Grits
Grits are an old Southern favourite. Made from white corn and ground smooth, they’re usually served for breakfast or as a side dish for dinner. They taste incredible when infused with cheese or topped with seasoning and shrimp. While grits are a staple in the Southern United States, they are not well-known outside of the country, a fact that has earned them the reputation of being a “weird food.” One foreigner even claimed they were like eating tiny rocks. It’s possible that they just had bad luck with their order since cooked grits can be either creamy or hard depending on how you prepare them.
Miracle Whip
Mayonnaise is a staple in many countries, but Miracle Whip is unique to the United States. It’s sweeter than mayonnaise and has extra flavours. Some people use it like mayonnaise, but others use it as a sandwich spread instead. Many people are surprised to learn that Miracle Whip is not mayonnaise. The sweet taste and different texture of Miracle Whip can lead people to believe they’ve purchased something else entirely, like a dessert topping or salad dressing.
Canned cheese
There is no single type of cheese eaten around the world. Each country, state, or region has its own unique kinds of cheese, and there are many types of cheese in existence. But most people find American canned cheese to be an inferior product. Foreigners accustomed to lighter-coloured cheeses, like camembert and feta, may be put off by the deep yellow colour. Some foreigners find the idea of canned cheese horrifying. While many may enjoy other American foods they find odd, we don’t think canned cheese will ever be popular overseas.
Marshmallow salad
Southern cuisine is famous for its strange ingredients, and marshmallow salad is one of the most bizarre. It consists of two ingredients that are not commonly found together: marshmallows and fruit-flavoured gelatin. When mixed together, the resulting sticky-sweet concoction is an odd combination of flavours that can be hard for first-time eaters to handle.
Peanut butter and jelly
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are an iconic American food. Those who grew up eating them find them delicious and normal, while others are surprised by the combination of ingredients. It’s an unusual idea: a sweet-and-savoury sandwich that combines soft and crunchy textures, as well as distinct flavours. Americans tend to prefer sweeter peanut butter than what is popular in other countries, so it could be that when non-Americans think about peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (or jam), they imagine something different.
Deep-fried butter
Deep-fried butter is definitely a novelty food and so most Americans have never actually tried it. However, it is a popular fair food, with people eating it mostly out of morbid curiosity. If eating straight-up butter doesn’t sound appealing to you, most fairs also have other deep-fried offerings, including deep-fried Oreos. Tasty!
Biscuits and gravy
Buttermilk biscuits are another Southern delicacy that confounds outsiders’ expectations. They’re much like scones, but with a rich gravy poured over them instead of jam or clotted cream. This dish might not be a favourite among foreigners. The British have their own idea of what constitutes a biscuit – a sweet, hard-baked good that is meant to be dipped into a warm beverage, like tea. American biscuits have a texture and taste similar to bread, but with flaky layers. The typical gravy used to top American biscuits is more of a creamy gravy, whereas in Britain gravy is meat-based.
Spam
In 1937, the invention of Spam made it possible for people to bring meat to the table even if they couldn’t afford it. Today, most people don’t eat spam because they prefer more expensive meats. However, many Americans still enjoy spam on occasion and serve it regularly in their homes and restaurants. Spam, a luncheon meat similar to a hot dog, is springier and fluffier than its counterpart. It is often served in sandwiches or stews or eaten by itself. Like meatloaf, Spam is another meat the rest of the world can’t understand.
Sweet potato casserole
For decades, Americans have been eating sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving. The classic dish – which combines sweet potatoes, marshmallows and pecans – may seem odd at first glance but it is an essential part of the holiday table. Angelus Marshmallows commissioned a cookbook in the early 1900s to promote the use of marshmallows in everyday cooking. The company was trying to make candy more affordable, and this casserole was one of its most successful ventures. While some people enjoy this tradition, others aren’t as thrilled by it. Foreigners, in particular, don’t quite understand the concept of taking something sweet and then topping it with something even sweeter.
