What food is better in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world?
During my travels to 80 countries and all seven continents, I’ve eaten amazing food in every country I’ve visited. Every nation has those dishes that cannot be duplicated elsewhere. The U.S. is no exception. America is most certainly a melting pot of cultures and subsequently international cuisines, but there are many dishes native to the United States. Culinary experts from all over the world understand the uniqueness of American cuisine and rank it among the most impressive in the world. Those who think that American food equates to McDonald’s and KFC, who don’t know of its wonderful culinary creations, or who think American food is subpar are showing their ignorance.
Coming from an family of a dozen professional chefs with discerning palates, I’ve learned a lot about food! I’m the first to admit that there are MANY international dishes that America will never replicate to perfection. However, the point of this post is to identify the contributions of American cuisine that cannot be perfectly duplicated outside of the U.S. (although some countries come close).
• Southern Fried chicken - In the U.S., especially in the Southeastern states, you can find fried chicken with perfectly crispy skin outside and tender, juicy chicken inside. In many countries you’ll only find KFC, an American-based franchise that serves one of our worst examples of American fried chicken. This could be the only fried chicken that many foreigners will ever eat. Real American fried chicken is unable to be duplicated. The closest thing I’ve tasted to American fried chicken was a wonderful parsley chicken in Budapest, Hungary. And Korean Fried Chicken is really good too! But if you want to eat what you see below, you’ll have to come to Tennessee for Nashville Hot Chicken invented in the 1930s.
• Philly Cheesesteak - In the 1930s, the Olivieri brothers of Philadelphia started serving thinly shaved, chopped beef and grilled onions on chewy Italian bread. An employee later added melted provolone cheese (my preference to the versions with fake cheese). The modern sandwich should only be served on bread from the Philly bakery Amoroso’s, because nothing else tastes perfectly authentic.
• Cheesecake - There is nothing in other countries that can match the cheesecakes made at the finest American bakeries. Arnold Reuben invented the New York-style cheesecake using cream cheese in 1929, the same innovator that gave us the Reuben sandwich (also not duplicated elsewhere). There is no question that France has the best baked sweets on the planet, and some darn good cheesecakes. But no other country can replicate that rich, creamy New York style with a graham cracker or ginger snap crust. Believe me, I’ve searched. My own cheesecake is right there with the best of them.
• Buffalo Wings - Only the U.S. can make those succulent, tender chicken wings with a crispy exterior in the perfect buffalo sauce. It’s especially good in Western New York as they were invented in Buffalo in 1964 (no, they aren’t made of buffalo meat). If you’re visiting Europe, even if you eat at an American-based chain restaurant, the chicken wings will be prepared in some weird tomatoey marinara-like sauce that doesn’t even closely resemble buffalo sauce.
• Clam Chowder - This is America’s answer to France’s wonderful bisques. It was likely created in the 1840s in Rhode Island, a thick soup with clams and potatoes among other ingredients. Crushing crackers into the chowder is almost obligatory, and the best versions around New England are fabulously satisfying!
• Pecan pie - The buttery, gooey interior with freshest pecans and the perfect, slightly sugary crust best served up in Georgia cannot be replicated in any other country. It dates to the 1880s in the Southeastern United States where many pecans are grown.
• Barbecue - The Australians and Argentinians can make some mean barbecue. But there is nothing that matches the slow-roasted brisket of Texas, or the pulled pork of North Carolina and Tennessee. Native Americans were barbecuing in the American South even in the 1500s.
• Fried Catfish - There is nothing quite like the tender taste of freshly caught catfish deep fried in the perfect cornmeal batter! When it’s fresh, it’s so flaky and delicious and almost falls apart amidst the crispy coating.
• Red Velvet Cake - This moist, delicious cake with chocolate overtones and amazing depth was invented last century in the United States. When done right with some lovely cream cheese frosting, it is unforgettable! European bakeries try to duplicate this dessert, and while it looks the same, it ends up bland and lacks any sort of chocolatey depth. Americans added cocoa powder to these traditional desserts along with other ingredients and made them something special, with the recipe gaining widespread appeal in 1943. My red velvet cake is subtle perfection!
- Crab cakes - This scrumptious dish with fresh crab meat is tender and flavorful, almost like the seafood version of a hamburger but nothing like those horrible fish patties some countries serve. Its history is so old that crab cakes probably date back to the Native Americans.
