NationStates Jolt Archive

American cuisine -- what is it?

And of the known American entrees/desserts, which do you enjoy most?

Please vote and discuss... poll will be up in a minute or two.

my absolute favorite food of all time is Loaded Fries

that is french fries with melted cheese, green onions, bacon bits, sour cream. yummy!!!!!!!!!!!

Pepperoni rolls.

National food of Marion County (or maybe just Fairmont), West Virginia.

Chicago style pizza.

Hmm, I always think of "American food" to just be the food of other nations, just in bigger portions...

... but I will have to go with milkshake. I do not know whether it is originally from the US, I recall something about the Brit William Horlick having had part in its inception, but it is culturally associated with it.

Burgers. In all sizes, variants and flavors. Well, nearly all.

America has its own cuisine? (OK, fast food counts, I guess...)

Mmm...Cheeseburger...

A T-Bone Steak, marinated in soy sauce and worcestershire with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (with bacon bits and mushroom chunks in it.).

Not sure if it's technically an "American" dish, but I'm an American, and I make it, so I don't see why not.

After that, I'll go with Thanksgiving Turkey dinner with all the fixins.


Oh yeah, Smith's (http://www.smithshotdogs.com/index2.html) , based out of Erie, Pa makes the best hotdogs in the world. And they ship world wide, so if you want a hotdog thats better than Oscar Myers ever wished it was, send them an e-mail!

America has its own cuisine? (OK, fast food counts, I guess...)

to my knowledge (limited, lol), each of the foods in the poll was either invented in America or became famous in America

i left regular (thin-crust) pizza as an Italian creation

America has its own cuisine?
Technically whatever the Hell the native tribes here about consumed before the Europeans showed up would be native cuisine.
And, as of the issue of originality, the Italians stole the concept of noodles from the Chinese, who probably stole noodles from some other tribe, so no one's foods are all that original.

Whatever, back on topic. Fortune Cookies are amazing, and I believe they are a completely US invention.

are mashed potatoes american?

they're perhaps America's favorite side dish... generally served with a meat entree (as Meat loaf, chicken-fried steak and fried chicken above).

my favorite mashed potatoes (loose) recipe:

potatoes, skinned
butter
sour cream
garlic
salt
pepper

mash it all together and voila, you have mashed potatoes.

toss a handful of shredded cheddar cheese on top and you've got mashed potatoes, Wisconsin style.

to my knowledge (limited, lol), each of the foods in the poll was either invented in America or became famous in America

i left regular (thin-crust) pizza as an Italian creation

Well, fair enough. When you say "American dish", it raises the question, though. It's hard to think of non-fast-food that counts as american cuisine.

(Of course, that's not a stab, we aussies have the same problem...)


And I think mashed potatoes are a British thing. Well, maybe not. The potato did come from America.

Hmm, I always think of "American food" to just be the food of other nations, just in bigger portions...

... but I will have to go with milkshake. I do not know whether it is originally from the US, I recall something about the Brit William Horlick having had part in its inception, but it is culturally associated with it.

have you ever tried a malt (or malted milkshake)?

take your regular milk shake (ice cream and milk) and add a spoonful of malted milk powder.

yum

try it, Fass!

I love Americanized Mexican (Tex-Mex or Southwestern), along with various other things. But anything southwestern sounds divine right at this moment.

And to answer an earlier question, yes, the divine confection known as a fortune cookie was invented in America.

have you ever tried a malt (or malted milkshake)?
take your regular milk shake (ice cream and milk) and add a spoonful of malted milk powder.
yum
try it, Fass!

I would, if I knew what malted milk was, its Swedish name and how I would procure it.

I would, if I knew what malted milk was, its Swedish name and how I would procure it.
I'll get back to you...

And to answer an earlier question, yes, the divine confection known as a fortune cookie was invented in America.

As was chop suey. I'd have to say that's my favourite.

Pfft ... Chili

Pure, unadulterated, blister your tongue, meaty Texas chili.

Close second: Barbecue.

Edit: While it can be argued that Chili is a Mexican dish, it was actually invented in what is now Texas by Texican cattle ranchers. A Texican being a US ex-patriot living in Texas at the time.