Corn dogs
The best part about a corn dog is that it can be eaten on a stick! The concept sounds pure genius, but if you’re not from the United States, the concept of wrapping a hot dog in cornmeal batter and frying it may sound foreign to you. One Australian called corn dogs “disgusting hot dogs wrapped in disgusting bread and fried”. However, to most people, corn dogs have an enduring appeal that makes them an irresistible snack. Whether you’re at a fair, walking down the street, or browsing the frozen food section of your supermarket, there’s no resisting their crispy coating and juicy insides.
Maple bacon
Bacon is a popular food across the United States, and for good reason. It’s delicious in any form, whether served alongside pancakes or just with eggs and grits. However, Americans also love combining bacon with other more unorthodox flavours, like maple syrup, chocolate or even cupcake mix!
Chicken and waffles
While southern Americans enjoy deep-fried chicken on a buttermilk waffle, most people in other parts of the world are not familiar with this culinary combination. According to Delish, foreigners just don’t seem to understand chicken and waffles, finding the combination gross even when they like each individual element. To those who love this dish, the fact that it can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner is simply an added bonus.
Sno cones
With their refreshing sweetness and light, fluffy texture, snow cones are one of America’s favourite summertime treats. Shaved ice definitely isn’t the strangest dessert, and variations can be found in other countries, but American-style snow cones, with their brightly coloured sickly-sweet syrup, are definitely an acquired taste.
Tater tots
French fries are universally considered the ultimate fried potato option, but potato tots also have a loyal following in the U.S. It is estimated that Americans consume 70 million pounds of tater tots each year, and the bite-sized fried potatoes are one of the most commonly consumed meals in almost every household in the United States. Despite hash browns and French fries making their way across the pond, tater tots are rarely found outside of the US, and most non-Americans have never even tried them.
Deep dish pizza
The deep-dish pizza has long been a symbol of Chicago. In a slightly controversial move, the dough is parbaked before being stuffed with layers of cheese and pepperoni, with tomato sauce being added as a final topping layer. When Pizzeria Uno invented the Chicago deep-dish pizza in 1943, it became an immediate hit, but it also sparked a decades-long debate about whether it is pizza or pie. Either, the deep-dish pizza is still most prominent in Chicago.
Kool-Aid
Since its inception in 1914, Kool-Aid has become a staple of American culture. Not only is it the most widely distributed powdered beverage mix in the United States, but twenty-six gallons of the stuff are consumed every second during the summer. Despite the fact that most Americans grew up drinking the flavoured sachets, foreigners have never really caught on to the craze, probably due to the incredibly unnatural colours of the various flavours.
Peeps
If you’re like most people, you’ll probably be celebrating Easter this year with some sugary treats. For many Americans, this will likely mean Peeps, a cute and colourful marshmallow-like candy. Unfortunately, in addition to being adorable, Peeps are also chalky, tend to harden in the open air, and could probably survive a nuclear war. Marshmallows are already pretty sweet, so marshmallows coated in sugar and filled with more sugar are a concept that sounds insane to most of the world.
Root beer
Root beer is a favourite among Americans, but foreigners don’t find it that appealing, often likening its flavour to cough syrup. Sassafras, a medicinal herb native to North America, gives root beer its distinctive flavour. Although real sassafras no longer goes into root beer, a sassafras-like flavouring is typically used to make it.
Meatloaf
Meatloaf is as American as hot dogs and apple pie, but it suffers from a chronically uncharitable reputation. Given that both its name and appearance are unappetising, it’s no wonder people don’t think highly of it! Often made with leftovers that don’t look good on their own, such as lentil tortilla rollups or Salisbury steak, meatloaf adds breadcrumbs and seasonings to create something more substantial.
Ranch dressing
Ranch dressing, the salad dressing invented from buttermilk, is known as the great American condiment. It can be found on menus as a topping or dipping sauce on everything from chicken sandwiches and onion rings to pizza. Despite the fact that Americans can’t get enough of ranch, it isn’t commonly available outside of the US and is usually called “American flavoured dressing” when it is sold.
