Editing American cuisine (section)

==Regional cuisines==
{{See also|List of American regional and fusion cuisines|List of regional dishes of the United States}}
In the present day, the modern cuisine of the United States is very regional in nature. Excluding [[Alaska]] and [[Hawaii]], the terrain spans {{convert|3,000|mi}} from east to west and more than {{convert|1000|mi}} from north to south.

===Northeast===
====New England====
{{Main|Cuisine of New England}}
[[File:Quail 07 bg 041506.jpg|thumb|New England [[clam chowder]]]]
[[New England]] cuisine traces its roots to [[English cuisine]] and the [[Indigenous cuisine of the Americas|Native American cuisine]] of the [[Abenaki]], [[Narragansett people|Narragansett]], [[Niantic people|Niantic]], [[Wabanaki Confederacy|Wabanaki]], [[Wampanoag]], and other native peoples. It also includes influences from [[French cuisine|French]], [[Italian cuisine|Italian]], and [[Portuguese cuisine|Portuguese]] cuisine, among others. It is characterized by the extensive use of [[potato]]es, [[bean]]s, [[dairy product]]s and [[seafood]]. [[Corn]], historically the main crop grown by [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] tribes in New England, continues to be grown in all New England states.<ref>{{Cite web |last=USDA |date=2008 |title=New England Agricultural Statistics – Sweet corn |url=https://www.nass.usda.gov/nh/048.SweetCorn}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wells |first=Pete |date=November 22, 2021 |title=A Thanksgiving History Lesson in a Handful of Corn |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/22/dining/native-americans-thanksgiving-corn.html |access-date=May 24, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=May 23, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523201011/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/22/dining/native-americans-thanksgiving-corn.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It is traditionally used in [[hasty pudding]], [[cornbread]] and [[corn chowder]]. Three prominent foodstuffs native to New England are [[maple syrup]], [[cranberries]] and [[Blueberry|blueberries.]] [[Maine]] is the only state with a commercial wild blueberry industry, with 105 million pounds harvested in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=May 10, 2022 |title=USDA says Maine blueberry growers had a big 2021 |url=http://bangordailynews.com/2022/05/10/business/usda-says-maine-blueberry-growers-had-a-big-2021/ |access-date=May 12, 2022 |website=Bangor Daily News |language=en-US |archive-date=May 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511131014/https://bangordailynews.com/2022/05/10/business/usda-says-maine-blueberry-growers-had-a-big-2021/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Initial European colonists came from [[East Anglia]] in [[England]]. East Anglian cookery included dishes like suet puddings, soda breads, and a few shellfish delicacies, and would have been quite simple in contrast to the dishes prepared in contemporary [[London]]. Most of this cuisine was one-pot cookery, which developed into such dishes as [[succotash]], [[chowder]], [[baked beans]], and others.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Danforth|Feierabend|Chassman|1998|p=13}}</ref>

The most popular starches in New England cuisine include [[potato]]es and [[cornmeal]], and a few native breads like [[Anadama bread]], [[johnnycake]]s, [[bulkie roll]]s, [[Parker House roll]]s, [[popover]]s, [[ploye]]s, and [[Brown bread|New England brown bread]]. Because of the influence of New Englander health reformers, the most well known of whom is [[Sylvester Graham]], this region is fairly conservative with its spices, but typical spices include [[nutmeg]], [[ginger]], [[cinnamon]], [[clove]]s, and [[allspice]], especially in desserts, and for savory foods, [[thyme]], [[black pepper]], [[sea salt]], and [[Salvia officinalis|sage]]. Typical condiments include [[maple syrup]], grown from the native [[sugar maple]], [[molasses]], and [[cranberry sauce]].

The fruits of the region include the ''[[Vitis labrusca]]'' grapes used in [[grape juice]] made by companies such as [[Welch's]], along with [[Fruit preserves|jelly]], [[Kosher wine]] by companies like [[Mogen David]] and [[Manischewitz]] along with other wineries that make higher quality wines. Though not anywhere near as productive a region as the top three apple-producing regions, apples have been a staple of New England foodways since at least the 1640s, and it is here that a very high amount of heirloom varieties are found, many of them gaining renewed interest as part of locavore movements and the re-emergence of cider as a beverage of choice. [[Apple]]s from New England would include varieties imported from their earliest in Europe and a few natives, like [[Baldwin (apple)|Baldwin]], Lady, Mother, Pomme Grise, Porter, [[Roxbury Russet]], [[Rhode Island Greening]], [[Sops of Wine]], Hightop Sweet, Peck's Pleasant, Titus Pippin, Westfield-Seek-No-Further, and [[Duchess of Oldenburg (apple)|Duchess of Oldenburg]]. [[Beach plum]]s a small native species with fruits the size of a pinball, are sought after in summer to make into a jam. [[Cranberries]] are another fruit indigenous to the region, often collected in autumn in huge flooded bogs. Thereafter they are juiced so they can be drunk fresh for breakfast, or dried and incorporated into salads and quickbreads.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Danforth|Feierabend|Chassman|1998|pp=24–26}}</ref>

Winter squashes like pumpkin and butternut squashes have been a staple for generations owing to their ability to keep for long periods over icy New England winters and being an excellent source of beta carotene; in summer, they are replaced with pattypan and zucchini, the latter brought to the region by immigrants from Southern Italy a century ago. Blueberries are a very common summertime treat owing to them being an important crop, and find their way into [[muffin]]s, [[pie]]s and [[pancake]]s.

Historically New England and the other original 13 colonies were major producers of hard cider and the only reason why this changed were that immigrants from Western and Central Europe preferred beer, especially lagers, to apple based alcohol. In more recent years cider has made a roaring comeback nationwide, with New England being the first to break out of the box and with many pomologists scouring the woods for abandoned apple trees and heirloom varieties to add to the cider press. [[Angry Orchard]] is a local commercial brand that began in New Hampshire but has since skyrocketed in sales, with other large marques following suit around the land.<ref>{{cite web|title=USA'S Hard Cider Revolution|url=https://craftynectar.com/blogs/cider/usa-s-hard-cider-revolution|access-date=March 31, 2019|website=Crafty Nectar|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331023532/https://craftynectar.com/blogs/cider/usa-s-hard-cider-revolution|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Whoopiepies1.jpg|thumb|left|[[Whoopie pie]]s]]
Typical favorite desserts are quite diverse, and encompass [[hasty pudding]], [[blueberry pie]], [[whoopie pie]]s, [[Boston cream pie]], [[pumpkin pie]], [[Joe Frogger]] cookies, hand-crafted [[ice cream]], [[Hermit]] cookies, and the [[chocolate chip cookie]], invented in [[Massachusetts]] in the 1930s.

New England is noted for having a heavy emphasis on seafood, a legacy inherited from coastal tribes like the [[Wampanoag]] and [[Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island|Narragansett]], who equally used the rich fishing banks offshore for sustenance. Favorite fish include [[Atlantic cod|cod]], [[Atlantic salmon|salmon]], [[winter flounder]], [[haddock]], [[striped bass]], [[pollock]], [[hake]], [[bluefish]], and, in southern New England, [[tautog]]. All of these are prepared numerous ways, such as frying cod for [[fish finger]]s, grilling bluefish over hot coals for summertime, [[Smoked salmon|smoking salmon]] or serving a whole poached one chilled for feasts with a dill sauce, or, on cold winter nights, serving haddock baked in casserole dish with a creamy sauce and crumbled breadcrumbs as a top so it forms a crust.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10595677|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211050451/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10595677|url-status=dead|title=Recipes: 'The Summer Shack Cookbook'|archive-date=December 11, 2014|website=NPR.org}}</ref> [[Clam cakes]], a savory fritter based on chopped clams, are a specialty of Rhode Island. Also, a hard shell clam is unique to Rhode Island called the Quahoag which is used in clear chowders.  Farther inland, [[brook trout]], [[largemouth bass]], and [[herring]] are sought after, especially in the rivers and icy finger lakes in upper New England where New Englanders will [[Fly fishing|fly fish]] for them in summertime.

