For some unfathomable reason, American gastronomy has never been held in the same esteem as other national cuisines such as French, Italian or Asian. It seems that the world’s food cognoscenti are only too quick to sneer at what they perceive as a fast-food obsessed country without stopping to consider some of the finer dishes and delicacies that originated in the United States. Here are just a few examples of those American delicacies that perhaps deserve an audience that isn’t just restricted to the Americans themselves or to visitors with an adventurous palate.
Deep-fried turkey
The southern states are particularly noted for delicious cuisines including Creole and Cajun cooking. Few people realise that despite its name, the Turkey is in fact native to America. Whilst roasted turkey has always been the staple dinner on Thanksgiving Day throughout America, the practice of deep-frying a whole turkey which has long been a favourite cooking method in the Deep South is gaining popularity throughout the rest of the country. Dedicated turkey deep-fryers are even available and are popular fixtures at US barbecues. Deep-fried turkey itself, according to its many devotees, is utterly delicious, tender and moist and does not suffer from the greasiness you might expect.
Shrimp gumbo
It’s likely that the name ‘gumbo’ originated with the ancient native-American Choctaw people who inhabited the regions along the Mississippi river. Appropriated by both the creole and the Cajun cuisine, shrimp gumbo is a hearty seafood stew based upon a good fish stock and which may contain not only shrimps – a small shellfish similar to a prawn – but also lobster, crab, oysters or other fish, along with rice, shallots, chillies, celery, peppers, okra and a host of herbs and seasonings. Typically rich and coffee-coloured, the popularity of shrimp gumbo as an American delicacy can be traced back to the early eighteenth century.
Succotash
For cartoon aficionados who ever wondered what Sylvester the cat (of Tweetie-Pie fame) or Daffy Duck meant when they exclaimed “sufferin’ succotash!”, the answer is that succotash is a simple but truly American dish in which, traditionally, lima beans or other beans are simmered together with corn and seasonings are added. Succotash can be enhanced by the addition of tomatoes, sweet peppers and onions and the dish is a popular constituent of Thanksgiving Dinner in New England and parts of Pennsylvania.
Hush Puppies
Nothing to do with eating shoe leather, hush puppies are a variation on one of America’s oldest and most traditional delicacies – corn bread. A thick batter made from maize or cornmeal flour, buttermilk, eggs salt, baking powder and water is rolled into small balls and either deep-fried or oven baked. Other ingredients such as onion, garlic or peppers may be added to give hush puppies extra flavour. Typically, hush puppies are a home-made accompaniment to a main dish, but are also to be found on the menus of some American fish restaurants.
Sloppy Joe
A truly all-American delicacy, Sloppy Joe is equally popular with kids and adults alike. The sloppy Joe is ubiquitous although the name does vary from region to region in America, so you may find yourself asking for ‘dynamites’, ‘sloppy Janes’ ‘slushburgers’ or ‘steamers’ depending upon where you are in the State. However, the basic recipe is roughly the same everywhere. A sloppy Joe is a hamburger bun filled with a mixture of minced beef and ground onions in tomato sauce with added brown sugar. Popular opinion suggests that the original sloppy Joe was invented in the 1920s by Floyd Angell, a restaurant owner from Iowa.
John is a freelance writer from the UK working for Russell Hobbs who have a range of deep fat fryers (although they’re probably not suitabel for deep frying turkeys!)
