American food has a bit of a poor reputation. People conflate it with massive portions, lots of fat, salt, and an emphasis of quantity over quality. They’re not entirely wrong; America has that reputation for a reason.
But to conclude that American Food = Bad is an uninformed, ignorant take. It is also one I largely had before moving here. Here is how I see it now:
There is no such thing as regional delicacies, at scale, in most of the world. In Australia, what people eat in Melbourne isn’t far off what people eat in Sydney, or Adelaide, or Perth. There are small differences; Melbourne has better coffee, Greek and Vietnamese food. Perth has a bigger braai, or BBQ culture, thanks to their South African migrant story. And Adelaide has the pie floater, a meat pie sitting in a soup of peas. Delightful.
That was the same experience I have had in the other countries I lived in, Germany, New Zealand, and Great Britain. Due to size, history, focus on food etc, it is largely homogenous.
The US is one of a handful of countries which really do have different food based on regions, and that difference is based on factors OUTSIDE of wealth (the diet in western Nigeria is different to what is eaten in Lagos, largely due to the 10x difference in earnings, more than anything). I would love to be corrected, but the only other countries that have huge regional culinary differences are China, India (both due to their size and ancient cultures), and my personal favourite, France, due to the huge emphasis they place on food. Perhaps Italy and Spain end up on that list; I don’t know enough about them.
In the USA, we have a few regions, all with their distinct flair.
Take the South. Fried Chicken, Okra, Biscuits and Gravy. We call it Soul Food. It’s downstream of slavery, and is a merger of African cooking techniques and flavours, ingredients from the New World, and the need to create food that was cheap, filling, and most importantly, raised the spirits of those eating it. Being a slave is pretty bad. Being a slave and then having to eat a salad is worse.
We don’t have (state-sanctioned) slavery anymore, but the food continues. One of my most memorable meals was eating a plate of soul food in Harlem, New York, alone on a cold, January day. I was feeling lonely, a bit sad, and a bit homesick. But after filling my plate (the venue sold by weight), dining, and then having a chat with the owner/chef, I left walking on air. There really was something to it. And it WAS delicious.
In Texas and beyond, BBQ is the regional specialty. It’s a labour of love, and a real mixture of art and science. All good BBQers religiously check their temperatures, while working by feel to ensure the rubs, the timings, the cuts, and the wood choice are optimal. Unlike many meals which will come out just fine if you follow the recipe, proper BBQ takes many, many iterations to get right.
Personally, I’m not the biggest fan, which surprises me more than anyone. But I do appreciate the craft, the tradition, the casualness, and the way it brings people together. Which means I am always back for seconds.
This was meant to be a longer post, but I fear it is quickly getting into essay territory. Perhaps I will discuss part two tomorrow. However, I would be remiss to exclude the other regional cuisines.
Cajun food, unique to Louisana, which blends French and African influences with an abundance of seafood. Hawaii, with its blend of Asian, Pasifika, and America food is wildly delicious. The fact that you can get world class ceviche from a gas station says it all. German food has a poor reputation, but done well, I really enjoy it. THankfully, so do the millions of German-descended Mid Westerners who continue cooking the schnitzels, potatoes, casseroles, all washed down with copious beer, like they did in the Ol’ Country. And finally, the American-Mexican cuisine. Whether it is the California style (fresher, focus on guac and tomato), or Tex-Mex (heavier, focus on Queso and beef), or Dex-Mex (Denver Mexican, tbc), the addition of Mexican cuisine to the American landscape has been brilliant.
I have dined in Michellin Star Mexican restaurants. Most weeks I get a $3.50 breakfast burrito. And I have had everything in between. Without a doubt, I have had more Mexican food in the past four years than the 30 years combined beforehand. And I am the richer for it.
America isn’t France, or Japan. But to dismiss all American food as gross and inedible isn’t just misinformed. It’s wrong. I encourage you to open your heart, and your mouth, to some of the great meals out here.
To be continued.
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