Meat is present though not as prominent, and typically is either stewed in dishes like [[pot roast|Yankee pot roast]] and [[New England boiled dinner]] or braised, as in a [[picnic ham]]; these dishes suit the weather better as summers are humid and hot but winters are raw and cold, getting below 0&nbsp;°C for most of the winter and only just above it by March.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://discovernewengland.org/about-new-england/new-england-weather|title=New England Weather, Avg Temperatures – Discover New England|website=Discovernewengland.org|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=November 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122140605/http://www.discovernewengland.org/about-new-england/new-england-weather|url-status=dead}}</ref> The roasting of whole turkeys began here as a centerpiece for large American banquets, and like all other East Coast tribes, the Native American tribes of New England prized wild turkeys as a source of sustenance and later Anglophone settlers were enamored of cooking them using methods they knew from Europe: often that meant trussing the bird and spinning it on a string or spit roasting. Today turkey meat is a key ingredient in soups, and also a favorite in several sandwiches like the [[Pilgrim (sandwich)|Pilgrim]]. For lunch, hot roast beef is sometimes chopped finely into small pieces and put on a roll with salami and American or provolone cheese to make a [[steak bomb]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/07/ideas-in-food-vs-steak-bomb-part-1.html|title=Ideas in Food vs. The Steak Bomb: Reinventing the Bread|website=[[Serious Eats]]|date=July 31, 2014|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=August 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808170354/http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/07/ideas-in-food-vs-steak-bomb-part-1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Bacon is often maple cured, and often bacon or salt pork drippings are an ingredient in [[corn chowder]], a cousin of clam chowder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://newengland.com/today/food/soups-stews-chowders/chowders/new-england-corn-chowder/|title=New England Corn Chowder|date=March 20, 2020|access-date=March 31, 2019|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331025033/https://newengland.com/today/food/soups-stews-chowders/chowders/new-england-corn-chowder/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Veal]] consumption was prevalent in the North Atlantic States prior to [[World War II]].<ref name="Warren2007">{{cite book|first=Wilson J.|last=Warren|title=Tied to the Great Packing Machine: The Midwest and Meatpacking|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f-CAclXhhCYC&pg=PA143|year=2007|publisher=[[University of Iowa Press]]|isbn=978-1-58729-774-8|pages=143–144}}</ref>

A variety of ''[[linguiça]]'' is favored as a breakfast food, introduced by Portuguese fishermen and Brazilian immigrants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timeout.com/boston/restaurants/the-best-brunch-in-boston|title=Brunch in Boston: Top breakfasts and brunches in Boston|work=Time Out Boston|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108202159/http://www.timeout.com/boston/restaurants/the-best-brunch-in-boston|url-status=live}}</ref> Dairy farming and its resultant products figure strongly on the ingredient list, and homemade ice cream is a summertime staple of the region: it was a small seasonal roadside stand in Vermont that eventually became the internationally famous [[Ben and Jerry's]] ice cream. Vermont is known for producing farmhouse style cheeses,  especially a type of cheddar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cheeseandyogurtmaking.com/blog/state-best-cheddar-cheese-vermont-wisconsin/|title=Which State Has The Best Cheddar Cheese – Vermont or Wisconsin? – Cheese and Yogurt Making|date=May 1, 2014|website=Cheeseandyogurtmaking.com|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610130332/http://www.cheeseandyogurtmaking.com/blog/state-best-cheddar-cheese-vermont-wisconsin/|archive-date=June 10, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The recipe goes all the way back to colonial times when English settlers brought the recipe with them from England and found the rocky landscape eminently suitable to making the cheese.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://culturecheesemag.com/blog/distant-cheeses-local-farmers-cheddar-across-continents|title=Distant Cheeses, Local Farmers: Cheddar Across Continents – culture: the word on cheese|date=February 7, 2013|website=Culturecheeesemag.com|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=June 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624142028/http://culturecheesemag.com/blog/distant-cheeses-local-farmers-cheddar-across-continents|url-status=live}}</ref> Today Vermont has more artisanal cheese makers per capita than any other state, and diversity is such that interest in goat's milk cheeses has become prominent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nutrition.uvm.edu/viac/index.cfm?pg=Mission&section=about|title=VIAC Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese – cheesemaking at UVM, the University of Vermont|website=Nutrition.uvm.edu|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=October 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020060227/http://nutrition.uvm.edu/viac/index.cfm?pg=Mission&section=about|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:New England Clambake.jpg|thumb|A New England [[clambake]]]]
Crustaceans and mollusks are also an essential ingredient in the regional cookery. Maine and Massachusetts, in more recent years, have taken to harvesting [[peekytoe crab]] and [[Jonah crab]] and making crab bisques, based on cream with 35% milkfat, and crabcakes out of them: often these were overlooked as bycatch of lobster pots by fishermen of the region, but in the past 30 years their popularity has firmly established them as a staple. They even appear on the menu as far south as to be out of the region in [[New York City|New York]], where they are sold to four star restaurants in the form of cocktail claws. Whelks are eaten in salad, and [[lobster]], which is indigenous to the coastal waters of the region and are a feature of many dishes, baked, boiled, roasted, and steamed, or simply eaten as a [[lobster roll|sandwich]], chilled with mayonnaise and chopped celery in Maine and Massachusetts, or slathered with melted butter on Long Island and in Connecticut. Shellfish of all sorts are part of the diet, and [[shellfish]] of the coastal regions include [[Cherrystone clam#Alternative names|little neck clams]], [[Scallop|sea scallops]], [[blue mussel]]s, [[oyster]]s, [[Soft-shell clam|soft shell clams]], and [[Atlantic jackknife clam|razor shell clams]]. Much of this shellfish contributes to New England tradition, the [[clambake]]. The clambake as known today is a colonial interpretation of an American Indian tradition.<ref>{{Harvcolnb|Danforth|Feierabend|Chassman|1998|pp=12–19}}</ref>

In summer, oysters and clams are dipped in batter and fried, often served in a basket with french fries, or commonly on a wheaten bun as a clam roll. Oysters are otherwise eaten chilled on a bed of crushed ice on the half shell with [[mignonette sauce]], and are often branded on where they were harvested. Large quahogs are stuffed with breadcrumbs and seasoning and baked in their shells, and smaller ones often find their way into [[clam chowder]]. Other preparations include [[clams casino]], clams on the half shell served stuffed with herbs like [[oregano]] and streaky bacon.

Southern New England, particularly along the coast, shares many specialties with the Mid-Atlantic, including especially dishes from Jewish and Italian-American cuisine. There is a so-called pizza belt which stretches from [[New Haven, Connecticut]] southward through [[New York City|New York]], [[New Jersey]], and into [[Maryland]]. Coastal Connecticut is known for distinctive kinds of [[pizza]], locally called apizza (pronounced locally as ''abeetz''), which differ in their thin and slightly blackened texture and in their toppings (such as clams) from those of the regions of the pizza belt further south.

====Delaware Valley and Mid-Atlantic====
{{Main|Cuisine of Philadelphia|Cuisine of New York City|Cuisine of the Mid-Atlantic United States}}
[[File:NY Strip Steak.jpg|thumb|[[strip steak|New York strip steak]] topped with mushrooms and onions]]
The mid-Atlantic states comprise the states of [[New York (state)|New York]], [[New Jersey]], [[Delaware]], [[Pennsylvania]], and Northern [[Maryland]]. The oldest major settlement in this area of the country is found in the most populous city in the nation, [[New York City|New York]], founded in 1625 by the Dutch. Today, it is a major cultural capital of the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kurt-ellenberger/the-cultural-capital-of-e_b_1512261.html|title=The Cultural Capital of Everywhere|work=The Huffington Post|date=May 15, 2012|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=March 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327025815/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kurt-ellenberger/the-cultural-capital-of-e_b_1512261.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The influences on cuisine in this region are extremely eclectic, as it has been, and continues to be, a gateway for international culture as well as a gateway for new immigrants.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/destinationamerica/usim_wn.html|title=Destination America. When did they come? – PBS|publisher=Pbs.org|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106002206/http://www.pbs.org/destinationamerica/usim_wn.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Going back to colonial times, each new group has left their mark on homegrown cuisine and in turn the cities in this region disperse trends to the wider United States. In addition, cities like New York and Philadelphia have had the past influence of Dutch,<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.culinaryhistoriansny.org/files/Newsletters/Newsletter_2002_F.pdf |title=Culinary Historians of New York: Dutch Food in Life and Art |publisher=Culinaryhistoriansny.org |access-date=January 16, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221000513/http://www.culinaryhistoriansny.org/files/Newsletters/Newsletter_2002_F.pdf |archive-date=December 21, 2013 }}</ref> Italian, German,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.germanheritage.com/publications/cronau/cronau6.html|title=The Life of the German Settlers in Colonial Times|publisher=Germanheritage.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113083623/http://www.germanheritage.com/publications/cronau/cronau6.html|archive-date=November 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Irish,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/irish-fare-new-york-st-patrick-day-article-1.1280295|title=Irish fare in New York for St. Patrick's Day|work=NY Daily News|date=March 10, 2013|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106231346/http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/irish-fare-new-york-st-patrick-day-article-1.1280295|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/listings/bar/mcsorleys/|title=McSorley's Old Ale House|work=NYMag.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=February 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211002448/http://nymag.com/listings/bar/mcsorleys/|url-status=live}}</ref> British,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodschools.html#princeton |title=The Food Timeline: school lunch history |author-link=Lynne Olver |first=Lynne |last=Olver |website=[[The Food Timeline]] |access-date=January 16, 2015 |archive-date=January 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106002043/http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodschools.html#princeton |url-status=live }}</ref> and Jewish cuisines,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/dining/everything-new-is-old-again.html?_r=0 |title=Everything New Is Old Again : The New Golden Age of Jewish-American Deli Food |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 27, 2014 |access-date=January 16, 2015 |last1=Moskin |first1=Julia |archive-date=April 8, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408072352/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/28/dining/everything-new-is-old-again.html?_r=0 |url-status=live }}</ref> and that continues to this day. Baltimore has become the crossroads between North and South, a distinction it has held since the end of the Civil War.

A [[global power city]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mori-m-foundation.or.jp/english/research/project/6/pdf/GPCI2009_English.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.mori-m-foundation.or.jp/english/research/project/6/pdf/GPCI2009_English.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live |title=Global Power City Index 2009 |publisher=The Mori Memorial Foundation |access-date=June 1, 2012}}</ref> New York is well known for its diverse and cosmopolitan dining scene.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theworlds50best.com/list/1-50-winners/ |title=The World's 50 Best Restaurants |publisher=The World's 50 Best Restaurants |access-date=November 29, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607141909/http://www.theworlds50best.com/list/1-50-winners/ |archive-date=June 7, 2013 }}</ref> Its restaurants compete fiercely for good reviews in the Food and Dining section of ''[[The New York Times]]'', online guides, and [[Zagat's]], the last of which is widely considered the premier American dining guide, published yearly and headquartered in New York.