Barbecue is uniquely American and I'm offended it's not on the poll. :p

Well, fair enough. When you say "American dish", it raises the question, though. It's hard to think of non-fast-food that counts as american cuisine.

(Of course, that's not a stab, we aussies have the same problem...)


And I think mashed potatoes are a British thing. Well, maybe not. The potato did come from America.

here's the thinking behind each of the poll options (what meager justification i could come up with anyway):

Cheeseburger - the burger patty began i think in Germany, but was put between two loaves of bread first at some World's Fair in the US circa early 20th century.

Fried Chicken - Southern classic that goes back a long, long way. Southerners fry everything, but chicken's the favorite.

Burritos/Tex-Mex -- I had to be careful with foods of Mexican derivation. I'm pretty sure that foods we think are Mexican -- tacos, nachos, burritos, etc. -- are really Tex-Mex. Tex-Mex to me means Mexican flavor with American looks/production/innovation.

Various pies -- I have no way to know if apple pie (and its friends) started here. But there is the phrase "As American as apple pie..." so that has to count for something.

Deep-dish pizza -- To my knowledge, the history of pizza goes like this: Italians invented it, and Americans perfected it. hehe. No, but America did invent the deep-dish pizza or, for you hard-core Sicilians pizza freaks, at least the Chicago-style deep-dish pizza.

Macaroni and cheese -- Kraft made me do it

Chicken-fried steak -- see fried chicken

Meat Loaf - No idea. But I've never heard of it anywhere else. The American version combines ground beef or chuck (or ground sirloin), eggs, ketchup and/or mustard, sometimes crushed up crackers, sometimes bread crumbs, sometimes barbecue sauce, sometimes Lipton french onion soup mix.... lol, a melange of ingredients. If you have bad meat loaf, you'll know it. Thankfully, I've been with a girl who makes good meat loaf. Good meat loaf is a great comfort in time of gastrointestinal need.

Philly cheese steak -- this is a hot beef steak sandwich served with white or yellow cheese and sometimes onions and/or mushrooms. To my knowledge, it was invented in Philadelphia and is loved from sea to shining sea.

Close second: Barbecue.

I don't think that's really an american thing. They have barbecues everywhere, except maybe Africa and Europe. It's as much a part of our culture as part of America's, and they're common in Asia.


Chicken-fried steak -- see fried chicken

I believe that's known elsewhere as "Schnitzel". They could be different things, but from looking at pictures, i'd refer to it as such.


Meat Loaf - No idea. But I've never heard of it anywhere else.

We have it here, too.

CRAP, I can't believe I forgot about chili and barbecue

well chili could go under Tex-Mex

but barbecue definitely deserved a poll slot

Being a life-long Chicagoan, I have to throw my hat on Chicago-Style Pizza...Lou Malnati's to be specific. If you've never been to Chicago and had real Malnati's or Uno's Pizza, you simply cannot understand what it is. Yeah, I know theres places that sell "chicago style" pizza all over the world, and theres that horrendous Uno's chain (seriously, the franchise contract sold everything EXCEPT the recipe, wtf?!), and every disgusting cardboard pizza franchise has a "deep dish," but its not the same. A real Chicago-style takes around 30 minutes to cook, in two steps. It is basically upside down (dough, cheese, toppings, then sauce) and the sauce is chunky with crushed tomatos (none of that thin garbage). The chunks of sausage are irregular, asymmetrical, and friggin 'ginormous. To top it all off, theres a little bit of lard ion the dough and lard is used to grease the pan. The final product is between three-quarters of an inch and an inch thick, with another half inch of crispy crust that comes up the edge of the pan. Mmmmmmm.

As for American cuisine, you have to understand what it is, food that reflects a great variety of cultures. In any metropolitan center, you'll find foods from every immigrant group that settled there, all trading techniques and flavors (there used to be a great restaurant in my neighborhood that served a combination of Polish and North African fare). If you're in the midwest, American food is going to be heavily influence by Scandinavian and German ethnic dishes. If you're in the south west you're looking at Mexican influences. In the south east you have the closest thing to "American" cuisine in the form of southern cookin' and soul food(which exists anywhere you have a large black community). BBQ is a pretty American dish (though even that varries greatly depending on who cooks it, from what state, and if they're rich/poor/black/white). Sure, theres "American" food, but one of the best things about living in a large American city is that you can get ethnic food from any region of the world any day of the week.

