American food
Fifty years ago, a description of typical American food would have been quite short. Steak and potatoes, hamburgers, hot dogs and ice cream cones would pretty much sum it up. People in the America of the 1950s and on into the 1960s were not so adventurous when it came to eating. Mom served up meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy. Greens came from a can, which perhaps helped promote most kid's dislike of vegetables. Grocery stores did not stock six types of lettuce. Ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard were the standard condiments. Barbecue sauce was homemade and A-1 sauce was a gourmet food. However boring, this was the typical American food served at most dinner tables, year after endless year. Today, while all of these retro food items are still American favorites, we've exponentially increased the scope of our typical cuisine, incorporating dishes from so many other cultures. The result is an interesting and varied cuisine, most of which has been borrowed from other nations, to our culinary delight and credit.
Back in the 1950s, Americans served spaghetti, but in the translation of that era, this was a heavily ketchup-laden dish, sometimes served with processed cheese. That Americanized version of this Italian dish lacked the delicacy and charm of the real deal and might have fit into the category of typical American food. However, Italian restaurants, run by Italians, produced the true, homemade spaghetti. Americans flocked to these restaurants to indulge in the many hearty and delicious Italian dishes. Today, the Italian cuisine has become so popular, we have cooking magazines devoted entirely to Italian food, now typical American food.
Cajun and Creole style food was perhaps the first occurrence of fusion food in America. French, Caribbean and African cuisines contributed to these unique dishes. Back in the day, you literally had to travel to New Orleans to experience this culinary delight. Weaning Americans away from the then typical American food was a long process. New dishes were viewed with suspicion, especially when some of the ingredients were not to be found at the grocery store. American women cooked to please their man. Serving something 'weird' was certain to be met with a displeased man of the house. ìWhat is this?î, accompanied by a frown and lots of picking through the dish with a fork and apparent dissatisfaction ensured that this dish would not get an encore any time soon. Today's grocery has Jambalaya fixings in a box, complete with seasoning. There are even wannabee gumbos in a can, although, IMHO, these never satisfactorily replicate the genuine article.
Tex-Mex restaurants were confined to the Southwest in the old days. For real enchiladas, chile rellenos or a spicy pot of chili, you'd have to visit the Southwest. Now, you'll find authentic Tex-Mex in just about every town and city in the U.S. There are even acceptably authentic, ready-to-heat entrees in any supermarket in the frozen food section.
The modern American palate is now sophisticated indeed, having embraced French, Greek, Spanish, German, Indian and Chinese dishes as a welcome part of the typical American diet. It's odd to realize that the typical American food of today is possibly more diverse than many other nations. However, you can bet that burgers and hot dogs aren't going away any time soon!
http://healthy-living-cuisine.com/Typical_American_Food.html