United States Cuisine

Guide to Good Food Chapter 27

First Inhabitants Native Americans first inhabitants Excellent farmers & hunters vegetables, fruits, beans, corn squash,

game, berries, nuts, fish

European Settlers

This is reflected in our cuisine. The American diet will continue to change as does its population.

First colonists British-Plymouth, MA & Jamestown, VA

Spanish-St. Augustine, FL Later- French- Louisiana Dutch-New York

Culture of Immigrants

The United States used to be known as the “Great Melting Pot”. Why?

Recently it has been referred to as “The Salad Bowl”. Why?

People of Habit

Processed and prepackaged foods came about in WWII.

Women had to work and time/money was tight. Fast food was born!

Despite health concerns, processed and fast food continue to be a staple in the Amercian diet.

Daily diet Large breakfasts (Yankee breakfasts) are

popular. Farmers and cowboys needed hearty and

filling foods to keep them full while working hard outside and away from the home all day.

Soup, salad and sandwiches for lunch Dinner eaten together followed by a sweet

snack

New England-ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI

British- corn beans squash- keep during winter

harsh winter, rugged, rocky coastline, forests

Native Americans- cornmeal- made into mush (Hasty Pudding) and cornbread (Jonny or Journey cakes)

Coastline made fish available

New England

Everyone had a fireplace- used one large pot for cooking (Dutch oven)

salt and dry, corned beef, beets succotash, baked beans,cod salted and

dried, clams (chowder) brown bread (cornmeal/molasses) maple syrup, blueberries

Mid-Atlantic-NY, PA, MD, DE, NJ

Dutch, German, Swedish, British Better farmland, milder climates NYC founded by Dutch Immigrants landing in Staten Island-

settled there- foods from all over the world can be found

Many Jewish immigrants- bagels

Pennsylvania Dutch

Germans escaping Europe for religious freedom- also-Amish, Mennonites

Plain, healthy food- home grown, thrifty Pork, sweets, pickling, canning scrapple, bloodpudding, stuffed heart, pig

feet, tongue, bologna soup, baking, sausages, noodles 7 sweets/7 sours

South- AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, TN, KY, WV, VA, NC, SC

Native Americans- corn & beans English & French- rice & cotton Africans- economy & traditions seafood/shellfish, chicken, pork, sweet

potatoes, okra, chilies, peanuts Cajun- African/Caribbean- spicy, soupy,

usually with rice Creole- French & Spanish

South

Year round farming sugarcane, rice, peanuts, fruit, corn catfish, turtle, crayfish, shrimp squirrel, turkey, chicken, pork

West & Southwest-ID, MT, WY, CO, UT, NV, AZ, NM, TX

Old mining towns, ranches, deserts, mountains, oil fields

Tex-Mex- Former parts of Mexico- border states

tortilla bases topped with cheese Barbecues Native Americans- breads, chilies lamb, wild game, pheasant, corn, beans

W & SW

Simple homemade breads beef - all parts stews- beef stew, chili chuck wagons- coffee, potatoes

Midwest- ND, SD, NE, SK, OK, MN, IA, MO, WI, IL, MI, IN, OH

Breadbasket Flat land, fertile soil, rivers/lakes Farm products, eggs, wild game Family, community (church) “potluck”

dinners- everyone brings food to share religious groups settled “Bible Belt”

Midwest

Soybeans, pork, lamb, beef, corn, wheat, fish, dairy, fruit, grains, vegetables

fairs, festivals, picnics hash browns, hot cereals, coleslaw,

corn, apple pie, steak, bake potato

Pacific Coast-CA, AK, OR, WA

Fusion of Asian, American, Mediterranean- healthy

Diverse geography Tree fruits, pineapple, sugar cane, citrus,

cherries, olives, grapes Cold water fish- salmon, shellfish Warm water- mahi-mahi, tuna, swordfish

Pac Coast

Simple and natural Native American, Asian, Mexican Gold Rush- prospectors brought

Sourdough Wild game, berries, freshwater fish

Hawaii South Pacific roots Japanese, Indian Polynesians Newest state- 1959 King Kamehameha-caputured all islands Poi- paste from taro root Pineapple, sugarcane, tourism, fish Rice, soybeans, curry, banana, seaweed Luau- Kalua puaa (pig) in imu (pit)

Canada 2rd largest inhabited country smaller pop. than California 10 provinces- varied geography Great Lakes & St. Lawrence river- coastlines,

rainy, snowy Constitutional Monarchy- Queen Elizabeth

II/Michaelle Jean Aboriginals (First nations/Inuit), French, British

Canada

Some of the best wheat in the world fruit, cattle, cod, maple syrup, caribou,

berries, potatoes, salmon, dairy hardtack, fiddlehead fern, one pots

meals pickle, canning, baking, poaching

Canada

British Columbia- English tea, California Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta-

farming Vancouver- Asian Quebec- still speaks French