I don't think that's really an american thing. They have barbecues everywhere, except maybe Africa and Europe. It's as much a part of our culture as part of America's, and they're common in Asia.



I believe that's known elsewhere as "Schnitzel". They could be different things, but from looking at pictures, i'd refer to it as such.



We have it here, too.

kanabia, isn't schnitzel "veal"?

or does it have more to do with the breading?

kanabia, isn't schnitzel "veal"?

or does it have more to do with the breading?

Usually, but you can get chicken schnitzel, so i'd guess it's the breading.

CRAP, I can't believe I forgot about chili and barbecue

well chili could go under Tex-Mex

but barbecue definitely deserved a poll slot

Heh ... well limited poll options. At least you had Fried Chicken. :D

kanabia, isn't schnitzel "veal"?

or does it have more to do with the breading?
Technically, yes, schnitzel is veal prepared a certain way (breaded and all that good crap), but that is only the literal definition. Food generally has nothing to do with what makes sense (How else can one explain Chicken Fried Chicken?)

Heh ... well limited poll options. At least you had Fried Chicken. :D
After my first couple of weeks working for KFC to pay tution, I will never think of fried chicken quite the same way...

After my first couple of weeks working for KFC to pay tution, I will never think of fried chicken quite the same way...

what, did they spit in the batter?

HERE is where you can order Lou Malnatti's chicago-style deep dish pizza if you want to. click on the Order Tastes of Chicago button:

http://www.deepdishpizza.com/

what, did they spit in the batter?

HERE is where you can order Lou Malnatti's chicago-style deep dish pizza if you want to. click on the Order Tastes of Chicago button:

http://www.deepdishpizza.com/
No, just after you have made almost 500 pieces in little over an hour, it effects you. Especially when it comes rough cut. We have to declaw wings occasionally, sometimes we get to yank feathers. And all the thighs still have kidneys that we get to pop out. The batter we bread with is actually dry flour, that gets sifted constantly to take out moisture. We dip the chicken in water then in the flour then fry it.

I would, if I knew what malted milk was, its Swedish name and how I would procure it.

http://schmell.home.sprynet.com/whatisa.htm

that's part 1 of the answer

Surprised nobody brought this up yet but my favorite American dishes are Michele Phieffer and Halle Barry!

I love Americanized Mexican (Tex-Mex or Southwestern), along with various other things. But anything southwestern sounds divine right at this moment.

And to answer an earlier question, yes, the divine confection known as a fortune cookie was invented in America.

Alot of Tex-Mex food was indigeonous to the northern part of Mexico that became Texas, and therefore isn't 'Americanized' Mexican food, it's Texan food.

Fass, here you go:

http://search.ebay.com/carnation-milk-powder_W0QQfnuZ1

Surprised nobody brought this up yet but my favorite American dishes are Michele Phieffer and Halle Barry!

yeah, they'll work too. hehe

Alot of Tex-Mex food was indigeonous to the northern part of Mexico that became Texas, and therefore isn't 'Americanized' Mexican food, it's Texan food.
it most definatly is not "americanized mexican food" the tex-mex one gets in Oklahoma/Texas, is nothing like the "americanized mexican food" you get on the southern border of Arizona. I do not like Mexican food, really really don't like Sonoran style mexican food, but tex-mex I can't get enough of :D

Blue Crabs steamed with old bay and vinegar. More of a Chesapeake thing, but its definately American, and definately delicious.

it most definatly is not "americanized mexican food" the tex-mex one gets in Oklahoma/Texas, is nothing like the "americanized mexican food" you get on the southern border of Arizona. I do not like Mexican food, really really don't like Sonoran style mexican food, but tex-mex I can't get enough of :D

well what is real Mexican food?

Tamales?

Sopapillas?

Taco John's? hehe

Mmmm... pie hands down. Who doesn't love pie? I want some pie. Gimme mah pie!