American bread
Americans love sliced bread. They eat it every day and they can’t get enough of it. In fact, many grocery stores don’t even carry other kinds of bread and only stock the sliced kind. However, foreigners who have tried American sliced bread and buns aren’t impressed, owing to the high levels of sugar and preservatives.
Canned chicken
Like many canned foods, chicken in a can is highly processed. It contains large amounts of sodium, often exceeding 500 to 1000 milligrams per can, which is more than twice the daily recommended intake. By comparison, fresh chicken has less than 80 milligrams per serving. Americans may pick this bizarre product up once in a while to save some time, but to most people, the idea of canned chicken is truly unappetising.
Sweet tea
Iced tea is a popular soft drink in many countries worldwide, but sweet tea is a whole different beast. This beverage is the most popular and enduring image associated with the South and is made by combining black or flavoured tea with a mountain of white sugar. To foreigners used to drinking iced tea, which is much more modestly sweetened, the overwhelming flavour of sweet tea might be a shock to the system.
Candy corn
Candy corn is polarizing both in and outside of the US. The recognizable triangular candy is associated with Halloween or fall, but the debate over whether or not they’re even tasty has been going on for years. Some people love the texture, while others find it too hard. The taste is also a matter of personal preference: some say that it tastes like fall, while others say that it’s too sweet.
Twinkies
The Twinkie is to America as the cannoli is to Italy and, despite many people thinking it should be banned due to its unhealthiness, it’s inextricable from American culture. Although many modern myths have been created about Twinkies over the years, most important is the fact that they are creamier, spongier and more delicious than you could imagine. That is probably down to the fact that this bite-sized snack contains a whopping 31g of added sugar!
Pop-Tarts
Despite their beloved American reputation, many foreigners consider Pop-Tarts to be revolting. The combination of pastry, frosting, and filling is unusual, especially for breakfast. Also, given that they’re heavily processed, Pop-Tarts almost don’t taste like real food at all. Then there’s the fact that you put these pastries in your toaster – how weird is that?
Breakfast potatoes
When foreigners come to the United States for the first time, they often find it surprising that potatoes are a common breakfast food. They are usually served as hash browns, flat patties made of shredded potatoes that have been fried until browned, or as cubed and fried potatoes.
Fried pickles
Americans love deep-fried foods, and dill pickle slices are no exception. The crispness of the breading and the tartness of the pickles make them especially popular bar food. They go well with a beer and are usually served with ranch sauce on the side for dipping. This deep-fried snack hasn’t made its way across the pond yet, but there’s still time.
Hershey’s
Hershey’s chocolate candy bars are so popular that they can be found at every checkout stand in America. Unfortunately, according to Food and Wine magazine, most foreigners find the candy bar’s flavour to be bordering on vomit-like. The tanginess these people detect is not present because the chocolate is rancid, but because it contains butyric acid. This compound also gives parmesan cheese its distinctive flavour.
Rocky Mountain oysters
You might think Rocky Mountain oysters are a fishy delicacy, but they’re actually deep-fried bull testicles. If you can get past your initial ick factor, you might find that you actually like them. After ranchers figured out that they could use every part of the animal after castration, this culinary trend got its start.
Casserole
Foreigners may be surprised to learn that many Americans enjoy casseroles, which are similar to the French dish in nothing but name. American casseroles often contain ingredients like canned soups, frozen vegetables and shredded cheeses. To foreigners, casseroles are just a bunch of different ingredients thrown together in one dish, many of which shouldn’t be combined.
Chicken-fried steak
Chicken-fried steak is a dish that originated in Texas. It is not actually chicken, but rather breaded and fried steak covered in a lumpy white gravy. The most unusual thing about it is its name since the dish doesn’t actually include any chicken at all. It can be hard to tell what the dish consists of just by looking at it, especially if you’re not from America. Regardless of how popular it may be in the US, it mostly leaves foreigners confused.