[[File:Carnegie Deli Strawberry Cheesecake.jpg|thumb|New York–style cheesecake with strawberries. Other variations include blueberry or raspberry sauce.]]
Many of the more complicated dishes with rich ingredients like [[Lobster Newberg]], [[waldorf salad]], [[vichyssoise]], [[eggs benedict]], and the [[New York strip steak]] were born out of a need to entertain and impress the well-to-do in expensive bygone restaurants like [[Delmonico's]] and still standing establishments like the [[Waldorf-Astoria Hotel]].<ref name="Was He the Eggman">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/08/nyregion/thecity/08eggs.html?pagewanted=all|title=Was He the Eggman?|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 8, 2007|access-date=November 29, 2015|last1=Beyer|first1=Gregory|archive-date=December 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209020444/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/08/nyregion/thecity/08eggs.html?pagewanted=all|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="The Waldorf - Astoria Hotel">{{cite web|url=http://www.historichotels.org/hotels-resorts/the-waldorf-astoria-hotel/history.php|title=The Waldorf – Astoria Hotel|publisher=Historic Hotels of America|access-date=November 29, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208063730/http://www.historichotels.org/hotels-resorts/the-waldorf-astoria-hotel/history.php|url-status=live}}</ref> Modern commercial American [[cream cheese]] was developed in 1872.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/Cheesecake.htm|title=History of Cheesecake, History of New York Cheesecake, Cream Cheese History, Whats Cooking America|website=Whatscookingamerica.net|date=May 26, 2015|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=August 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808233734/https://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Cakes/Cheesecake.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since the first reference to an alcoholic mixed drink called a cocktail comes from [[New York State]] in 1803, it is not a surprise that there have been many cocktails invented in New York and the surrounding environs. Even today New York bars are noted for being highly influential in making national trends. [[Cosmopolitan (cocktail)|Cosmopolitans]], [[Long Island iced tea]]s, [[Manhattan (cocktail)|Manhattans]], [[Rob Roy (cocktail)|Rob Roys]], [[Tom Collins]], [[Aviation (cocktail)|Aviations]], and [[Greyhound (cocktail)|Greyhounds]] were all invented in New York bars, and the [[Martini (cocktail)|gin martini]] was popularized in New York in speakeasies during the 1920s, as evidenced by its appearance in the works of New Yorker and American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Like its neighbor [[Philadelphia]], many rare and unusual liquors and liqueurs often find their way into a mixologist's cupboard or restaurant wine list.

New York State is the third most productive area in the country for wine grapes, just behind [[California]] and [[Washington (state)|Washington]]. It has [[American Viticultural Area|AVA]]'s near the Finger Lakes, the Catskills, and Long Island,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newyorkwines.org/Regions|title=Regions – New York Wine & Grape Foundation|publisher=Newyorkwines.org|access-date=January 16, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106021813/http://www.newyorkwines.org/Regions|archive-date=January 6, 2015}}</ref> and in the [[Hudson Valley]] has the second-most productive area in the country for growing apples, making it a center for hard cider production, just like [[New England]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyapplecountry.com/about/facts|title=NY Apple Industry Facts – NY Apple Association|publisher=Nyapplecountry.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106021359/http://www.nyapplecountry.com/about/facts|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/travel/sips-from-a-cider-spree-in-new-york-state.html?_r=0|title=Sips From a Cider Spree in New York State|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 24, 2014|access-date=January 16, 2015|last1=Moon|first1=Freda|archive-date=January 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106021205/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/travel/sips-from-a-cider-spree-in-new-york-state.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref> Pennsylvania has been growing rye since Germans began to emigrate to the area at the end of the 17th century and required a grain they knew from Germany.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philly.thedrinknation.com/articles/read/9052-Spirits-Review-Dads-Hat-Rye|title=Spirits Review: Dad's Hat Rye|work=Drink Philly|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106021005/http://philly.thedrinknation.com/articles/read/9052-Spirits-Review-Dads-Hat-Rye|url-status=live}}</ref> Therefore, overall it is not unusual to find New York grown [[Gewürtztraminer]] and [[Riesling]], Pennsylvania rye whiskey, or marques of locally produced ciders like Original Sin on the same menu.

[[File:PatsCheesesteak.jpg|thumb|[[Philadelphia cheesesteak]] with [[Cheez Whiz]]]]
Since their formative years, [[New York City|New York]], [[Philadelphia]], and [[Baltimore]] have welcomed immigrants of every kind to their shores, and all three have been an important gateway through which new citizens to the general United States arrive.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.history.com/topics/u-s-immigration-before-1965|title=U.S. Immigration Before 1965|work=HISTORY.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116105257/http://www.history.com/topics/u-s-immigration-before-1965|url-status=live}}</ref> Traditionally natives have eaten cheek to jowl with newcomers for centuries as the newcomers would open new restaurants and small businesses and all the different groups would interact.

Even in colonial days this region was a very diverse mosaic of peoples, as settlers from Switzerland, Wales, England, Ulster, Wallonia, Holland, Gelderland, the British Channel Islands, and Sweden sought their fortune in this region.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tenement.org/encyclopedia/lower_orchard.htm|title=Lower East Side Tenement Museum|publisher=Tenement.org|access-date=January 16, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150228150927/http://www.tenement.org/encyclopedia/lower_orchard.htm|archive-date=February 28, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/the-jewish-quarter-of-philadelphia/|title=The Jewish Quarter of Philadelphia|work=PhillyHistory Blog|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106031012/http://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/the-jewish-quarter-of-philadelphia/|url-status=live}}</ref> This is very evident in many signature dishes and local foods, all of which have evolved to become American dishes in their own right.

The original Dutch settlers of New York brought recipes they knew and understood from the Netherlands and their mark on local cuisine is still apparent today: in many quarters of New York their version of apple pie with a streusel top is still baked. In the colony of New Amsterdam, their predilection for waffles in time evolved into the American national recipe and forms part of a New York brunch. They also made [[coleslaw]], originally a Dutch salad, but today accented with the later 18th-century introduction of [[mayonnaise]].<ref name="History" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.myfoxny.com/story/4624796/dutch-apple-pie |title=Dutch Apple Pie |publisher=Myfoxny.com |access-date=January 16, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106035726/http://www.myfoxny.com/story/4624796/dutch-apple-pie |archive-date=January 6, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.culinarylore.com/food-history:where-does-coleslaw-come-from|title=Where Does Coleslaw Come From and What is the Origin of the Term? - CulinaryLore.com|date=May 20, 2012|publisher=Culinarylore.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104104933/http://www.culinarylore.com/food-history:where-does-coleslaw-come-from|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[doughnut]] began its life originally as a New York pastry that arrived in the 18th century as the Dutch ''olykoek'', with later additions from other nations of Europe like the Italian [[zeppole]], the Jewish/Polish ''pączki'', and the German ''Berliner'' arriving in the 19th century to complete the variety found in modern doughnuts today.<ref>See entries for ''[[oliebol]]'' and ''oliekoek'' in {{cite book
  | author = Frederic Gomes Cassidy
  |author2=Joan Houston Hall
  | title = Dictionary of American Regional English: I-O
  | publisher = Harvard UP
  | year = 1985
  | page = [https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofamer01arie/page/874 874]
  | url = https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofamer01arie
  | url-access = registration
  | isbn = 978-0-674-20519-2}}</ref>

[[File:A Delicious Crabcake at the Middleton Tavern.jpg|left|thumb|[[Crab cake]], popular in [[Maryland]], [[Delaware]] and [[New Jersey]], is often served on a roll.]]
[[Crab cake]]s were once a kind of English ''[[croquette]]'', but over time as spices have been added they and the [[Crab boil#Maryland|Maryland crab feast]] became two of Baltimore's signature dishes. Fishing for [[Callinectes sapidus|blue crab]] is a favorite summer pastime in the waters off [[Maryland]], [[New Jersey]], and [[Delaware]] where they may grace the table at summer picnics.

Other mainstays of the region have been present since the early years of American history, like oysters from [[Cape May]], the [[Chesapeake Bay]], and [[Long Island]], and lobster and tuna from the coastal waters found in New York and New Jersey.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oysterguide.com/maps/|title=Map of Oyster Regions of North America – The Oyster Guide|publisher=Oysterguide.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150111161745/http://www.oysterguide.com/maps/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/farmers|title=Our Farmers and Producers – GrowNYC|date=August 14, 2007|publisher=Grownyc.org|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150117052313/http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket/farmers|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Philadelphia Pepper Pot]], a tripe stew, was originally a British dish but today is a classic of home cooking in Pennsylvania alongside bookbinder soup, a type of [[turtle soup]].