New England Clam Chowder
Baked Virginia Ham
Boston Baked Beans
Sweet Corn fresh from the stalk
hot Apple Pie
Cornbeard or Hush Puppies
NY-style cheesecake
Barbeque (pick your favorite local preperation and/or recipe)
Jambalaya

I don't think that's really an american thing. They have barbecues everywhere, except maybe Africa and Europe. It's as much a part of our culture as part of America's, and they're common in Asia.

We have a different definition for BBQ. If you simply cook meat over hot coals that is called grilling or cooking out. If you slow cook meat over smoking wood (mesquite, hickory, apple, etc) and then slather it with BBQ sauce, that is what we call BBQ. The secret is the sauce and it has to be good, rich, southern-made sauce.

Some other dishes that are uniquely American are catfish w/ hushpuppies, crawfish, fried pickles (that's a dish you only find in the south), dirty rice, and gumbo!

Edit: Do you find sweet potato pie or peanut butter pie anywhere else? And don't forget one of our favorites, shrimp, crab, & crawfish boils.

yeah, they'll work too. hehe
I was, like, soooo disappointed that you were the only one to rise to the bait.
but thanks

well what is real Mexican food?


Did you know that Taco Bell was the first Mexican restaurant in the US?

I took pie over pizza, because pizza is NOT american food... IT'S ITALIAN!!!!

We have a different definition for BBQ. If you simply cook meat over hot coals that is called grilling or cooking out. If you slow cook meat over smoking wood (mesquite, hickory, apple, etc) and then slather it with BBQ sauce, that is what we call BBQ. The secret is the sauce and it has to be good, rich, southern-made sauce.

Some other dishes that are uniquely American are catfish w/ hushpuppies, crawfish, fried pickles (that's a dish you only find in the south), dirty rice, and gumbo!

Edit: Do you find sweet potato pie or peanut butter pie anywhere else? And don't forget one of our favorites, shrimp, crab, & crawfish boils.
I've had Sweet Potato Pie here in NJ. It's my favorite pie.

Did you know that Taco Bell was the first Mexican restaurant in the US?

Maybe the first Mexican chain restaurant? We had Mexican restaurants in Kansas City long before anyone heard of fast food.

Some other dishes that are uniquely American are catfish w/ hushpuppies, crawfish, fried pickles (that's a dish you only find in the south), dirty rice, and gumbo!

Oh, shoot yeah ... can't leave out Cajun food. Mmmmmmm ... fried pickles. :fluffle:

Incidently, while you can get Barbecue in other parts of the world, it is uniquely American. Even the word comes from the West Indian term "barbacoa". What they try to pass off as "barbecue" in other parts of the globe simple isn't.

The meat must be so tender you can cut it with a dull spoon and the sauce has to have that perfect blend of tangy, sour, sweet, and spicey.

Ok I'm hungry.

Maybe the first Mexican chain restaurant? We had Mexican restaurants in Kansas City long before anyone heard of fast food.

Taco Bell wasn't always a fast food chain. It was originally called "Taco Tia" and opened up in San Bernandino in the early 50s.

I took pie over pizza, because pizza is NOT american food... IT'S ITALIAN!!!!

Pizza is Italian like Baseball is British. What Italian immigrants brought with them (hard cheese on crackers) is nothing compared to uniquely American pizza.

Am I the only one here who watches Alton Brown? :p

Oh, shoot yeah ... can't leave out Cajun food. Mmmmmmm ... fried pickles. :fluffle:

Incidently, while you can get Barbecue in other parts of the world, it is uniquely American. Even the word comes from the West Indian term "barbacoa". What they try to pass off as "barbecue" in other parts of the globe simple isn't.

The meat must be so tender you can cut it with a dull spoon and the sauce has to have that perfect blend of tangy, sour, sweet, and spicey.

Ok I'm hungry.

I think in others countries BBQ mainly means cooking over fire, but here it is a particular way of cooking and then saucing it up. BTW, my husband smoked a brisket yesterday that is just this side of perfection. :p

I was, like, soooo disappointed that you were the only one to rise to the bait.
but thanks

cool

and fyi

barbeCue

barbeque would be the Spanish way of spelling it -- bar-beh-kay

hehe

cool

and fyi

barbeCue

barbeque would be the Spanish way of spelling it -- bar-beh-kay

hehe
ah, Lo siento, mi espanol esta muy mal. Yo hablo un poco, pero, solomente comprendo mas o manos.