Marshmallow fluff
Marshmallow crème is a spreadable form of marshmallow, popularized by Marshmallow Fluff. It’s made by mixing corn syrup, sugar syrup and vanilla flavour with egg whites. You can make the iconic fluffernutter sandwich by spreading peanut butter on bread and topping it with marshmallow crème. This sickly-sweet spread is seen as a fun novelty purchase for most foreigners, making it unlikely to earnestly catch on.
Twizzlers
Some foreigners are disappointed when they taste Twizzlers for the first time. They expect them to taste like red liquorice, but instead, find them to be chewy and bland. One foreigner said that, while he eventually found a cherry-flavoured confection that he liked, Twizzlers were his biggest disappointment during his trip to Washington DC.
Bloomin’ Onions
The Bloomin’ Onion is a specialty of Outback Steakhouse. It’s a deep-fried onion specially cut to create a flower-like shape, served with a special sauce and topped with cheese and bacon crumbles. While the Bloomin’ Onion is served at Outback Steakhouse, an Australian-inspired chain, this dish is actually an American invention and has no connection to Australian cuisine at all.
Buffalo wings
According to legend, the Buffalo wing was invented in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Either owner Teressa Bellissimo’s son came home late one night and demanded a snack or the bar received too many chicken wings and needed to use them. Either way, Bellissimo created an appetizer that has delighted Americans ever since. According to the National Chicken Council, Americans eat 1.35 billion buffalo wings on Super Bowl Sunday!
Soda floats
Soda floats consist of a glass of soda topped with ice cream. Root beer floats are the most popular, but you can also find Coke, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper floats. Root beer is popular in the United States, and a root beer float is considered a classic American treat. However, many non-Americans do not like root beer or don’t consider adding ice-cream to constitute an improvement.
Fried rattlesnake
Oklahoma, known for its rattlesnake festivals and yearly rattlesnake roundup, offers fried rattlesnake as a delicacy. Restaurants specializing in this dish can be found throughout the state, and the snake is prepared by being dredged in flour or cornmeal before deep frying. Many other cultures and countries consume snakes in some form, like snake soup in China, but fried rattlesnake is all-American.
Doughnut burger
For those who can’t choose between sweet and savoury, the doughnut burger is a delicious solution. The dish may seem bizarre or even gross at first, but once you get past the idea of burger juices soaking into a doughnut, it’s hard to resist this creative combination of flavours. A doughnut burger may not be the healthiest choice, but it will surely satisfy your taste buds and provide a fun twist on the classic hamburger.
Beef jerky
Jerky has been a part of American culture for generations, from its origins as a portable source of protein for pioneers exploring new lands to its current status as a beloved snack. Despite Americans loving this chewy snack, foreigners have commented that beef jerky smells and tastes like dog treats. Gross!
Pumpkin pie
A lot of people enjoy pumpkin-complimented coffees in the winter but draw the line at actually eating one of these unusual desserts. Over in America, pumpkin pie is an institution that’s as American as… well, pumpkin pie. It isn’t visually gross, but the idea of eating the inside of a pumpkin in cake form is a bit too much for foreigners to handle sometimes.
Geoduck
The Geoduck is one of the ugliest foods on the planet. Pronounced “gooey duck”, this phallic vision of terror is the siphon of a shellfish. They can weigh up to three pounds and live for over a century. Most eat siphon in a sashimi-esque dish but cooking them with vegetables and mushrooms is also very popular, and you can access them yourself, as you don’t need a license to dig these up in the Pacific Northwest.
Sloppy Joe
A Sloppy Joe is essentially chilli beef poured into a sandwich. A staple of thousands of American childhoods, the Sloppy Joe consists of ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a smattering of other seasonings. It may be filling, it may be tasty, but it looks like a runny mess to most people outside the United States.
