot dogs and I've been living in America all my life.

pandorakick

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

Cornish pasty!

Nachise

OOH, challenge.
I challenge someone not from the UK to tell me what this is:

That's a Cornish pasty.

runlilyrun

Yeah, it was a cornish pasty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty

Anyone from anywhere else want to do one?

iggyboo93

What seems to be the common thread here is that apples baked in some sort of crust or pastry, and emulsified meat crammed into animal intestines and smoked are not exclusive to "American" cuisine.

Suddenly I feel the urge to go to store and pick up some granny smith apples and frankfurters.

Danilynn1975

tomato gravy was a staple in our house, so was "red-eye" gravy.

chicory coffee and sassafras tea when I was sick with peppermint leaves in it.

The American South may not be fancy food, but it's usually made and grown real close to where it's served.

We hunt, we fish and a good portion of the foods that hit our tables still comes from the backyard and the woods and streams near us.

That was a strange thing being in the service and the food was boxed, canned or not recognizable to me. And worse they put sugar in the grits. *shudder*

cherryd69

Mm mm Cornish pasty.... *drool*

hungryhobbit1

America is a huge place with many different regional cuisines. I guess I do think of the Applebee's/Denny's/TGI Fridays sort of processed schlock as "American" restaurant food, but that is doing a disservice.

Someone earlier mentioned New England brown bread, lobster, chowder, etc. In the NY area the deli food is fantastic. Down in the Southeast it's BBQ ribs, collards, corn bread, red beans and rice. In TX there are Mexican flavors blended into a Southern style cuisine, along the gulf there's seafood in the mix. Northern California has amazing food. Sort of a French inspired celebration of all the fantastic produce and herbs you can get year round there, paired with wine.

lenore304

Texas does it right. Take an American classic like S'mores and deep fry it. Would anyone (American or no) care to take a guess as to what the second picture from the State Fair of Texas is?

freerange

Ok one of you UK folks need to post a recipe for Apple crumb

rml_16

The Brits have apple crumble with custard, which is wayyy better than apple pie in my opinion.

You've never had MY apple pie. :-)