In the winter, New York pushcarts sell [[roasted chestnut]]s, a delicacy dating back to English [[Christmas traditions]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gothamist.com/2012/12/18/chestnuts_roasting_on_an_open_stree.php|title=Some Street Cart Vendors Still Delivering On Seasonal Tradition Of Roasting Chestnuts|work=Gothamist|access-date=January 16, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150327022217/http://gothamist.com/2012/12/18/chestnuts_roasting_on_an_open_stree.php|archive-date=March 27, 2015}}</ref> and it was in New York and Pennsylvania that the earliest [[Christmas cookie]]s were introduced: Germans introduced crunchy molasses-based [[gingerbread]] and [[sugar cookie]]s in Pennsylvania, and the Dutch introduced cinnamon-based cookies, all of which have become part of the traditional [[Christmas meal]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://whydyoueatthat.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/day-20-gingerbread/|title=Day 20: Gingerbread|work=Why'd You Eat That?|date=December 20, 2011|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112060533/http://whydyoueatthat.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/day-20-gingerbread/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cookcfb.org/articles/entryid/97/history-of-the-sugar-cookie|title=History of the Sugar Cookie|work=Cook County Farm Bureau|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110083343/http://www.cookcfb.org/articles/entryid/97/history-of-the-sugar-cookie|archive-date=January 10, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Scrapple]] was originally a type of savory pudding that early Pennsylvania Germans made to preserve the [[offal]] of a pig slaughter.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/sleuth/0998/scrapple.html |title=Scrapple: Pork Mush...The Pennsylvania Treat |publisher=Globalgourmet.com |access-date=January 16, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990503160812/http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/sleuth/0998/scrapple.html |archive-date=May 3, 1999 }}</ref> The Philadelphia soft pretzel was originally brought to Eastern Pennsylvania in the early 18th century, and later, 19th-century immigrants sold them to the masses from pushcarts to make them the city's best-known bread product, having evolved into its own unique recipe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://philadelphia.about.com/od/history/fl/The-History-Behind-the-Philadelphia-Soft-Pretzel.htm|title=The History Behind the Philadelphia Soft Pretzel|first=Julie|last=Davis|work=About.com Travel|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110083850/http://philadelphia.about.com/od/history/fl/The-History-Behind-the-Philadelphia-Soft-Pretzel.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:NYPizzaPie.jpg|thumb|[[New York–style pizza]] is the pizza eaten in [[New York (state)|New York]], [[New Jersey]], and [[Connecticut]].]]
After the 1820s, new groups began to arrive and the character of the region began to change. There had been some Irish from Ulster prior to 1820, however largely they had been Protestants with somewhat different culture and (often) a different [[Irish language|language]] than the explosion of emigrants that came to [[Castle Garden]] and Locust Point in Baltimore in their masses starting in the 1840s.

The Irish arrived in America in a rather woeful state, as Ireland at the time was often plagued by some of the worst poverty in Europe and often heavy disenfranchisement among the masses. Many of them arrived barely alive having ridden [[coffin ship]]s to the New World, very sick with [[typhus]] and gaunt from prolonged starvation.

In addition, they were the first to face challenges other groups did not have: they were the first large wave of Catholics. They faced prejudice for their faith and the cities of Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore were not always set up for their needs.

For example, Catholic bishops in the U.S. mandated until the 1960s that all Catholics were forbidden from eating red meat on Fridays and during Lent,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ncregister.com/blog/steven-greydanus/meatless-fridays|title=Are Meatless Fridays Still a Thing? Does it Matter?|newspaper=National Catholic Register|access-date=January 5, 2017|archive-date=January 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170105180914/http://www.ncregister.com/blog/steven-greydanus/meatless-fridays|url-status=live}}</ref> and attending Mass sometimes conflicted with work as produce and meat markets would be open on high holy days; this was difficult for Irishmen supporting families since many worked as laborers.

Unsurprisingly, many Irishmen also found their fortunes working as longshoremen, which would have given their families access to fish and shellfish whenever a fisherman made berth, which was frequent on the busy docks of Baltimore and New York.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gothamcenter.org/1/post/2016/07/cant-they-be-separated-italian-immigrants-and-irish-workers-in-gilded-age-new-york.html|archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20170926131840/http://www.gothamcenter.org/blog/cant-they-be-separated-italian-immigrants-and-irish-workers-in-gilded-age-new-york|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 26, 2017|title="Can't They Be Separated?" Italian Immigrants and Irish Workers in Gilded Age New York|website=THE GOTHAM CENTER FOR NEW YORK CITY HISTORY|language=en|access-date=March 31, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/resources/titles/80140100204190/extras/9780801448041_intro.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/resources/titles/80140100204190/extras/9780801448041_intro.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=The Irish Waterfront}}</ref>

Though there had been some activity in Baltimore in founding a [[Holy See|see]] earlier by the [[John Carroll (bishop)|Carrolls]], the Irish were the first major wave of Catholic worship in this region, and that meant bishops and cardinals sending away to Europe for wine. Wine, with water, is consecrated as part of the [[Catholic Mass]].

Taverns had existed prior to their emigration to America in the region, though the Irish brought their particular brand of pub culture and founded some of the first saloons and bars that served Dublin style [[stout]] and [[Irish red ale|red ale]]; they brought with them the knowledge of single-malt style whiskey and sold it.

The Irish were the first immigrant group to arrive in this region in massive millions, and these immigrants also founded some of the earliest saloons and bars in this region, of which [[McSorley's]] is a still operating example.

[[File:Philly style pretzel.JPG|thumb|Philadelphia-style soft pretzel]]
It was also in this region that the Irish introduced something that today is a very important festival in American culture that involves a large amount of food, drink, and merry making: [[Halloween]]. In England and Wales, where prior immigrants had come from, the feast of All Hallows Eve had died out in the [[English Reformation|Reformation]], dismissed as superstition and excess having nothing to do with the Bible and often replaced with the festival of [[Guy Fawkes Night]]. Other immigrant groups like the Germans preferred to celebrate October 31 as [[Reformation Day]], and after the American Revolution all of the above were less and less eager to celebrate the legacy of an English festival given they had fought against [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] for their independence.

The Catholicism of the Irish demanded attendance at church on November 1 and charity and deeds, not just faith, as a cornerstone of dogma, and many of their older traditions survived the Reformation and traveled with them. Naturally, they went door-to-door to collect victuals for masked parties as well as gave them out, like nuts to roast on the fire, whiskey, beer, or cider, and [[barmbrack]]s; they also [[Apple bobbing|bobbed for apples]] and made dumb cakes. Later in the century they were joined by Scots going [[Trick-or-treating|guising]], children going door-to-door to ask for sweets and treats in costume.

From the Mid-Atlantic this trend spread to be nationwide and evolved into American children [[trick-or-treating]] on October 31 wearing costumes and their older counterparts having wild costume parties with various foods and drinks such as [[caramel apple]]s, [[candy apple]]s, [[dirt cake]]s, [[Punch (drink)|punch]], [[cocktail]]s, [[cider]] (both alcoholic and [[Apple cider|non]],) [[pumpkin pie]], [[candy corn]], [[chocolate turtles]], [[peanut brittle]], [[Taffy (candy)|taffy]], [[tipsy cake]], and copious buckets full of candy; children carving [[Jack-o'-lantern|jack-o-lanterns]] and eating squash derived foods derive from Halloween's heritage as a harvest festival and from Irish and Scottish traditions of carving turnips and eating root vegetables at this time of year.

Bobbing for apples has survived to the present day as a Halloween party classic game, as has a variation on the parlor game of trying to grab an apple hanging from the ceiling blindfolded:<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R2Y_AQAAMAAJ&q=hang+apple+from+ceiling+scotland&pg=PA69|title=Scenes and Legends of the North of Scotland|last=Miller|first=Hugh|date=January 1, 1851|publisher=W. H. Moore & D. Anderson|language=en}}</ref> it has evolved into trying to catch a donut in one's teeth.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marthastewart.com/269995/doughnuts-on-a-string|title=Doughnuts on a String|date=May 17, 2011|website=Marthastewart.com|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-date=August 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802131226/http://www.marthastewart.com/269995/doughnuts-on-a-string|url-status=live}}</ref>

Immigrants from Southern Europe, namely [[Sicily]], [[Campania]], [[Lazio]], and [[Calabria]], appeared between 1880 and 1960 in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Eastern Maryland hoping to escape the extreme poverty and corruption endemic to Italy.

Typically none of them spoke English, but rather dialects of Italian and had a culture that was more closely tied to the village they were born in than the high culture only accessible to those who could afford it at this time; many could not read or write in any language.

They were employed in manual labor or factory work but it is because of them that dishes like [[spaghetti with meatballs]], [[New York–style pizza]], [[calzones]], and [[baked ziti]] exist, and Americans of today are very familiar with semolina based pasta noodles.

