American Cuisne

Words by: Julia Benda

American Cuisine

Food is a large part of American culture. Holidays celebrated in the U.S., such as Thanksgiving and Fourth of July, have signature cuisine traditions that make celebrating events even more enjoyable.

American food is composed of so much more than just a few dishes or holiday specialties. American cuisine includes a variety of options filled with diversity, much like the nation itself. Bryan Nguyen is an assistant manager, cook and server at Boulder Tap House restaurant in Ames, Iowa.

“I feel like a lot of people think American food can be very ‘one-color,’ but it is actually very diverse. A lot of people think it is just the same things over and over or very greasy and though it can be, there are also a lot of healthy options that are available. This creates a different experience depending on location because America is so big,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen said that he personally enjoys American cuisine because it is something he grew up with,

“It’s just what I’ve had for dinner with the family and it brings me back to home. American food is nice because a lot of it is filling and healthy and also not healthy. It has diversity,” Nguyen said. Nguyen said good American meals are shared with family and friends and something everyone can enjoy. He said good food, good company and a good environment are central to enjoying American cuisine and talked about the essential aspects of a quality burger.

“A good burger starts off with the basics: a good beef patty, good bun and fresh vegetables. Everything else is just going to be like little exclamation points or minor details to make it even better,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen said choosing a menu depends mostly on the location, what sells locally, what people are interested in, what tastes good and what caters to people with different needs. “For me, I usually think that American Cuisine is comfort foods like a burger, fries, different sandwich options and cheese options which I feel like is very involved in American cuisine. We also have a lot of fried items and a big section of beers,” Nguyen said.

Owner of West Street Deli, Matthew White, said people in Ames look for local and fresh food rather than something processed.

White said that West Street Deli does certain specials every day of the week and that some are more popular than others,

“Some customers come in and will ask for previous specials. So then we go back and “There are a variety of options that people have. see if we should make it a permanent menu American cuisine is a pretty broad spectrum and has a item, taking a chance on stuff. Some of it is huge variety, spanning pretty much the world’s cuisines just seeing what works,” White said. that American cuisine you could put that umbrella White included that a big part of making a good sandwich is the bread and quality of Max Harfst, a sophomore in history at Iowa State, said the ingredients. his favorite part of American cuisine is the variety “We try to do everything from scratch and central to American cuisine and a good American meal without preservatives. We can tell you every includes sugar, saturated fat and salt. ingredient that goes into it. I think that is something that is different from other Harfst talked about holidays associated with American restaurants. We make our own sausages cuisine, particularly Thanksgiving and the Fourth of and meats we grind up and prepare July. Harfst said he has many memories of preparing ourselves. We could buy pre-made stuff but food with his family at Thanksgiving and Fourth of July it’s just not as high quality,” White said. celebrations.

Bennet Yoke, an employee at West Street Deli, said customers come to an American restaurant because they are not looking to experiment - they are looking for something they know they will like every time. Yoke has worked at West Street Deli for just over a month and enjoys American cuisine because it is something he grew up around. Yoke said he always knows he will find something he has loved for years. “The quality of ingredients is what makes a good sandwich. I like what I eat to be simple and it all comes down to the basics really no matter how you put them together,” Yoke said. Brian Gould, the general manager at Aunt Maude’s restaurant in Ames, Iowa, has over 10 years of experience with the business. Gould said he enjoys American cuisine because it is what he grew up on. Gould said using local ingredients and staying true to local traditions and the region’s traditions are central parts of American cuisine. Many things go into deciding a menu such as seasonal availability and the prices of the products. under,” Gould said. of different foods and the desserts. To him, butter is “On the Fourth of July, I bring out the grill and whip up

those patties,” he said.

Amangeldy Ungarov, a junior in mechanical engineering at Iowa State, is an international student from Kazakhstan. He said American cuisine has some distinct differences from the food in his native country.

Ungarov said American cuisine involves less soup before main courses, larger portions and greasier foods than cuisine in Kazakhstan. Ungarov talked about the differences in beverages in Kazakhstan versus the United States and mentioned the prominence of teadrinking in Kazakhstan compared to consuming soda and water in America.

Relating to his experiences of trying foods for the first time, Ungarov talked about the best food he tried since coming to America. Ungarov said he enjoyed hamburgers and cheese but especially loved pizza.

“I love pizzas, especially deep-dish, Chicago style. It was a culture shock, but I loved it. Deep-dish pizza is definitely one of the best things I’ve tried here,” Ungarov said.

Potato Chips: Potato chips originated in Saratoga Springs, New York, invented by George Crum. Crum opened a restaurant and featured his famous potato chips by serving a basket of the chips at every table. However, George Crum’s invention was never nationally recognized with a brand. Herman Lay instead received revenue for the chips because he made the first brand of national potato chips. Fun Food Inventions by Nadia Higgins

Pizza: The classic sauce and cheese covered flat bread could be dated as far back as 2200 BC Egypt when people ate flat breads that were sometimes covered with “dukkah.” Italians made similar creations in 2000 BC, suggesting that pizza was not just in Egypt. The first evidence of pizza could be dated so far back it predates recorded history. Bubbles in Food 2 Novelty, Health and Luxury American Associate of Cereal Chemists International 2008, Pages 411-423 Chapter 39 - A History of Pizza Author links open overlay panel By: DavidOvadia Hot dog: The hot dog originated with European immigrants in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The original hot dog comprised a combination of several types of handmade German sausages. The hot dog has many variations today but is generally made from pork or a pork and poultry combination. Hot Dog: A Global History By Bruce Kraig

Donut or doughnut?: There is no difference in the actual food, but there are two spellings for the name of the treat. The word doughnut derives from the original spelling “dough nut,” which referred to nut-sized lump of dough used to make the creation. Doughnuts eventually came to the shortened title donuts after the Civil War. Fried dough has been around since people used hot grease to make food.

The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore from Boston to Berlin By Michael Krondl

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