KFC’s Double Down
Fast food chains heed the demands of their clientele, so the blame cannot be laid on KFC for this one. Instead, this is the fault of the customer for wanting a world in which sandwich bread can be substituted for two pieces of fried chicken. The Double Down, one of KFC’s more infamous releases, contains a bacon and cheese filling bookended by two fried chicken filets.
Snow crab legs
Native to the North Atlantic, these crustaceans are a popular item in seafood restaurants all across America. Usually served steamed or boiled, customers are encouraged to dip them in melted butter. Many people love snow crab legs and consider them to be the height of luxury cuisine. Others can’t even bare to look at the dangly limbs, let alone put one in their mouth.
Brain Sandwich
A brain sandwich is exactly what it sounds like: a sandwich with a brain in the middle. No wool is being pulled over your eyes there. For a country that can sometimes have some reservations about the world of exotic food, the brain sandwich is surprisingly popular. The calf’s brain is marinated in a spicy sauce before being stacked on top of a regular brioche bun, and it is said to have a delicate, nutty taste.
Olive loaf
It’s interesting how particular food combinations can be so bad despite being made up of otherwise nice ingredients. A cold cut of meat is generally nice, and so are olives. But mash the cold cut into a loaf embedded with pimento-stuffed green olives, and you’ve got something truly horrible on your hands.
Jello salad
Jello salad might be a salad in name, but it certainly isn’t in nature. Comprising of gelatin, fruit and vegetables, it is sometimes even made with cottage cheese, marshmallows, nuts, or pretzels. This dish, which came to prominence in the 1960s, is flat-out gross and is unpopular even among Americans. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more divisive dessert in the country’s culinary history.
Koolickles
A Koolickle is a drink that was invented in Mississippi. It’s made by fermenting pickles in Kool-Aid. Yup. Though this combination goes way back, it was only given its name in 2010, and it has even made its way onto restaurant menus believe it or not. Koolickle is said to be a cure for the common cold but, like many other home remedies, not everyone thinks it tastes good!
Scrapple
Scrapple was invented as a way to eat every part of the pig, in order to ensure survival during the early Colonial settler days in America. Scrapple is basically everything that is disposed of when making other pork products: the organs, the skin, the head… Boiled with cornmeal, the texture is similar to that of mashed potatoes. It’s then pressed together into a loaf pan and baked like meat.
Chitterlings
Chitterlings is a cute word for the intestines of a pig which are cut into small pieces, and fried in oil until they have a crackling texture. In the southern states, Chitterlings is considered to be soul food. While this dish is sure to taste good to anyone who likes pork, it does look slightly less appetising on the plate.
Red-Eye gravy
Red-Eye gravy is made from the drippings of pan-fried country ham mixed with black coffee and is often served over ham, grits, or biscuits. It’s common for cooks to dip the inner sides of a sliced biscuit into the gravy in order to add flavour and prevent the biscuit from dying up. This is sometimes referred to as the ham biscuit.
Burgoo
If it’s an authentic Kentucky dish you’re after, look no further than a hearty bowl of burgoo. This stew, made with every conceivable meat and vegetable, is usually served with bread or crackers. Burgoo will certainly satisfy your hunger, as it contains various protein sources such as venison, beef, chicken and beans, but it is also often cheap to make or buy.
Beef tongue
Beef tongue is a popular American dish, most notably enjoyed in Texas and Hawaii. It’s made by braising beef tongue in a beef stock sauce with onions, carrots, and celery. The beef tongue in its finished form is a tender, succulent but very fatty cut. Those who try it for the first time often find it hard to finish a full serving. The longer you chew, the more time you have to think about what it is you’re eating.
Bug juice
Bug juice didn’t just get its name from a shock-tactic marketing ploy. It actually contains the extracted juice of insects. Over in Florida, they get it from grasshoppers, crickets, and cockroaches. It is either drunk fresh or fermented into a boozy beverage. Whichever way you choose to have it, you’re drinking squashed cockroaches. Remember that.