Their native cuisine had less of an emphasis on meat, as evidenced by dishes they introduced like [[pasta e fagioli]] and [[minestrone]], but the dishes they created in America often piled it on as a sign of wealth and newfound prosperity since for the first time even cheap cuts of it were affordable. The American recipe for [[lasagna]] is proof of this, as mostly it is derived from the Neapolitan version of the dish with large amounts of meat and cheese.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Wallach |first1=Jennifer Jensen |title=The Routledge History of American Foodways |last2=Swindall |first2=Lindsey R. |last3=Wise |first3=Michael D. |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2016 |isbn=9781317975236 |location=New York |pages=266}}</ref>

[[File:Frankfurter stand LOC det.4a13502.jpg|thumb|left|Carts selling frankfurters, the predecessor to [[hotdog]]s, in New York circa 1906. The price is listed as "3 cents each or 2 for 5 cents".]]
New York–style [[hot dog]]s came about with German-speaking emigrants from Austria and Germany, particularly with the [[Frankfurter Würstchen|frankfurter sausage]] and the smaller [[Vienna sausage|wiener sausage]]; Jews would also contribute here by introducing the kosher version of these sausages, made of beef rather than pork.<ref>{{cite web |author=Chowhound |url=https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/204752/the-history-of-the-kosher-hot-dog/ |title=What Makes a Hot Dog Kosher? |publisher=Chowhound |date=July 1, 2019 |access-date=September 14, 2019 |archive-date=September 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910030640/https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/204752/the-history-of-the-kosher-hot-dog/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Today, the New York–style hot dog with [[sauerkraut]], mustard, and the optional cucumber pickle relish is such a part of the local fabric, that it is one of the favorite comestibles of New York and both the pork and the beef versions are beloved. Hot dogs are a typical street food sold year round in all but the most inclement weather from thousands of pushcarts.

As with all other stadiums in Major League Baseball they are an essential for [[New York Yankees]] and the [[New York Mets]] games though it is the local style of preparation that predominates without exception.

Hot dogs are also the focus of a televised eating contest on the Fourth of July in [[Coney Island]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nathans-famous-hot-dog-eating-contest-winners-joey-chestnut-miki-sudo-today-2018-07-04-live-updates/|title=Joey Chestnut devours record 74 hot dogs for 11th win at Nathan's Famous contest|website=cbsnews.com|date=July 4, 2018|language=en-US|access-date=January 21, 2019|archive-date=March 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331053851/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nathans-famous-hot-dog-eating-contest-winners-joey-chestnut-miki-sudo-today-2018-07-04-live-updates/|url-status=live}}</ref> at [[Nathan's Famous]], one of the earliest hot dog stands opened in the United States in 1916 by [[Nathan Handwerker]]. Handwerker was a Jewish man who emigrated from what is now Ukraine in 1912 and whose influence is felt today around the world.

Coney Island is most famous for being a traditional boardwalk amusement park and the site of the world's first rollercoaster, a precursor of modern theme parks. Hot dogs are a staple of amusement parks 100 years later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmjournal.com/reviews/film-review-famous-nathan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915142527/http://www.filmjournal.com/reviews/film-review-famous-nathan |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 15, 2015 |title=Film Review: Famous Nathan &#124; FilmJournal International |date=July 23, 2015 |access-date=September 14, 2019}}</ref>

A summertime treat, [[Italian ice]], began its life as a sweeter adaptation of the Sicilian [[granita]] that was strictly lemon-flavored and brought to New York and Philadelphia. Its Hispanic counterpart, [[Piragua (food)|''piragua'']], is a common shaved-ice treat brought to New York by Puerto Ricans in the 1930s. Unlike the original dish which included flavors like tamarind, mango, coconut, ''piragua'' is evolving to include flavors like grape and cherry, fruits which are impossible to grow in the tropical Puerto Rican climate and get exported back to the island from New York.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.traveljewels.net/the-caribbean/puerto-rico-itinerary-five-days |title=How to Spend 5 Days in Puerto Rico — travelJewels |publisher=Traveljewels.net |date=April 9, 2018 |access-date=September 14, 2019 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725045855/https://www.traveljewels.net/the-caribbean/puerto-rico-itinerary-five-days |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Taylor Ham]], a meat delicacy of [[New Jersey]], first appeared around the time of the Civil War and today is often served for breakfast with eggs and cheese on a [[kaiser roll]], a variant of a [[Kummelweck|roll brought to the area by Austrians]] in the second half of the 19th century, now commonly used for sandwiches at lunchtime, often topped with poppyseeds. This breakfast meat is generally known as [[pork roll]] in southern New Jersey and Philadelphia, and Taylor Ham in northern New Jersey.

[[File:Nighthawks by Edward Hopper 1942.jpg|thumb|''[[Nighthawks (painting)|Nighthawks]]'', a painting of a [[diner]], one type of eatery still common in the Mid-Atlantic. Each state of the region has its own signatures, and the range extends from the Canadian border in the North to Delaware Bay in the South.]]
Other dishes came about during the early 20th century and have much to do with [[delicatessen]] fare, set up largely by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who came to America incredibly poor, often illiterate in any other language but [[Yiddish]], and often banished from mainstream society in their place of origin for centuries. Most often they were completely unable to partake in the outdoor food markets that the general population utilized as most of the food for sale was not [[kosher]].

The influence of European Jewry before their destruction in the [[Holocaust]] on modern mid-Atlantic cooking remains strong and reinforced by their many descendants in the region.<ref>{{cite web |first=Leah |last=Koenig |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/jewish-food-new-york-queens-middle-eastern-bukharian-israeli-georgian |title=Beyond the Bagel: Exploring the Many Flavors of New York City's Jewish Cuisine |publisher=Serious Eats |date= |access-date=September 14, 2019 |archive-date=July 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725055910/https://www.seriouseats.com/jewish-food-new-york-queens-middle-eastern-bukharian-israeli-georgian |url-status=live }}</ref> These currently form the largest concentration of Jews outside Tel Aviv and are very integrated into the local mainstream of New York in particular.

American-style [[dill pickle|pickles]], now a common addition to hamburgers and sandwiches, were brought by Polish Jews,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://forward.com/food/399524/how-did-the-pickle-become-a-jewish-food-staple/ |title=How Did the Pickle Become a Jewish Food Staple? – the Forward |access-date=September 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618044158/https://forward.com/food/399524/how-did-the-pickle-become-a-jewish-food-staple/ |archive-date=June 18, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Austro-Hungarian Jews brought a recipe for almond horns that now is a common regional cookie, diverting from the original recipe in dipping the ends in dark chocolate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://forward.com/articles/130404/yiddish-almond-horns/ |title=Yid.Dish: Almond Horns – Forward.com |access-date=September 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318032919/http://forward.com/articles/130404/yiddish-almond-horns/ |archive-date=March 18, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Amg_BAAAQBAJ&q=jewish+almond+horn&pg=PA271 |title=Modern Jewish Cooking: Recipes & Customs for Today's Kitchen – Leah Koenig – Google Books |date=March 17, 2015 |isbn=9781452132327 |access-date=September 14, 2019|last1=Koenig |first1=Leah |publisher=Chronicle Books }}</ref>

New York–style [[cheesecake]] has copious amounts of cream and eggs because animal [[rennet]] is not kosher and so could not be sold to a large number of the deli's clientele.

New York inherited its [[bagel]]s and [[bialys]] from Jews, as well as [[Challah bread]]. [[Pastrami]] first entered the country via Romanian Jews, and is a feature of many sandwiches, often eaten on marble rye, a bread that was born in{{clarify|date=February 2021}} the mid-Atlantic.

[[Whitefish salad]], [[smoked salmon|lox]], and [[matzoh ball soup]] are now standard fare made to order at local diners and delicatessens, but started their life as foods that made up a strict dietary code. [[Rugelach]] cookies and [[hamentashen]] are sweet staples still sold to the general public, but came to New York over a century ago with [[Ashkenazi]] Jews along with [[Jewish rye]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Julia |last=Moskin |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/10/dining/rye-grain-bread.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/10/dining/rye-grain-bread.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |url-access=limited |title=Rye, a Grain With Ancient Roots, Is Rising Again |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=January 10, 2017 |access-date=September 14, 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://shop.russanddaughters.com/#history-1-section|title=Russ & Daughters official site|website=shop.russanddaughters.com|access-date=September 14, 2019|archive-date=October 1, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001021102/http://shop.russanddaughters.com/#history-1-section|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Buffalo - Wings at Airport Anchor Bar.jpg|thumb|220px|[[Buffalo wing]]s with [[blue cheese dressing]], served with lager beer]]
Many of their dishes passed into the mainstream enough that they became standard fare in diners by the end of the 20th century, a type of restaurant that is now the most common in the region, and the subject matter of the artist [[Edward Hopper]].

In the past this sort of establishment was the haven of the short-order cook grilling or frying simple foods for the working man. Today typical service includes staples from this large region like [[beef on weck]], [[Manhattan clam chowder]], the [[club sandwich]], [[Buffalo wings]], [[Philadelphia cheesesteak]], the [[black and white cookie]], [[shoofly pie]], [[snapper soup]], [[Smith Island cake]], [[blackout cake]], [[grape pie]], [[milkshake]]s, and the [[egg cream]], a vanilla or chocolate fountain drink with a frothy top and fizzy taste.

As in Hopper's painting from 1942, many of these businesses are open 24 hours a day.

===Midwest===
{{Main|Cuisine of the Midwestern United States}}
This region today comprises the states near the [[Great Lakes region|Great Lakes]] and also the [[Great Plains]]; much of it is prairie with very flat terrain. Winters are bitterly cold, windy, and wet.
Midwestern cuisine today is a very eclectic and odd mix and match of foodways, covering everything from [[Kansas City–style barbecue]] to the [[Chicago-style hot dog]], though many of its classics are very simple, hearty fare.

This region was mostly untouched by European and American settlers until after the [[American Revolutionary War]], and excepting [[Missouri]] and the heavily forested states near the Great Lakes, was mainly populated by nomadic tribes like the [[Sioux]], [[Osage people|Osage]], [[Arapaho]], and [[Cheyenne]]. As with most other American Indian tribes, these tribes consumed the [[Three Sisters (agriculture)|Three Sisters]] of beans, maize, and squash, but also for thousands of years followed the herds of [[American bison|bison]], hunting them on foot and later on horseback, typically using bow and arrow. There are [[buffalo jump]]s dating back nearly 10,000 years and several photographs and written accounts of trappers and homesteaders attesting to their dependence on the buffalo and to a lesser degree [[elk]].

