Posted by Ralph on March 29, 1998 at 19:26:09:
In Reply to: Re: What is American cuisine? posted by Blanch on August 08, 1997 at 10:47:14:
True American cuisine began when the first colonists set foot on land in Georgia, and Virginia. Fresh game and vegatbles cooked over hickory fires. Even today, the finest smoked hams anywhere, still comes from these two areas...hickory smoked ham from virginia, and georgia, is culinary excellence without even trying.
And that's just the tip of the American cuisine iceberg. From Maine to Florida, from coast to coast, the finest foods available anywhere, are here in this great country.
Over it's 200 year history, american cooks have blended creole and cajun, with spanish and caribbean dishes, and have surpassed anything in france. Cooks along the eastern seaboard have combined native american produce with the finest, and freshest, seafood available. The results have been prized recipes still treasured today. Chefs are only now discovering many of them...and getting applause from their customers for what they think are new dishes.
Out of the midwest and west coast, old recipes for stews, beef dishes and breads, are being rediscovered.
What's American Cuisine? It's a blend of everything that's fresh, cooked by the folks who grew them, with a deep love of God, land, family and the type of freedom known only in this country.
For those who think French cuisine is everything, one can only feel sorry for them. From southern fried chicken, to northeastern clam chowder, to texas cook-outs, to Kansas barbequed ribs, to yankee potroasts...American cuisine is great food that stands on its' own. French cuisine is known for its' butter-based, masking sauces. American cuisine is not known for its' sauces, because there was never anything that needed to be hid.
One item of mention for french suaces...with an excellent cut of american beef, it's always nice to have bernaise sauce....on the side of course.