Fried alligator
Fried alligator is a bit of a delicacy in certain parts of Louisiana. Fried in oil until crispy, this unusual meat is normally served with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. People swear by its nutritional value and its pick-me-up ability after a long hot day in the unforgiving Louisiana sun. While most people might be tempted to stick to fried chicken, this is a good choice for those with adventurous palates!
S**t on a Shingle
S**t on a Shingle is an open-faced sandwich that isn’t as gross as its name would have you believe. It is made by combining seasoned ground meat with a scoop of cream of mushroom soup, which is then served on slices of toast. This is a wartime meal that became popular with soldiers in decades past and is now a bit of a novelty dish.
Akutuq
Akutuq is a native dish enjoyed by Alaskan Athabaskans and other Alaska Natives, that has been a staple dessert for thousands of years. It is made up of berries, polar bear fat, oil from a seal, and snow, blended to create a silky smooth ice cream. Hunters in Alaska have been known to enjoy this treat, which is easy to make in such frosty temperatures.
Chocolate-covered grasshoppers
Apparently, people go crazy for chocolate-covered grasshoppers in Colorado. The special combination of soft, sweet chocolate and crunchy, savoury grasshopper makes for a popular treat. They’re often sold at festivals and fairs in the Rocky Mountain state and have even become a bucket list item for any tourists passing through.
Cactus fries
Cacti are everywhere in Arizona so it makes sense that someone, at some point in history, decided they should try eating them. Cactus fries are made by cutting cacti into thin strips and frying them in oil until crispy. Usually served with ranch dressing or salsa, cactus fries are packed with nutrients and are made from a resource that is readily available, hence their popularity.
Clam pizza
Forget about the discourse surrounding pineapple on pizza. Try a slice of clam pizza and talk to us. This odd pie was invented at Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Connecticut, back in the 1960s. Pepe himself first threw a few raw littleneck clams on top of a white pizza with Romano cheese olive oil and oregano, and the rest is history.
Nutria
If you can’t beat ’em, ‘eat em! That’s what they say about nutria, an invasive rodent that has become a delicacy in certain stretches of the US. Now, this is a big rodent. Nutrias are no squirrels. A plate of this will keep you energised for hours. Its lean red meat is similar to rabbit but tastes closer to dark turkey.
Pickle dog
They say the best food often looks the worst. In that case, the pickle dog must be a taste sensation! This creative treat is nothing more than a pickle smothered in cream cheese, and then wrapped in a slice of roast beef. These bad boys sell big when they ever appear on the market, which is usually at the Minnesota State Fair.
Livermush
Livermush isn’t one of those names that’s gonna have your kids racing past each other to get into the kitchen unless you live in North Carolina, where this stuff goes down a treat. Similar to scrapple, livermush is a combination of pig liver, head parts and cornmeal that is then baked in the shape of a brick. Who else is drooling?
Almond Boneless Chicken
Almond Boneless Chicken, or ABC as it’s known in Michigan, is something that is pretty much exclusive to Detroit. This comfort-food staple is breaded and deep-fried chicken cut into thick slices and laid on a bed of iceberg lettuce, covered in a thick gravy and finally garnished with toasted almonds and scallions. And they say Detroit’s lost its way!
Python kebabs
How do you go about making kebabs even more divisive than they already are? You substitute the lamb or chicken for snake. That’s right, over at the California Exposition & State Fair, the food-on-a-stick game has been raised a level thanks to the python kebab. Apparently, this controversial delicacy tastes like chicken and is made better with Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke and lemon-pepper.
Head cheese
The name alone sends a shiver down your spine, doesn’t it? First off, headcheese isn’t actually cheese, but a terrine made from the rich collagen from boiled pig heads and feet. You want the cheese back, don’t you? It’s gotten way worse. This dish goes down a storm in Louisiana and parts of the Deep South.