Who can say no to fried chicken? KFC all the way, dude.

I'll have to say Tex Mex, though I'd take a smorgasboard over that any day...every day...all day...*drools*

Mmmm...pie!

You forgot prime rib. I'll take a thick prime rib cooked medium and served with mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. With homemade ice cream for dessert. Yum.

Taco Bell wasn't always a fast food chain. It was originally called "Taco Tia" and opened up in San Bernandino in the early 50s.
I would still hightly doubt that early 1950s qualifies as being the first Mexican restaurant in the US. There have been Mexican immigrants since way before that, I'm sure one of them opened up a restaurant some time before 1950.

Coleslaw! Or tex-mex? Decisions, decisions...

Hmm... I don't care too much for Burgers, and I never had anything else from that list. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever had anything that would qualify as "American dish"

damn you all for making me this hungry.

Okay, the ultimate American meal:
New England clam chowder
lobster
baked potato with chives, sour cream, salt, and butter
New York cheese cake

*drool*

However, to prove that I am not just a pure New England/Northeastern boy, I'll include the 2 runners up

Jambalya or a nice blackened salmon steak
or
Luau style pulled pork with the full luau buffet to go along with it

ah, Lo siento, mi espanol esta muy mal. Yo hablo un poco, pero, solomente comprendo mas o manos.

bien

Taco Bell wasn't always a fast food chain. It was originally called "Taco Tia" and opened up in San Bernandino in the early 50s.

Taco Aunt?

LOL!

I've always liked good shrimp and grits. But pretty much all low country food suits me. (And yes, it is uniquely american).

A T-Bone Steak, marinated in soy sauce and worcestershire with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (with bacon bits and mushroom chunks in it.).



Thats what I marinate my steaks in too. Sometimes substitute teryaki for the soy.

Favorite American food- Any good cut of beef, marinated and grilled rare. Vegetables grilled too.(red peppers, vidalia onions and zucchini, asparagus, portobello mushrooms.)

Hmm... I don't care too much for Burgers, and I never had anything else from that list. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever had anything that would qualify as "American dish"

do you know anyone in the US?

If so, have them order a chicago-style deep-dish pizza for you

you might be able to get some of the other items shipped to you as well.

your friend first gets it shipped to them. Then they can use the USPS (US Postal Service) to ship it to you.

you have got to try chicago deep dish... imo the best style of pizza.

you can order other stuff from this site as well.

http://www.loumalnatis.com/

Sonic's breakfast toaster with sausage, egg, and cheese. YUM!

I also highly recommend Portillo's italian beef sandwiches. I'm not sure if you can order their cheddar cheese sauce, but if you can't, just buy some cheddar, nuke (microwave) it for a minute, and top the sandwiches with it.

Portillo's is a chicago tradition... excellent beef. (you can order them on that malnati's pizza site)

Pizza is Italian like Baseball is British. What Italian immigrants brought with them (hard cheese on crackers) is nothing compared to uniquely American pizza.

Am I the only one here who watches Alton Brown? :p


Nope- I like him too. So many things I already knew make sense after he explains it.

And I've had pizza in Italy. Its good, but its not what I know to be pizza. Tomato pie is more like it. Its good-fresh and tasty, but not what I call pizza.

Thats what I marinate my steaks in too. Sometimes substitute teryaki for the soy.

Favorite American food- Any good cut of beef, marinated and grilled rare. Vegetables grilled too.(red peppers, vidalia onions and zucchini, asparagus, portobello mushrooms.)

i go for a marinade of worcestershire and fresh-chopped garlic.

then liberally dusted with salt and cracked black pepper

I think in others countries BBQ mainly means cooking over fire, but here it is a particular way of cooking and then saucing it up. BTW, my husband smoked a brisket yesterday that is just this side of perfection. :p

Man-That sounds great. I could go for that now. My wife is making chili though and her chili rocks!

i go for a marinade of worcestershire and fresh-chopped garlic.

then liberally dusted with salt and cracked black pepper


I usually salt & pepper the meat first and let it come to room temperature. Then brush the marinate on. Olive oil on the grill.