After nearly wiping out elk and bison, this region has taken to raising bison alongside cattle for their meat and at an enormous profit, making them into burgers and steaks.

Often that means harsh blizzards especially near the Great Lakes where Arctic winds blow off of Canada, where ice on rivers and lakes freezes thick enough for [[ice hockey]], and for ice fishing for [[northern pike|pike]], [[walleye]] and [[panfish]] to be ubiquitous. In [[Minnesota]], [[Wisconsin]], and [[Michigan]], they often become part of the local [[fish fry]].

[[File:Persimmon pudding (5180557664).jpg|thumb|Persimmon pudding]]
The primary meats here are beef and poultry, since the Midwest has been raising [[turkeys]], [[chicken]]s, and [[geese]] for over 150 years. Chickens have been common for so long that the Midwest has several native breeds that are prized for both backyard farming and for farmer's markets, such as the [[Buckeye chicken|Buckeye]] and [[Wyandotte chicken|Wyandotte]]. One, Billina, appears as a character in the second book of the Oz series by [[L. Frank Baum]].

Favorite fruits of the region include some native plants inherited from Native American tribes like the [[asimina triloba|pawpaw]], and [[diospyros virginiana|American persimmons]] are also highly favored.

As in the American South, pawpaws are the region's largest native fruit, about the size of a mango, often found growing wild come September; they are made into preserves and cakes and command quite a price at farmer's markets in Chicago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sns-tns-bc-pawpaw-bread-20171002-story.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107020605/http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sns-tns-bc-pawpaw-bread-20171002-story.html|archive-date=November 7, 2017|title=Let's eat: Pawpaw Bread with Toasted Walnuts – Chicago Tribune|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=November 7, 2017|access-date=August 8, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[American persimmon]] is often smaller than its Japanese cousin, about the size of a small plum, but in the Midwest and parts of the East it is the main ingredient in the steamed [[persimmon pudding]], topped with ''[[crème anglaise]]''.

Other crops inherited from the Native Americans include [[wild rice]], which grows on the banks of lakes and is a local favorite for fancy meals and today often used in stuffing for Thanksgiving.

Typical fruits of the region are cold-weather crops. Once it was thought that its winters were too harsh for apples, but a breeder in [[Minnesota]] produced the [[Wealthy (apple)|Wealthy apple]] and it became the third-most productive region for apple growing in the country, with local varieties comprising [[Wolf River (apple)|Wolf River]], Enterprise, [[Melrose (apple)|Melrose]], [[Paula Red]], [[Rome Beauty]], [[Honeycrisp]], and the [[Red Delicious]].

Cherries are important to [[Michigan]] and [[Wisconsin]] grows many [[cranberries]], a legacy of early-19th-century emigration of New England farmers. [[Crabapple]] jelly is a favorite condiment of the region.

The influence of German, Scandinavian, and Slavic peoples on the northern portion of the region is very strong; many emigrated to Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois in the 19th century to take advantage of jobs in the meatpacking business as well as being homesteaders and tradesmen.

[[Bratwurst]] is a very common sausage eaten at [[tailgate parties]] for the [[Green Bay Packers]], [[Chicago Bears]], or [[Detroit Lions]], often served boiled in lager beer with [[sauerkraut]], different from many of the recipes currently found in Germany.

Polish sausage, in particular a locally invented type of [[kielbasa]], is essential for sporting events in Chicago: Chicago today has approximately 200,000 Polish speakers and has had a similar population for over 100 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/January-2013/The-Geography-of-Chicagos-Second-Languages/|title=The Geography of Chicago's Second Languages|website=Chicagomag.com|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-date=August 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802124458/http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/January-2013/The-Geography-of-Chicagos-Second-Languages/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

When Poles came to Chicago and surrounding cities from Europe, they brought with them long ropes of kielbasa, cabbage rolls, and [[pierogi]]. Poles that left Poland after the fall of the Berlin Wall and descendants of earlier immigrants still make them, and they remain common in local diners and delis.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160311/BLOGS09/160319972/take-the-pierogi-the-only-guide-to-polish-delis-youll-ever-need|title=Take the pierogi: The only guide to Polish delis you'll ever need|website=Chicagobusinesss.com|date=March 10, 2016|access-date=August 2, 2017}}</ref>

Today alongside the pierogi, the sausage is served on a long roll with mustard like a hot dog or as a [[Maxwell Street Polish]], a sandwich with caramelized onions. In Cleveland, the same sausage is served in the form of the [[Polish boy]], a sandwich made of french fries, spicy barbecue sauce, and coleslaw.

Unlike cities in the East where the hot dog alone is traditional, fans of the [[Cleveland Guardians]], [[Detroit Tigers]], [[Chicago Cubs]], [[Chicago White Sox]], and [[Milwaukee Brewers]] favor two or three different kinds of sausage sold in the pushcarts outside the stadium.

The hot dogs themselves tend to follow the [[Chicago-style hot dog|Chicago style]], with mustard and pickled vegetables.

In Cincinnati, where the [[Cincinnati Reds]] play, there is a competitor in [[Cincinnati chili]]. Invented by Macedonian immigrants, it includes spaghetti as its base, chili with a Mediterranean-inspired spice mix, and cheddar cheese; the chili itself is often a topping for local hot dogs at games.

In the Midwest and especially Minnesota,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/fs/potluck.html|title=Potluck Events: Safe Food is Good Business – EH: Minnesota Department of Health|website=Health.state.mn.us|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802163355/http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/food/fs/potluck.html|archive-date=August 2, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> the tradition of the church [[potluck]] is a gathering where local foods reign, and has been since the era of the frontier; pioneers often needed to pool resources to have a celebration in the 19th century and that simply never changed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thekitchn.com/sense-of-place-food-and-cuisin-58653|title=Sense of Place: Food and Cuisine of the Midwest|newspaper=The Kitchn|access-date=November 28, 2016|archive-date=November 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129021937/http://www.thekitchn.com/sense-of-place-food-and-cuisin-58653|url-status=live}}</ref>

Nowhere is this more clear than with the [[hotdish]], a type of casserole believed to have derived from a Norwegian recipe,  it is usually topped with potatoes or [[tater tots]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-hotdish.htm#didyouknowout|title=What is a Hotdish? (with pictures)|newspaper=wiseGEEK|access-date=November 28, 2016|archive-date=November 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128195358/http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-hotdish.htm#didyouknowout|url-status=live}}</ref> Next to the hotdish at potlucks usually [[glorified rice]] is found, a kind of rice pudding mixed with crushed pineapple and maraschino cherries. Next to that is the [[Booyah (stew)|booyah]], a thick soup made of meat, vegetables, and seasonings that is meant to simmer on the stove for up to two days.

[[Lefse]], traditionally a Scandinavian flatbread, has been handed down to descendants for over a hundred years and is common on the table. Behind that is [[venison]], a popular meat around the Great Lakes and often eaten as steaks, sandwiches, and crown roasts for special events.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/10/arbys_to_offer_venison_sandwic.html|title=Arby's to offer venison sandwiches at 4 Michigan locations|website=Mlive.com|date=October 26, 2016|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-date=August 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802163817/http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/10/arbys_to_offer_venison_sandwic.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.twincities.com/2016/11/04/arbys-venison-sandwich-sells-out-fast-in-minnesota-wisconsin/|title=Arby's venison sandwich sells out fast in Minnesota, Wisconsin|date=November 4, 2016|website=Twincities.com|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-date=August 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802163601/http://www.twincities.com/2016/11/04/arbys-venison-sandwich-sells-out-fast-in-minnesota-wisconsin/|url-status=live}}</ref> Within Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas, [[tiger meat]], a dish similar to [[steak tartare]], is common.

Last on the table are the [[dessert bar]]s and [[Chocolate brownie|brownies]], created originally in 1898 in Chicago, now a global food and international favorite.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sweetoothdesign.com/cookie-brownie|title=Sweetooth Design Company – Food & Design – Oakland, USA|website=Sweetoothdesign.com|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802132323/http://www.sweetoothdesign.com/cookie-brownie|archive-date=August 2, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Booyah spiced.jpg|thumb|[[Booyah (stew)|Booyah]], a popular chunky stew of the Midwest that is often served to large numbers of people]]

Further south, [[barbecue]] has its own style in places in Kansas City and St. Louis different from the South and American West. Kansas City and St. Louis were and are important hubs for the railroad that connected the plains with the Great Lakes and cities farther east, like Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://trn.trains.com/~/media/images/railroad-reference/railroad-maps/kansas-city-tonnage.png?h=332&la=en&mw=600&w=459|title=Kansas train map|website=Trn.trains.com|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-date=May 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510110930/http://trn.trains.com/~/media/images/railroad-reference/railroad-maps/kansas-city-tonnage.png?h=332&la=en&mw=600&w=459|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the turn of the 19th century, the St. Louis area, Omaha, and Kansas City had huge stockyards, waystations for cattle and pigs on their way east to the cities of the coast and north to the Great Lakes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.missourilife.com/life/kansas-city-and-st.-louis-stockyards/|title=Wild West Week: Kansas City and St. Louis Stockyards|date=September 9, 2011|website=Missourilife.com|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802133633/http://www.missourilife.com/life/kansas-city-and-st.-louis-stockyards/|archive-date=August 2, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Lynn |url=http://digital.omahapubliclibrary.org/earlyomaha/buildings/stockyards.html |title=Early Omaha: Gateway to the West – Union Stockyards|date=October 2003|website=digital.omahapubliclibrary.org|access-date=May 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161129082708/http://digital.omahapubliclibrary.org/earlyomaha/buildings/stockyards.html |archive-date=November 29, 2016}}</ref> They all had large growing immigrant and migrant populations from Europe and the South respectively, so the region has developed unique styles of barbecue.

