What is American food?

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Kayelle

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Inspired from another discussion, I've been thinking. Dangerous I know. :rolleyes:

If you were opening an "American Restaurant" in a foreign country what would you name it, and what would be on the menu?

As "American as apple pie" hotdogs and hamburgers, but what else?
 
First of all, it would be difficult to limit it to dishes originated in the USA.

I would include dishes from the South, such as fried chicken, gumbo, jambalaya, to name a few.

Baked beans, lobster, fresh seafood dishes.

TexMex dishes like chili.

Barbecue!

Anything with blueberries, cranberries or maple syrup.

All kinds of pies besides apple.
 
Along with what Andy said, I would think there would be a lot of mid-west "homey" dishes, such as pot roast, beef stew, hamburger and tomato based casseroles, etc. Like some of the things Andy mentioned, these also had their roots in European tradition.
 
Good ideas, Andy and Barbara!

I also think I'd have a typical "Thanksgiving Dinner" on the menu.

So what would you name this place?
 
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I agree it would be hard to limit it to dishes that originated in the US. Meat loaf, pot pies, chili mac, steak & potatoes, pork chops, and macaroni & cheese are all dishes I call American, in addition to all mentioned above. We have a little place called the USA Cafe in town but I've never been there. I think I heard that they donate some of their profits to military families, pretty cool. I don't know what's on their menu either but I hope it's distinctly American :) I'm not very creative to come up with a name so it would probably be something straight-forward like USA Cafe lol.
 
Pizza/Italian/Pasta dishes and Asian dishes - #1 take out foods

"The Melting Pot"
 
Included with the stuff already mentioned, chicken noodle soup with big, thick egg noodles, chicken and dumplings, brats served with potato salad and baked beans, ribs (both beef and pork), and while I'm not an alcohol drinker, bourbon and "American style" beer would probably be on the menu. I know other places have them but they still seem pretty American as far as alcohol goes. Also lots of stuff with apples. Apple pie, apple crisp, apple tarts, caramel apples, apple cider. Stuff with rutabagas such as pasties would also need to be included. Macaroni salads like the tuna noodle salads and the various varieties made with miracle whip or mayo. Several varieties of biscuits (flaky, crumbly, cakey) and dinner rolls (like the super soft potato rolls). Christmas style baked hams (I love the idea of the traditional/classic Thanksgiving turkey dinner). If I could get a reasonable supply from an environmentally conscious source, stuff like trout, whitefish, walleye. Basically freshwater fish of North America. And just because, I'd probably put peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the menu. They seem distinctly American.

Breakfast stuff would definitely include varieties of fluffy pancakes such as plain, blueberry, buckwheat, apple cinnamon, banana walnut oat, M&M, and buttermilk. Also farmers omelets (green pepper, ham, onions, celery, hash browns, cheddar cheese), skillet breakfasts (couple types here: hash browns, sausage, bacon, ham, onions, cheese fried together and topped with eggs cooked to customer's preference; eggs scrambled with apple, green pepper, sausage, bacon or ham, onions, celery and topped with cheddar and jack) and biscuits and sausage gravy. Probably donuts too.

As for a name, "What the Crazy Americans Eat", "America is Yummy Too", or probably some other stupid name because I'm not that great at coming up with restaurant monickers.
 
I would not have a menu. I would serve breakfast, lunch and dinner depending on what I wanted to fix and the availability of the ingredients. Your only choice might be the bread for the toast and how you want your eggs, but lunch and dinner would be predetermined by me. The only choice you would get woould be small, medium or pacanis portion :)
Maybe I would try to have the same thing on certain days, like a fish fry on Fridays, BBQ on Sundays, chicken & biscuits on Tuesdays... see what strikes a chord with the locals and take it from there.
The name might be "An American Restaurant in ________"
All I know is it would start with an A to get a good listing in the yellow pages... provided they have a yellow pages :LOL:
 
I would not have a menu. I would serve breakfast, lunch and dinner depending on what I wanted to fix and the availability of the ingredients. Your only choice might be the bread for the toast and how you want your eggs, but lunch and dinner would be predetermined by me. The only choice you would get woould be small, medium or pacanis portion :)
Maybe I would try to have the same thing on certain days, like a fish fry on Fridays, BBQ on Sundays, chicken & biscuits on Tuesdays... see what strikes a chord with the locals and take it from there.
The name might be "An American Restaurant in ________"
All I know is it would start with an A to get a good listing in the yellow pages... provided they have a yellow pages :LOL:

I love the idea of this restaurant but I don't think I could do it. I'd worry too much about things like "what if I make something that no one likes and they don't have any other choices" or "what if someone comes in who's allergic to what I'm making". I know those can be gotten around and to an extent, part of the appeal of this kind of restaurant is that it's like going to a friends house for dinner, but I'm too anxiety prone to do it. Of course, I really don't think I'm restaurant owner/worker material anyways so I'd probably just shove my ideas on my dad, give him the money and make him open it up. :)
 
To my taste (being from NYC), the parts of Europe (Central to Southern Germany, Northern to Central Italy, Switzerland) that I have been in were lacking when it came to kosher hot dogs, thick tender juicy charcoal grilled beef steaks, prime rib roast, sweet corn, okra and hot pastrami. Since then it seems times have changed so my experiences may be outdated.
 
Pizza/Italian/Pasta dishes and Asian dishes - #1 take out foods

"The Melting Pot"


yes, the "pot" in the title brings to mind kitchen tools, comfort food, and homeyness,--all fitting in with american cooking. the melting pot concept itself can help to broaden the parameters of the menu in an american restaurant. it can do so by introducing many dishes that originated in other countries which we have "americanized" through history, and which have ultimately become our very own, such as pizza, for instance....:)
 
I would not have a menu. I would serve breakfast, lunch and dinner depending on what I wanted to fix and the availability of the ingredients. Your only choice might be the bread for the toast and how you want your eggs, but lunch and dinner would be predetermined by me. The only choice you would get woould be small, medium or pacanis portion :)
Maybe I would try to have the same thing on certain days, like a fish fry on Fridays, BBQ on Sundays, chicken & biscuits on Tuesdays... see what strikes a chord with the locals and take it from there.
The name might be "An American Restaurant in ________"
All I know is it would start with an A to get a good listing in the yellow pages... provided they have a yellow pages :LOL:
You sound like my cousin Vinnie!!
 
You sound like my cousin Vinnie!!

I'm a big believer in, you'll have it my way or you won't have it any way at all :LOL:
If you're allergic to shellfish, don't come on steamed mussels and all the beer you can drink night! It's that simple :D
 
Regarding the "no menu" idea, years ago I went to a restaurant in Carlsbad, California (no longer there I think, but not because they weren't good). I believe they gave you a few choices (fried chicken was their specialty, but I think you could choose beef or fish--although I'm not completely sure). All the tables were set like you would expect to find a table in an old mid-west farmhouse, very homey. The food was brought to your table on platters and in bowls, and you served yourself, family style. It was a very nice experience.
 

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