# Help me cook some authentic American food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 10, 2008, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971 "2008-01-10T11:48:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/41 "2008-01-10T17:47:30Z")
[QUOTE=Mosier] I can’t think of an American drink, really. Maybe some whiskey? [/QUOTE] I’ve very rarely had spirits with a meal: in my experience, people tend to drink them without food. (This may be because of my state’s arcane liquor laws, but I don’t think so). The most American of spirits is probably going to be bourbon, drunk straight or with chipped ice. I prefer it straight, and I’m astonished and delighted that some people don’t think Woodford Reserve is the best damn bourbon out there (at least in its price range): different bourbons have tremendously different flavors, and it’s pretty fun to try the different ones out. I’d say the archetypal American mixed drink is a Jack and Coke: nothing but a shot of Jack Daniels in a Coke. However, rum punch has a long and illustrious history; a version of it called (I think) cherry bounce was instrumental in locating North Carolina’s capital in its historically inconvenient location. (Basically, a local promoter invited the legislators to his favorite bar, plied them all with the beverage, and convinced them that the field across yonder would make for a great seat of government). If you expand to beer and wine, there’s an American style of wheat beer; Widmer’s is the only one I’ve had that I think is palatable. It’s ubiquitous in the Pacific Northwest and difficult to find in the South. I think there are a variety of different American-style ales, in addition to the obvious American-style lager, which I don’t much care for. Are there American-style wines? Certainly there’s gobs of wine made in the US, but other than nasty shit like scuppernong wine (a super-sweet wine made from a native grape), I’m not aware of native varieties. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/42 "2008-01-10T17:52:52Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] Are there American-style wines? Certainly there’s gobs of wine made in the US, but other than nasty shit like scuppernong wine (a super-sweet wine made from a native grape), I’m not aware of native varieties. [/QUOTE] Zinfandel, for one. For a true bourbon experience, try **Buffalo Trace**. I’ve been cursing **Tuckerfan** ever since he turned me on to that liquid crack. ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/43 "2008-01-10T17:52:59Z")
[QUOTE=Mosier] I can’t think of an American drink, really. Maybe some whiskey? [/QUOTE] Bourbon is, [by an act of Congress](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourbon_whiskey), probably the only distinctive liquor of the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/44 "2008-01-10T17:59:35Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] Are there American-style wines? Certainly there’s gobs of wine made in the US, but other than nasty shit like scuppernong wine (a super-sweet wine made from a native grape), I’m not aware of native varieties. [/QUOTE] They’re not made with native American grapes, but of course there are American style wines. You aren’t going to see many zinfandels (white or red, red is much better if you don’t like sweet wine) from outside the US, for example. American-style wines tend to be fruitier and higher in alcohol than European wines, and tend to be named after varieties of grapes. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/45 "2008-01-10T18:05:23Z")
There are tons upon tons of American wines, but by nature, they’re _usually_ to be the same grape as European wines, genetically at least. But flavors differ even for the same type of grape, and let my check my books tonight, because I think there are a few grapse which simply Do Not Exist outside of America. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/46 "2008-01-10T18:08:09Z")
New Englander checking in, if you want to do that regional cuisine. you could do a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. In case you are unfamiliar with it, there is a whole turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole (some people add other things like corn on the cob, sweet potato casserole, etc.) If you wanted to be really ambitious, you could try and do some seafood from here, if you can find it or an equivalent in England. Lobster is huge, as is clam chowder. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/47 "2008-01-10T18:48:05Z")
[QUOTE=Dolores Reborn] Saltines are [crackers.](http://www.nabiscoworld.com/Brands/brandlist.aspx?SiteId=1&CatalogType=1&BrandKey=premium&BrandLink=/premium/&BrandId=80&PageNo=1) I just use flour for the breading though. Dredge in seasoned flour, dip in beaten egg, dip and press in seasoned flour again. Like you fry chicken! (Hence the name, chicken-fried steak.) [/QUOTE] My grandma (and my Mom and I) make it that way. **silenus** , she learned that technique from a lady from Texas, so it’s not like she was some communist! ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/48 "2008-01-10T19:01:02Z")
Some popular American wines: Chardonnay. Often done in a malolactic, very buttery style, as opposed to the lighter, fruitier style of, say, Australian Chardonnays. White Zinfandel (America’s most popular wine, or so I’ve heard). A sweet pink wine. There are also sweet pink wines made with other red grapes, such as White Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot. Zinfandel (red). The reds (Cabernet, Merlot, and Zinfandel) are usually made in a very fruit-forward style, and are often higher in alcohol than European wines (15% isn’t unheard of, it’s hard to find an American red wine with less than 14%). Zinfandel is a grape that is not made into wine much (if at all) outside the US. But it is the same species, _Vitis vinifera_, as other wine grapes, and not the same species as native American grapes. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/49 "2008-01-10T19:13:21Z")
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes! Macaroni and cheese! Scalloped potatoes and ham! Fried liver and onions! Bar-b-qued ribs! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/50 "2008-01-10T19:13:57Z")
Hushpuppies! ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/51 "2008-01-10T19:25:55Z")