I usually dont cook the meat for more than a few minutes on each side. I like it bloody red raw and people that come for dinner expect it and look foward to it, not having the nerve to do so at home. I've never been sick and neither have they.

I cook any chopped meat-burgers. meatballs- well done though. I dont eat a lot of chopped meat.

Nope- I like him too. So many things I already knew make sense after he explains it.

And I've had pizza in Italy. Its good, but its not what I know to be pizza. Tomato pie is more like it. Its good-fresh and tasty, but not what I call pizza.

Alton is such a geek. lol

I had pizza in Rome... i got the margherita pizza with very thin crust, very red sauce and about (what must have been) 5 different types of cheese on it. It was good.

I also highly recommend Portillo's italian beef sandwiches. I'm not sure if you can order their cheddar cheese sauce, but if you can't, just buy some cheddar, nuke (microwave) it for a minute, and top the sandwiches with it.

Portillo's is a chicago tradition... excellent beef. (you can order them on that malnati's pizza site)


I had an Italian beef sandwhich in a little place outside of Naperville, Il.
It was excellent!!! I dont know why they arent more popular.
I split one with my firend who lives there- 1/2 Italian beef, 1/2 sauage.

Man-That sounds great. I could go for that now. My wife is making chili though and her chili rocks!

this could be a whole other poll thread, but do you guys prefer dry or wet barbecue?

Olara']I would still hightly doubt that early 1950s qualifies as being the first Mexican restaurant in the US. There have been Mexican immigrants since way before that, I'm sure one of them opened up a restaurant some time before 1950.

Not really. There was a huge surge in Mexican immigration in 1950. Chimichangas weren't invented until the 1950s and nachos didn't appear until 1964. Tex-Mex is pretty new stuff.

Check out "America Eats Out", John Mariani [William Morrow:New York] 1991 (p. 80-1)

Taco Bell was first, believe it or not, the facts are there.

More reading:
America's First Cuisines, Sophie D. Coe
American Food: The Gastronomic Story, Evan Jones [esp. chapter 3]
Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, Andrew J. Smith [Mexican American Food]

Alton is such a geek. lol

I had pizza in Rome... i got the margherita pizza with very thin crust, very red sauce and about (what must have been) 5 different types of cheese on it. It was good.

Yeah- we had it in Rome and Milan-sampling as we went. Its good stuff, but not in teh pizza category.
I grew up in Brooklyn and havent found a comparable replacement yet. I'm at the Jersey Shore now and found a decent place. Good fresh and well made, but still not like what I was used to in Brooklyn.

I had an Italian beef sandwhich in a little place outside of Naperville, Il.
It was excellent!!! I dont know why they arent more popular.
I split one with my firend who lives there- 1/2 Italian beef, 1/2 sauage.

dude, i used to work in Naperville. The Naperville Portillo's is the one I used to go to every other day. I loved that place. Heart attack in a sack, but i couldn't have loved a $6 combo more than the italian beef and cheese with cheese fries. lol

this could be a whole other poll thread, but do you guys prefer dry or wet barbecue?


I've had the best of both and couldnt choose between one or the other.


I also had grilled teriyaki wings at a bar in Daytona at bike week last spring. After a few tries, I was able to make them here at home. They are freaking great!

Yeah- we had it in Rome and Milan-sampling as we went. Its good stuff, but not in teh pizza category.
I grew up in Brooklyn and havent found a comparable replacement yet. I'm at the Jersey Shore now and found a decent place. Good fresh and well made, but still not like what I was used to in Brooklyn.

i like NY-style most of the time. But when i'm wanting something really rich and filling, I want chicago-style. Too bad not one place in Nashville has it. rofl

Nope- I like him too. So many things I already knew make sense after he explains it.


Oh you betcha. I love his style of doing things. I rarely like TV "personalities", but his science approach to cooking is fabulous.

dude, i used to work in Naperville. The Naperville Portillo's is the one I used to go to every other day. I loved that place. Heart attack in a sack, but i couldn't have loved a $6 combo more than the italian beef and cheese with cheese fries. lol


Its a small world! I think I would have remembered that name Portillo's- this was like a bar/pizzeria with a big screen TV for football. It was in a rural area down the street from an unfinished oak furniture warehouse.
This was like 13 yrs ago just before my oldest son was born.

maybe its the same place-I dont know. I'd go back for that sandwhich, now that you reminded me of it.