[[St. Louis–style barbecue]] favors a heavy emphasis on a sticky sweet barbecue sauce. Its standbys include the [[pork steak]], a cut taken from the shoulder of the pig, grilled then slowly stewed in a pan over charcoal; crispy snoots, a cut from the cheek and nose of the pig that is fried up like [[Cracklings|cracklins]] and eaten dipped in sauce; pork [[spare ribs]]; and a mix of either beer-boiled [[bratwurst]] or grilled Italian sausage, flavored with fennel.

Dessert is usually something like [[gooey butter cake]], invented in the city in the 1930s.

[[Kansas City–style barbecue]] uses several different kinds of meat, more than most styles of American barbecue—turkey, mutton, pork, and beef to name a few—but is distinct from St. Louis in that the barbecue sauce adds molasses in with the tomato-based recipe and typically has a more tart taste.

Traditionally, Kansas City uses a low-and-slow method of smoking the meat in addition to just stewing it in the sauce. It also favors using hickory wood for smoking and continual watering or layering of the sauce while cooking to form a glaze; with [[burnt ends]] this step is necessary to create the "bark" or charred outer layer of the brisket.

===Southern United States===
{{Main|Cuisine of the Southern United States}}
[[File:Chicken and waffles with peaches and cream.jpg|thumb|right|[[Chicken and waffles]]]]
[[File:Princes hot chicken.jpg|thumb|right|[[Nashville hot chicken]] with potato salad]]
[[File:Iced Tea from flickr.jpg|thumb|[[Sweet tea]]]]
When referring to the [[American South]] as a region, typically it should indicate Southern Maryland and the states that were once part of the [[Confederate States of America|Old Confederacy]], with the dividing line between the East and West jackknifing about 100 miles west of [[Dallas, Texas]], and mostly south of the old [[Mason–Dixon line]]. Cities found in this area include [[New Orleans]], [[Atlanta]], [[Washington, D.C.]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]], and [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]] with [[Houston, Texas]] being the largest. The [[Florida Panhandle]] is usually considered part of the South, but the Florida peninsula (especially its lower half) is not.

These states are much more closely tied to each other and have been part of U.S. territory for much longer than states much farther west than East Texas, and in the case of food, the influences and cooking styles are strictly separated as the terrain begins to change to prairie and desert from bayou and hardwood forest.

[[File:Peach Cobbler 2.jpg|thumb|left|[[Peach cobbler]] is a popular Southern dessert.]]
This section of the country has some of the oldest known U.S. foodways, with some recipes almost 400 years old.

Native American influences are still quite visible in the use of [[cornmeal]] as an essential staple<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wrmills.com/indian-head-yellow-corn-meal|title=Indian Head Yellow Corn Meal Recipes – Wilkins Rogers Mills|publisher=Wrmills.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150123113728/http://www.wrmills.com/indian-head-yellow-corn-meal/|url-status=live}}</ref> and found in the Southern predilection for hunting wild game, in particular [[wild turkey]], [[white tailed deer|deer]], [[American woodcock|woodcock]], and various kinds of [[waterfowl]]; for example, coastal North Carolina is a place where hunters will seek [[tundra swan]] as a part of Christmas dinner; the original English and Scottish settlers would have rejoiced at this revelation since such was banned among the commoner class in what is now the United Kingdom, and naturally, their descendants have not forgotten.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wdtv.com/wdtv.cfm?func=view&section=5-News&item=Fall-Wild-Turkey-Season-Opens-Oct-11- |archive-url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20120614023420mp_/http://www.wdtv.com/wdtv.cfm?0%3Athis.cssPosition%3D%3D |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 14, 2012 |title=West Virginia Breaking News, Sports, Weather: WDTV.COM |publisher=Wdtv.com |access-date=January 16, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/blogs/southern-hunting-for-whitetail-deer|title=Southern Deer Hunting|work=Deer & Deer Hunting – Whitetail Deer Hunting Tips|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206235254/http://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/blogs/southern-hunting-for-whitetail-deer|archive-date=February 6, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Native Americans also consumed [[turtle]]s and catfish, specifically the [[snapping turtle]], the [[alligator snapping turtle]], and [[blue catfish]]. Catfish are often [[noodling|caught with one's bare hands]], gutted, breaded, and fried to make a Southern variation on English [[fish and chips]] and turtles are turned into stews and soups.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/aug/03/snapping-turtle-makes-delicious-dinner/?f=threerivers|title=Snapping turtle makes for a delicious dinner|work=Arkansas Online|date=August 3, 2014|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=October 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211008135224/https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/aug/03/snapping-turtle-makes-delicious-dinner/?f=threerivers|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/fried-catfish-recipes|title=Taste of the South: Fried Catfish|work=Southern Living|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221145225/http://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/fried-catfish-recipes|url-status=live}}</ref>

Native American tribes of the region such as the [[Cherokee]] or [[Choctaw]] often cultivated or gathered local plants like [[asimina triloba|pawpaw]], [[maypop]] and several sorts of [[squash (plant)|squashes]] and [[corn]] as food.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tn.gov/state-symbols.shtml |title=State Symbols |publisher=Tn.gov |access-date=January 16, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625045751/http://www.tn.gov/state-symbols.shtml |archive-date=June 25, 2014 }}</ref> They also used [[spicebush]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.monticello.org/library/exhibits/lucymarks/gallery/spicebush.html|title=Lindera benzoin (spicebush)|publisher=Monticello.org|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=March 1, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150301054426/http://www.monticello.org/library/exhibits/lucymarks/gallery/spicebush.html|url-status=live}}</ref>  and [[sassafras]] as spices,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.choctawschool.com/home-side-menu/iti-fabvssa/2012-articles/history-and-development-of-choctaw-food.aspx|title=History and development of Choctaw food – School of Choctaw Language|website=choctawschool.com|access-date=August 8, 2019|archive-date=August 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808075933/http://www.choctawschool.com/home-side-menu/iti-fabvssa/2012-articles/history-and-development-of-choctaw-food.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the aforementioned fruits are still cultivated as food in the South.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southernmatters.com/native_edibles/|title=Native Edibles|publisher=Southernmatters.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 28, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141228033850/http://www.southernmatters.com/native_edibles/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Maize is to this day found in dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the form of [[grits]], [[hoecakes]], baked [[cornbread]], and [[spoonbread]], and nuts like the [[hickory]], [[black walnut]] and [[pecan]] are commonly included in desserts and pastries as varied as [[mince pie]]s, [[pecan pie]], pecan rolls and [[honey bun]]s (both are types of [[sticky bun]]), and [[quick bread]]s, which were themselves invented in the South during the American Civil War.

Peaches have been grown in this region since the 17th century and are a staple crop as well as a favorite fruit, with [[peach cobbler]] being a signature dessert.

====Early history====
European influence began soon after the settlement of Jamestown in 1607 and the earliest recipes emerged by the end of the 17th century. Specific influences from Europe were quite varied, and they remain traditional and essential to the modern cookery overall.

German speakers often settled in the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] on small farms from the coast, and invented an American delicacy that is now nationally beloved, [[apple butter]], based on their recipe for ''apfelkraut'', and later they introduced [[red cabbage]] and [[rye]].

From the British Isles, an enormous amount of influence was bestowed upon the South, specifically foodways from 17th- and 18th-century [[Ulster]], the borderlands between England and Scotland, the [[Scottish Highlands]], portions of [[Wales]], the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]], the [[West Country]], [[Black Country]] and Southern England. Settlers bound for America fled the tumult of the [[English Civil War|Civil War]], [[Ulster Plantation|Ulster]] and the [[Highland Clearances]].

Often ships' manifests show their belongings nearly always included cookpots or [[bakestone]]s and seed stock for plants like [[peach]]es, [[plum]]s, and [[apple]]s to grow orchards which they planted in their hundreds. Each group brought foods and ideas from their respective regions.

Settlers from Ireland and Scotland were well known for creating [[Peatreek|''peatreak'']] and ''[[poitín]]'', strong hard liquor based on fermenting potatoes or barley. In time they came up with a method for distilling a corn mash with [[added sugar]] and aging in charred barrels made of select hardwoods, which created a whiskey with a high proof. This gave birth to [[American whiskey]] and [[Kentucky bourbon]], and its cousins [[moonshine]] and [[Everclear]].

Closer to the coast, 18th-century recipes for English [[trifle]] turned into [[tipsy cake]]s, replacing the sherry with whiskey and their recipe for [[pound cake]], brought to the South around the same time, still works with American baking units: one pound sugar, one pound eggs, one pound butter, one pound flour.