Hot Beef Sundae
Apparently, someone felt the beloved sundae should not be constrained to the dessert genre. We don’t know who this hero/villain was, but their mission worked. The savoury hot beef sundae began popping up at state fairs in Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, and New York. Roasted beef topped with mashed potatoes, gravy, cheddar cheese, and a cherry tomato. What’s not to love?
Fried coke
It seems that when Scotland invented the deep-fried Mars Bar in the 1990s, some American chefs decided they weren’t going to be upstaged in the “terribly unhealthy food” ranks. In 2006, Abel Gonzales Jr. introduced Fried Coke at the State Fair of Texas. Basically it’s a Coke-based batter, deep-fried and dosed in Coca-Cola syrup, whipped cream and cinnamon sugar, with the obligatory cherry on top.
Turtle soup
Turtle soup is just what you think it is: a thick, dark stew made from the meat of our shell-clad friends. It uses pulled or diced meat and is usually finished with a spot of sherry, to spruce it up a bit. Understandably, this soup doesn’t go down too well with animal rights activists, but it remains popular across various states in America.
Gumbo
The melting pot of cultures in the American South has led to a number of iconic, unique dishes, and gumbo is amongst the most famous. A fusion of Cajun and Creole culinary traditions, gumbo is a rich, hearty stew often containing shrimp, chicken, sausage and a range of vegetables, and it’s generally got a spicy kick.
Desperation pie
This cheerfully named dish was – unsurprisingly – invented during America’s Great Depression, when traditional pie ingredients like apples and lemons were hard to come by. Desperation pies are instead made using vinegar, with large amounts of sugar added to offset the tartness. Although a shortage of ingredients is no longer a concern for American cooks, desperation pies remain popular, mostly due to their history.
Scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes
While most countries reserve pancakes for the sweet course, Americans have no problem serving them alongside pretty much anything. Scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes – often drenched in enough maple syrup to drown a small horse – is a classic American breakfast that can be found in diners throughout the entire country.
The Reuben
Although its origin story is murky, the Reuben is today one of the most iconic sandwiches in the world. Traditionally sold at Jewish bakeries (although its ingredients aren’t kosher), Reubens consist of a hefty serving of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing, all held between two slices of grilled rye bread.
Funnel cakes
Also known as “elephant ears,” funnel cakes are a popular North American sweet treat, commonly found at state fairs and carnivals. As with many American fairground foods, funnel cakes are made by deep frying batter and sugar. Exactly why they’re sometimes referred to as elephant ears is a mystery, since they look precisely nothing like the ears of the world’s largest land mammal.
New York pizza
While Chicago-style pizza certainly wins when it comes to depth, New York pizza is unrivaled for width. The average size of a New York pizza is between 18 and 20 inches, and they’re often sold in individual slices. Traditional toppings are limited to tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella, although these days its possible to get fancier options.
Hushpuppy
No one has the faintest idea where the name hushpuppy comes from, but one thing is for certain: they’re delicious. Small, deep-fried balls of cornmeal batter, hush puppies are often served alongside seafood or grilled meat, although they can also be served on their own with a range of dipping sauces.
Blue cheese slaw
A classic American side dish, blue cheese slaw perfectly compliments pretty much any dish, but it’s most commonly served alongside buffalo wings. The creaminess of the slaw offsets the spice of the wings, while the blue cheese adds a delightfully tangy kick that introduces an entirely new dimension of flavor to the meal.
Pulled pork
If there’s one style of cooking that’s undeniably American, it’s barbecue, with entire communities often gathering for a cookout. While there are a number of iconic barbecue dishes, it’s hard to dispute the supremacy of pulled pork, a dish made by cooking pork shoulder over a fire (or in a slow cooker if a fire isn’t available) for hours until it literally falls apart.
Pecan pie
An iconic comfort food dish, pecan pie dates back to at least 1886, when a recipe was published in Harper’s Bazaar. Consisting of a shortcrust base filled with a mixture of pecans, eggs, butter and sugar, pecan pies are typically served as a dessert at special occasions, particularly in the American South.