Oh you betcha. I love his style of doing things. I rarely like TV "personalities", but his science approach to cooking is fabulous.

he's still a geek. hehe

(keeding. Alton Brown must have a PhD in Chefery or Culinary Arts or what not.)

Sonic's breakfast toaster with sausage, egg, and cheese. YUM!
I'm jealous. The nearest Sonic to me is in West Virginia, and I'm in Mass. Their commercials make everything look soooo good.

Has anyone else had King Cake around Mardi Gras time? My parents send me one every year and it has to be one of the best foods ever.

Its a small world! I think I would have remembered that name Portillo's- this was like a bar/pizzeria with a big screen TV for football. It was in a rural area down the street from an unfinished oak furniture warehouse.
This was like 13 yrs ago just before my oldest son was born.

maybe its the same place-I dont know. I'd go back for that sandwhich, now that you reminded me of it.

did you ever hang out in the Rush/Division area of Chicago?

Dave & Buster's, Alumni Club, Bamboo Bernie's ring a bell?

hehe

i like NY-style most of the time. But when i'm wanting something really rich and filling, I want chicago-style. Too bad not one place in Nashville has it. rofl


I was in Nashville three years ago- a client's husband was a partner in a two story nightclub that opened on the main drag next to some fondue restaurant. I think the name was Hurricane's or something like that. I spent two wasted nights there.

I'm jealous. The nearest Sonic to me is in West Virginia, and I'm in Mass. Their commercials make everything look soooo good.

Has anyone else had King Cake around Mardi Gras time? My parents send me one every year and it has to be one of the best foods ever.

lol, i'm sorry, but that's hilarious. the nearest Sonic's about 500-750 (right?) miles away. hehe

Sonic is good but a bit pricier than McDonald's/Hardee's/BK etc.

and then you park there and tips are expected.

(still good food... not knocking their food)

did you ever hang out in the Rush/Division area of Chicago?

Dave & Buster's, Alumni Club, Bamboo Bernie's ring a bell?

hehe


Is Dave and Busters the big bar with an arcade in it? Then yes. The others, I dont recall. I remember the Sears Tower though. ANd being so damn cold. It was March of 1993 during the blizzrd of the century, on my way home from Hawaii.

he's still a geek. hehe

(keeding. Alton Brown must have a PhD in Chefery or Culinary Arts or what not.)

hehehe

Actually, he's a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. I'm not sure what level degree.

Oh you betcha. I love his style of doing things. I rarely like TV "personalities", but his science approach to cooking is fabulous.

Me too-he's gotta have some degree in science, beyond his culinary training.

He's the one that opened my eyes to the fact I was killing the yeast in my home made pizza dough by adding it to water that was too hot.

I was in Nashville three years ago- a client's husband was a partner in a two story nightclub that opened on the main drag next to some fondue restaurant. I think the name was Hurricane's or something like that. I spent two wasted nights there.

That's... Chicago

hehe

Bamboo Bernie's was a two-story bar with a mini beach volleyball room on the first floor with real sand.

The cool thing to do was to go up to the second floor and look down on the volleyball players. More often than not, chicks in flattering shirts and shorts (when spring/summer) were down there diving around.

at any rate, it was a pretty steep view down... perfect view!

ahhh, those were the days

Me too-he's gotta have some degree in science, beyond his culinary training.

Heh ... well according to Wiki and his Blog, he was always bad at science, but when he applied it to cooking it became natural. I've seen musicians have that happen with complex mathematics.

Is Dave and Busters the big bar with an arcade in it? Then yes. The others, I dont recall. I remember the Sears Tower though. ANd being so damn cold. It was March of 1993 during the blizzrd of the century, on my way home from Hawaii.

yeah, lol, Dave & Busters is larger than some small towns in Rhode Island, Nebraska and South Dakota. Time flies there because there's so much to do.

Heh ... well according to Wiki and his Blog, he was always bad at science, but when he applied it to cooking it became natural. I've seen musicians have that happen with complex mathematics.

Either way, he knows his stuff.
Certainly worth watching-I always learn something.