- Cajun and Creole cuisines - This is an enormous category in itself, including gumbo, jambalaya, étouffée, po’ boys, boudin sausage, fried alligator, and so much more! No other nation has authentic Cajun nor Creole food, which is popular in the Southern U.S. and best eaten in Louisiana. The jambalaya I make at home would change your life!
America also has great seafood, great hamburgers, great pastries, and great pizza. They invented Eggs Benedict, the Reuben and Hot Brown sandwiches, and cioppino. But I’ve found these foods, or similar versions, internationally that are as good as they are in the U.S., so I did not include them.
- Eggs Benedict
Invented in New York in 1860, there is nothing quite like an English muffin or crispy toast topped with poached eggs, bacon, and tangy hollandaise sauce!
- Cioppino
Debuting in San Francisco back in the late 1800s, this combination of seafood in a beautiful tomato sauce is part Italian, part Californian. To me, it’s even more enjoyable than the East Coast seafood concoction of clam chowder.
- Crab Rangoon
First appearing in Los Angeles in 1955, Chinese American chef Joe Young invented a crispy, deep-fried wonton with crab, scallions, garlic, and cream cheese. They are fabulous!
- Lobster Rolls
Fresh lobster, warm drawn butter, and chewy white bread. There is nothing so simple yet so delicious in the world! This dish was invented in Connecticut in 1929.
Road trip idea-
As the son of two chefs, I have very high standards for food. Having visited all 50 states in the U.S. at least 11 times each (and most of them 30+ times), I’ve discovered some unbelievable American restaurants!
Below, I’ve created a road trip to sample all the above American classics. No matter what country you come from, this would be a culinary vacation that would simply blow your mind and open your mind to just how amazing American food can be!
- South Thomaston, Maine - McLoon’s Lobster Shack at 315 Island Road (only open in summer), the world’s greatest lobster roll
- Plainville, Connecticut - J. Timothy’s Taverne at 143 New Britain Avenue, perfection in the world of buffalo wings which surprisingly outdo Western New York!
- New York, New York - Magnolia Bakery at 401 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village serves up some mighty fine triple-layer, red velvet cake!
- New York, New York - Staying with the haven for American bakeries, New York does it again with Eileen’s Special Cheesecake at 17 Cleveland Place, the best darn cheesecake in the United States!
- Folcroft, Pennsylvania- Leo’s Steak Shop at 1403 Chester Pike, off the beaten path of tourists, serves the ultimate Philly cheesesteak (much better than Pat’s which is run by grandson Frank Olivieri Jr.)
- Baltimore, Maryland - The crab cakes at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood lured customers from all over the world to 6526 Holabird Avenue. There are other marvelous crab cakes, but this is the classic.
- Atlanta, Georgia - Southern Baked Pie Company at 3145 Peachtree Road, best pecan pie I’ve ever eaten!
- Counce, Tennessee - Pickwick Catfish Farm at 4145 Highway 57, rated the best catfish in America by a number of magazines and confirmed by several visits (but only if they have the catfish steaks available), it’s even better than the legendary Catfish Hotel nearby.
- Nolensville, Tennessee - Martin’s Barbeque Joint at 7238 Nolensville Road, best pulled pork ever, and best Alabama white sauce (add it to the fries).
- Nashville, Tennessee - Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack South at 5814 Nolensville Road, fantastic fried chicken, and the original Nashville hot chicken (if you like spicy food).
- Metairie, Louisiana- Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop at 2309 North Causeway Boulevard just outside of New Orleans looks ordinary from the outside and is known for their gumbo. And I think they might have the best jambalaya in the states as well!
- New Orleans, Louisiana - Stand in a lengthy line at Parkway Bakery & Tavern at 538 Hagan Avenue and you’ll be rewarded with the best po’ boy sandwich you’ve ever eaten!
- Spring, Texas - CorkScrew BBQ at 26608 Keith Street, the #2-rated barbecue in all of Texas!
- Brenham, Texas - Truth BBQ at 2990 U.S. Highway 290 and LJ’s BBQ at 1407 West Main Street, the #1 and #3-rated barbecue joints respectively in all of Texas in the same small town!
You may also be interested in:
My favorite food in every state
My top-secret perfect 10 macaroni and cheese
My top-secret perfect 10 pasta dish
My top-secret perfect 10 cheesecake
American foods that every visitor to the U.S. must try
Food you can find in any American supermarket but rarely in other countries
No comments:
Post a Comment