United States: Recipes and Cuisine

Country hams are an old tradition in the American South. Fresh pork legs are salt-cured, sometimes smoked, and then dry aged for several months. Because the meat can be very salty, country hams must be soaked in water for a time to remove excess salt. Baked country ham is the perfect centerpiece for any family celebration. Leftovers are great for breakfast with red-eye gravy or served as a sandwich in buttermilk biscuits. Read more »

Pillowy puffs of fried dough dusted with snowy powdered sugar, beignets (bane-YAY) are most famously served at the Café du Monde on the banks of the Mississippi River in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Beignets are best enjoyed for breakfast with a hot cup of chicory coffee. Read more »

The earliest colonists in North America learned how to slow cook beans with maple syrup from Native Americans. Molasses was a common sweetener in the United States throughout the 19th century, and Boston was a center of production. One tasty result of this abundance was Boston baked beans. It's not called Beantown for nothing! Read more »

A classic bar food, Buffalo wings came to us from Teresa Bellissimo, owner of the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Chicken wings are deep fried and tossed with a spicy, vinegary butter and hot pepper sauce. Read more »

Also called sweet potato casserole, candied sweet potatoes are a favorite dish in many American households at Thanksgiving and Easter, especially children. They are an extra treat when a layer of marshmallows is baked and browned on top. At Easter, chick- or rabbit-shaped and colored marshmallows called "Peeps" are sometimes used. Read more »

Chicken-fried steak, or country-fried steak, is an old farm recipe designed for cheaper, tougher cuts of beef, primarily round, Swiss or cube steak. It is particularly popular in Texas, where it originates. But it is found north into the upper Midwest and east into the old South. A popular truck-stop menu item, chicken-fried steak is most often served with mashed potatoes and a simple vegetable, often green beans. Read more »

This tomatoey fish stew is perhaps the iconic San Francisco dish. Italian fishmongers in North Beach developed a flavorful broth studded with the best of the day's catch. The name most likely comes from the Italian dialect word ciuppin, for "to chop." But at Fisherman's Wharf, a favorite story you hear is that Italian cooks would ask fishermen to "chip in" to that day's pot. Read more »

The club sandwich is popular around the world in restaurants, hotels and private clubs, where it probably acquired its name. It is speculated that the sandwich — with its layers of chicken, tomatoes and bacon — was originally made at the Saratoga Club House in Saratoga Springs, New York, the same place that invented potato chips. The original version had only two pieces of bread. Read more »

Corn dogs are American carnival, fair, and amusement park food. They are one of many "foods-on-a-stick" found at such celebrations and venues. A favorite of children, corn dogs are best served with a good amount of ketchup. Read more »

This recipe is for Southern cornbread, a drier, crunchier cornbread than its more cake-like Northern counterpart. It is best eaten same day it is baked. Stale leftovers can be used to make cornbread dressing. See the variations to make the Northern version. Read more »

Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patricks Day dish for Irish Americans, but not for the Irish themselves. The meal became popular with immigrants from Ireland in the 19th century. The word "corned" comes from the Old English for "grain" or "pellets," and pellets of salt were originally used to cure the beef for this dish. Read more »

Cranberry sauce is an essential part of any American Thanksgiving meal. Many families serve it for Christmas dinner too. Some people have to have cranberry sauce in the shape of a tin can; others prefer this more naturalistic version. A less sweet cranberry sauce is served with game birds in northern Europe. Read more »

Spice up your dinner plans with this winning recipe for Creole barbecue shrimp. In New Orleans, the word "barbecue" doesn't mean that the shrimp is grilled. This shrimp dish is sauteed in lots of spices, garlic and butter with a splash of beer for extra flavor. Aieee! "Suck da heads" for all the flavor. Read more »

Fall is pumpkin season, and these pumpkin cookies are perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving or after raking up leaves on a crisp fall day. Enjoy their cakelike texture, subtle spice and sweet glaze with a cup of hot tea or fresh apple cider. Read more »

Gumbo, one of the most famous of Cajun-Creole dishes, acquired its name from quingombo, a Congolese word for okra. It came about through a fusion of French, African, Native American and Spanish influences in early Louisiana cuisine. Read more »

Haupia is a popular Hawaiian dessert, often served on a ti leaf at luaus. A thick, sliceable coconut pudding, it is also used to cover cakes and as a top layer on pies. Read more »

A classic of Cajun-Creole cuisine, jambalaya got its start in the French Quarter of New Orleans when Spanish immigrants cooked up a dish similar to their beloved paella from home. The name probably comes from a French Provencal word meaning "mix up" or "mash up." Read more »

Lemonade and its basic theme of lemon juice, sugar and water is a popular drink around the world. It is a summertime favorite in the United States, where ramshackle stands selling glasses of the sweet-tart beverage are a favorite way for children to earn a little spending money. Read more »

Lobster rolls are a favorite sandwich in sandwich shacks all up and down the coast of Maine. This longstanding symbol of summertime fun is a simple mixture of fresh cooked lobster meat and mayonnaise. In main this seafood salad is served in special buns that are split down the top. But you can use regular hot dog buns. Read more »

The mint julep is a long-standing favorite beverage in much of the Southern United States. Traditionally served in silver or pewter cups, this lightly sweet, minty, boozy concoction is the perfect foil for a hot, humid Southern evening. The mint julep is the traditional beverage of Kentucky's famous Derby in the spring. Read more »

Dating from the 18th century, New England clam chowder is a thick milk or cream-based stew originally made with fresh clams dug out of the sand on the shore. The name "chowder" is thought to have originated with the French word chaudière, a kind of large pot it was originally made in. Unlike Manhattan clam chowder, the New England sort has no tomatoes. Read more »

Delicious in its simplicity, oyster stew is a traditional Christmas Eve dish in some American households, a custom said to have originated with Irish immigrants. Read more »

Also known as flapjacks, hotcakes or griddlecakes, pancakes are a traditional breakfast food in the United States. Variations of the pancake, sweet and savory, are found around the world, from the French crèpe to Indian dosas. Read more »