Well- sorry to run and eat, but its time for chili. Always a crowd pleaser here.

Although the Texan style of chili is uniquely Texan, it has its roots in the deepest of Mexico, where ground beef (and pork, chicken, and everything else) has been combined with beans and chile sauce since the conquista.

Nachos are US born, as is the hard taco shell (pfft, imagine that, a hard taco shell, ridiculous!).

Barbacoa, at least in Mexico, is something very different than in the US. In Mexico it is meat cooked in a hole in the ground with the hot coals on top. It's usually lamb or goat, but it can also be pork. Sometimes the meat is wrapped in corn dough (is that the word? dough?) in the style of tamales (which are Mexican and also come in several styles). The equivalent of a BBQ in the US would be 'al asador'. Not exactly the same, though.

Chilaquiles, machaca, enchiladas, chiles rellenos, cochinita pibil, mole, bocoles, empanadas, gordas, atole, churros, hot chocolate, garnachas, pellizcadas, etc. are all Mexican.

Now I'm hungry.

Hmmmmm... Pancakes...

Chilaquiles, machaca, enchiladas, chiles rellenos, cochinita pibil, mole, bocoles, empanadas, gordas, atole, churros, hot chocolate, garnachas, pellizcadas, etc. are all Mexican.


I just drooled ... physically drooled ... on my keyboard. Damn you, unpronounceable name, damn you!

Now I must go get barbecued goat and a black bean garnacha!

(salivating at the thought)
Bar-b-que!!!!

!!!!

!!!!!!

(begins throaty growling) grrrrrrrrrrr...:D

Although the Texan style of chili is uniquely Texan, it has its roots in the deepest of Mexico, where ground beef (and pork, chicken, and everything else) has been combined with beans and chile sauce since the conquista.

Nachos are US born, as is the hard taco shell (pfft, imagine that, a hard taco shell, ridiculous!).

Barbacoa, at least in Mexico, is something very different than in the US. In Mexico it is meat cooked in a hole in the ground with the hot coals on top. It's usually lamb or goat, but it can also be pork. Sometimes the meat is wrapped in corn dough (is that the word? dough?) in the style of tamales (which are Mexican and also come in several styles). The equivalent of a BBQ in the US would be 'al asador'. Not exactly the same, though.

Chilaquiles, machaca, enchiladas, chiles rellenos, cochinita pibil, mole, bocoles, empanadas, gordas, atole, churros, hot chocolate, garnachas, pellizcadas, etc. are all Mexican.

Now I'm hungry.

are sopapillas something eaten in Mexico? Or did I just make that word up? hehe

Mines probably baked chicken. But I plan on trying something out my history teacher told me about...


It's called the Turkey Samich. What you do is take a peice of bread, than lay stuffing over it, than put turkey on that. Then drizzle some gravy on it, followed by more stuffing, and if you dont want stuffing, than cranberry sauce.


Pretty much the left overs from Thanksgiving lol.

nope, there is such a thing as a sopapilla:

http://home.comcast.net/~osoono/ethnicdoughs/sopapilla/sopapilla.htm

nope, there is such a thing as a sopapilla:

http://home.comcast.net/~osoono/ethnicdoughs/sopapilla/sopapilla.htm
Aaah! That's what they are! Not in my region of Mexico, though they look like 'pastes' but those were introduced by Cornish miners in the 19th Century.

But there's a lot of eastern and northern Mexico I don't know.

Fried Chicken....*drools* Demnit, now I'm hungry. ;-;

-Asylum Nova

Pemmican is an American dish, as is anything with corn.. :)

I like both.. beef jerky (the modern offshoot of pemmican) and corn dogs.. the corn-enhanced cousin of the hot dog.

Oh, hey, and guys ... the thread is about American dishes .... Mexico is part of America. :p So Mexican food *is* American food. HA!

Oh, hey, and guys ... the thread is about American dishes .... Mexico is part of America. :p So Mexican food *is* American food. HA!

Yes, and if you remove the chili powder and replace it with a fistful of sugar, it's Filipino food! *Shudder* :p Needless to say, of the two variations on the Spanish theme.. I prefer spicy to sweet.. and empanadas without massive crunchy seeds in them.. :(

Alaskan King Crab