July 4th. The very birthday of the United States of America. I bet you’re thinking of hot dogs, potato salad, or apple pie; three of the most popular American food choices that someone would definitely see at any event. While many may attribute certain foods like these to being “American” the reality is much different than one would expect. Those hot dogs, otherwise known as frankfurters, came from Germany. That potato salad is Dutch, and that apple pie originated from England. Now this comparison might not necessarily be fair. While the United States has a rich history, it is not nearly as long as some of these other countries where these foods may have originated. This then leads to the question of wondering if there actually is “pure American food” or is our cuisine adapted from other cultures. While American food might not be defined by a single menu, many would argue that it is a fusion and reinvention of immigrant traditions, culminating in some foods being unique to America but on the most part reinvented dishes from abroad.
Long before the first settlers ever stepped foot here, Indigenous people were already laying the groundwork for what we actually eat today. Primarily, they grew corn, beans, and squash, which are often referred to as the “three sisters: because of how well they grow in combination. These were not just random ingredients; they were staples that kept many fed and healthy for generations and became important in later food developments. In fact, the farming techniques used by Native Americans actually helped the South create its own special way of gardening and agriculture. Without those original roots, American food would not even have its foundation to stand on. As the country started to grow, different areas developed their own specific flavors based on land.
In the South, there was a massive intersection of African, French, and Spanish influences that created something entirely new and soulful. Up to the Northeast, the food is very heavy on seafood, which relates to its colonial British roots. Up to the Southwest, there came Tex-Mex style where Mexican tradition mixed with American cattle ranching. Tex-Mex is often mistaken for Mexican food; and if you are wondering what “TexMex” is, it is actually the very style of food served at Santa Fe. Then, towards the Midwest, widely referred to as the “breadbasket”, there are many more heavy comfort foods mainly from Germanic and Scandinavian farming traditions. A lot of what we call “American food” today is actually just a big mix. Immigrants took their home recipes and changed them based on what was available in their new backyards.
For example, American meatballs are way bigger than the ones in Italy simply because meat was cheaper and more plentiful here back in the day. We also have our unique traditions that didn’t exist anywhere else. The chocolate chip cookie and the California roll are American originals. Other staples like corn dogs, chimichangas, and even General Tso’s chicken were born in the States. By the 20th century, the fast food revolution took these fusions and turned them into an American standard, which further the gap between how foods were originally prepared and eaten in comparison to the American version. At the end of the day, American cuisine is not defined by one specific thing people eat, but more by how it was all brought together. It is a mix of every culture that has ever stepped food on this land.
American cuisine is never really “finished;” it is always evolving and changing, as the people eating it do too. Walk into a school cafeteria at