One American food I haven’t seen mentioned: Mac & Cheese, possibly with canned tuna mixed in. If you can find boxed Kraft macaroni & cheese, there you go. If not, it’s penne pasta with a cheddar cheese sauce (basically bechamel with some cheese added) poured over it and then baked. If you have fries, they must be served with ketchup, not any of that Euro vinegar or mayonnaise nonsense. You can squirt the ketchup over the fries or dip them in the ketchup. On the subject of ketchup, there is cocktail sauce. It is a mix of ketchup and horseradish (no mayonnaise). Cocktail sauce and [tartar sauce](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tartar_sauce) are the proper sauces to have with fried fish or seafood. A breakfast idea that started out as a Jewish dish but is now popular among non-Jewish Americans would be bagels with cream cheese and lox (which is smoked salmon). You should have coffee with your breakfast. It can be black or have milk or cream in it, and can be with or without sugar. > [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I’d say the archetypal American mixed drink is a Jack and Coke: nothing but a shot of Jack Daniels in a Coke. We drink rum & coke as well. A Bloody Mary is tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and Tabasco, and is another popular cocktail. ---
**Author:** ![Gulo\_gulo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bcef8e/32.png) [@Gulo\_gulo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gulo_gulo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/52 "2008-01-10T19:36:19Z")
[QUOTE=WILLASS] In the past I have done (amongst others) Thai, Tex-Mex, classic British, French and last week I did Jamaican/Caribbean and cooked jerk chicken with a mango salad followed by curry goat with rice an’ pea which was delicious (if I do say so myself!). [/QUOTE] Sorry to distract from the thread but I would love to have your goat curry recipe. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/53 "2008-01-10T19:47:20Z")
> [@](#): > > it’s penne pasta with a cheddar cheese sauce (basically bechamel with some cheese added) poured over it and then baked. Penne? Not in the America I grew up in. Macaroni is Macaroni is Macaroni. Any change in noodle is some form of communist plot. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/54 "2008-01-10T19:54:56Z")
[QUOTE=wolfman] Penne? Not in the America I grew up in. Macaroni is Macaroni is Macaroni. Any change in noodle is some form of communist plot. [/QUOTE] This thread abounds with possible communist plots. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/55 "2008-01-10T20:02:21Z")
Elbow über alles! No deviation will be allowed! ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/56 "2008-01-10T20:06:03Z")
Although the top of a mac’n’cheese is an acceptable location for those saltines. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/57 "2008-01-10T20:06:43Z")
[QUOTE=Mosier] I’m pretty sure soft pretzels with salt are American, too. [/QUOTE] I’m pretty sure they’re German, specifically the regions of Swabia and Bavaria. ---
**Author:** ![grayhairedmomma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/47e85d/32.png) [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/58 "2008-01-10T20:15:20Z")
These were the all-american mainstays of my poor childhood: [Macaroni & Cheese](http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.htm?SiteId=1&Product=2100065883&) [All beef Hot Dogs](http://www.hebrewnational.com/pages/products/franks/index.jsp) (Hebrew National is good) [Martin’s Potato Bread Long Rolls](http://www.potatoroll.com/pages/products.asp#) (they’re shaped like hot dog buns) [Cherry Kool-Aid](http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.htm?SiteId=1&Product=4300002079) add about half-pound of sugar. Boil a couple cups of water, add the macaroni noodles and cook until soft. Drain the water, add about 1/3 c milk, a pat of butter and stir in the powdered cheese. Boil the hot dogs for about 10 min. * * * Hot Dogs (all beef) - cut up into medium size pieces [Campbells’ Pork & Beans](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.walgreens.com/dbimagecache/321431.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp%3FCATID%3D100640%26navAction%3Djump%26navCount%3D1%26id%3Dprod417&h=175&w=175&sz=25&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=DZbNqWoFENG76M:&tbnh=100&tbnw=100&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcampbells%2Bpork%2Band%2Bbeans%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLG,GGLG:2005-24,GGLG:en%26sa%3DN) Cherry Kool-Aid (don’t forget the sugar) Put the beans in a saucepan on low, mix in the cut-up hotdog and add a little sugar and yellow mustard. Heat over low for about 10min until the sauce thickens a little bit. Eat this while it’s hot. Cornbread is great with this too. The very best cornbread is baked in a cast-iron skillet. You have got to have real butter to put on your cornbread. * * * Beef flavor [Rice-a-roni (The San Francisco Treat!)](http://www.ricearoni.com/rar_products/riceARoni/classic/) 1/2lb browned ground beef Canned green beans Cherry Kool-Aid (sugar, sugar, sugar) Cook the Ricearoni in a deep skillet, not a saucepan. While that’s simmering, brown the ground beef. Mix them together when finished. Grean beans can be mixed in or served on the side. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/59 "2008-01-10T21:12:32Z")
Um, maybe I missed it, but where the hell did the typical American dinner of a Steak go??? Beef is the mainstay of American cuisine, just ask anyone from Texas where they raised enough of them to herd to Kansas to ship to Chicago to butcher and sell. While I am certainly a devotee of the Biscuit and Gravy breakfast (without grits, it just ain’t the same thing!), that ain’t truly “American.” You’d have to go with the more traditional eggs over easy, with bacon or sausage (links) and hotcakes (pancakes). Potatoes are optional (frankly, that’s a relatively recent addition in many places from what I remember growing up). Put some OJ on the table, and you have the typical American breakfast (if you want something more hearty, add some oatmeal - the old used to be Quaker Oats Co. will love you!). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971/60 "2008-01-10T21:14:18Z")
59 posts and no mention of [Eggs Benedict](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggs_benedict), the food that is so American it inspired the Egg McMuffin? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-cook-some-authentic-american-food/432971.md?page=4)