====Common features====
[[File:Biscuits and gravy.jpg|thumb|left|Biscuits and gravy]]
[[Pork]] is the popular choice in 80% of Southern style barbecue and features in other preparations like sausages and sandwiches. For most Southerners in the [[History of the Southern United States#Antebellum era (1789–1861)|antebellum period]], corn and pork were staples of the diet.<ref name="Warren2007"/> [[Country sausage]] is an ingredient in the Southern breakfast dish of [[biscuits and gravy]]. [[Country ham]] is often served for breakfast and cured with salt or sugar and hickory-smoked.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/458/458-223/458-223.html|title=Dry Curing Virginia-Style Ham – Publications and Educational Resources – Virginia Tech|date=December 18, 2012|publisher=Oubs.ext.vt.edu|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102124507/http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/458/458-223/458-223.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Accompanying many meals is the southern style fluffy [[biscuit (bread)|biscuit]], where the leavening agent is [[baking powder]] and often includes [[buttermilk]], and for breakfast they often accompany [[country ham]], [[grits]], and [[scrambled eggs]].

====Desserts====
[[File:SweetPotatoPie.jpg|thumb|right|[[Sweet potato pie]]]]
[[Dessert]]s in the South tend to be quite rich and very much a legacy of entertaining to impress guests, since a Southern housewife was (and to a degree still is) expected to show her hospitality by laying out as impressive a banquet as she is able to manage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.timesdispatch.com/entertainment-life/traits-of-a-true-southern-woman/article_37092461-fec6-5a6f-b6fb-72da162d360c.html?mode=jqm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141203020720/http://m.timesdispatch.com/entertainment-life/traits-of-a-true-southern-woman/article_37092461-fec6-5a6f-b6fb-72da162d360c.html?mode=jqm|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 3, 2014|title=Traits of a true Southern woman|work=Richmond.com|access-date=January 16, 2015}}</ref>

Desserts are vast and encompass [[Lane cake]], [[sweet potato pie]], [[peach cobbler]], [[pecan pie]], [[hummingbird cake]], [[Jefferson Davis pie]], [[peanut brittle]], [[coconut cake]], [[fritter|apple fritters]], peanut cookies, [[Moravian spice cookies]], [[chess pie]], [[doberge cake]], [[Lady Baltimore cake]], [[bourbon ball]]s, and caramel cake.

[[File:Red Velvet Cake Waldorf Astoria.jpg|thumb|left|Red velvet cake]]
American-style [[sponge cake]]s tend to be the rule rather than the exception as is American [[buttercream]], a place where Southern baking intersects with the rest of the United States. Nuts like pecan and hickory tend to be revered as garnishes for these desserts, and they make their way into local bakeries as fillings for chocolates.

====Cajun and Creole cuisine of Louisiana====
[[File:Shrimp_gumbo.jpg|thumbnail|Shrimp [[gumbo]] is a popular [[Cajun cuisine|Cajun]] and [[Louisiana Creole cuisine|Creole]] dish.]]
In Louisiana, cooking methods have more in common with rustic French cuisines of the 17th and 18th century than anything ever found at the French court in Versailles or the bistros of 19th- and 20th-century Paris; this is especially true of [[Cajun cuisine]].

[[Cajun French]] is more closely related to dialects spoken in Northern [[Maine]], [[New Brunswick]], and to a lesser degree [[Haiti]] than anything spoken in modern France, and likewise their terminology, methodology, and culture concerning food is much more closely related to the styles of these former French colonies even today.

Unlike other areas of the South, Cajuns were and still are largely Catholics and thus much of what they eat is seasonal; for example pork is an important component of the Cajun ''boucherie'' (a large community event where the hog is butchered, prepared with a fiery spice mix, and eaten snout to tail) but it is never consumed in the five weeks of Lent, when such would be forbidden.

Cajun cuisine tends to focus on what is locally available, historically because Cajuns were often poor, illiterate, independent farmers and not plantation owners but today it is because such is deeply imbedded in local culture.

''[[Boudin]]'' is a type of sausage found only in this area of the country, and it is often by far more spicy than anything found in France or Belgium. ''[[Chaudin]]'' is unique to the area, and the method of cooking is comparable to the Scottish dish haggis: the stuffing includes onions, rice, bell peppers, spices, and pork sewn up in the stomach of a pig, and served in slices piping hot.

[[Procambarus clarkii|Crawfish]] are a staple of the Cajun grandmother's cookpot, as they are abundant in the bayous of Southern Louisiana and a main source of livelihood, as are [[blue crab]]s, [[shrimp]], [[corn on the cob]], and red potatoes, since these are the basic ingredients of the Louisiana crawfish boil.

[[File:CreoleFood.jpg|thumb|left|Dishes typical of [[Louisiana Creole cuisine]]]]
[[New Orleans]] has been the capital of Creole culture since before Louisiana was a state. This culture is that of the colonial French and Spanish that evolved in the city of New Orleans, which was and still is quite distinct from the rural culture of Cajuns and dovetails with what would have been eaten in antebellum Louisiana plantation culture long ago.

Cooking to impress and show one's wealth was a staple of Creole culture, which often mixed French, Spanish, Italian, German, African, Caribbean and Native American cooking methods, producing rich dishes like [[Oysters Bienville|oysters bienville]], [[pompano en papillote]], and even the [[muffaletta]] sandwich.

However, [[Louisiana Creole cuisine]] tends to diverge from the original ideas brought to the region in ingredients: [[profiterole]]s, for example, use a near identical [[choux pastry]] to that which is found in modern Paris but often use vanilla or chocolate ice cream rather than custard as the filling, [[praline (nut confection)|pralines]] nearly always use [[pecan]] and not almonds, and [[bananas foster]] came about when New Orleans was a key port for the import of bananas from the Caribbean Sea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/cuisine/traditionalfoods/bananasfoster.html|title=Bananas Foster|publisher=Neworleansonline.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=October 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028224830/http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/cuisine/traditionalfoods/bananasfoster.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Gumbo]]s tend to be thickened with [[okra]], or the leaves of the [[sassafras albidum|sassafrass tree]]. ''[[Andouille]]'' is often used, but not the ''andouille'' currently known in France, since French ''andouille'' uses tripe whereas Louisiana ''andouille'' is made from a [[Boston butt]], usually inflected with pepper flakes, and smoked for hours over pecan wood.

Other ingredients that are native to Louisiana and not found in the cuisine of modern France would include rice, which has been a staple of both Creole and Cajun cooking for generations, and [[sugarcane]], which has been grown in Louisiana since the early 1800s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usarice.com/doclib/188/219/3677.PDF |title=Louisiana Rice |publisher=Usarice.com |access-date=January 16, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222045727/http://www.usarice.com/doclib/188/219/3677.PDF |archive-date=December 22, 2014 }}</ref>

[[File:Passiflora incarnata 004.JPG|thumbnail|The maypop plant]]
Ground [[cayenne pepper]] is a key spice of the region, as is the meat of the [[American alligator]], something settlers learned from the Choctaws and Houma. The maypop plant has been a favorite of Southerners for 350 years; it gives its name to the Ocoee River in Tennessee, a legacy of the Cherokees, and in Southern Louisiana it is known as ''liane de grenade'', indicating its consumption by Cajuns. It is a close relative of the commercial [[passionfruit]], similar in size, and is a common plant growing in gardens all over the South as a source of fresh summertime fruit.

====African American influences====
West African influences came with enslaved peoples from [[Ghana]], [[Benin]], [[Mali]], [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congo]], [[Angola]], [[Sierra Leone]], [[Nigeria]], and other portions of the [[Gold Coast (British colony)|Gold Coast]], and the mark Africans and their descendants, the [[African Americans]], have made on Southern food is strong today and an essential addition to the Southern table.

Crops like [[okra]], [[sorghum]], [[sesame seeds]], [[eggplant]], and many different kinds of [[melon]]s were brought with them from West Africa along with the incredibly important introduction of rice to the [[Carolinas]] and later to [[Texas]] and [[Louisiana]], whence it became a staple grain of that region and still remains a staple in those areas today, found in dishes like [[Hoppin John]], purloo, and [[Charleston red rice]].

Like the poorer [[indentured servants]] that came to the South, slaves often got the leftovers of what was slaughtered for the consumption of the master of the plantation and so many recipes had to be adapted for offal, like [[pig's ear (food)|pig's ears]] and [[fatback]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xhpBsIa5yqEC&q=black+slaves+offal&pg=PA97|title=What the Slaves Ate|access-date=January 16, 2015|isbn=9780313374975|year=2009|last1=Covey|first1=Herbert C.|last2=Eisnach|first2=Dwight|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic }}</ref> though other methods encouraged low and slow methods of cooking to tenderize the tougher cuts of meat, like braising, smoking, and pit roasting, the last of which was a method known to West Africans in the preparation of roasting goat.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/food-historian-reckons-black-roots-southern-food-180964285/|title=Food Historian Reckons With the Black Roots of Southern Food|last=Mansky|first=Jackie|website=Smithsonian|language=en|access-date=January 21, 2019|archive-date=December 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214120959/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/food-historian-reckons-black-roots-southern-food-180964285/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Peanut soup]] is one of the oldest known recipes brought to Virginia by Africans and over time, through their descendants, it has become creamier and milder tasting than the original.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.welike2cook.com/2013/11/colonial-cream-of-peanut-soup.html|title=Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup|access-date=April 22, 2020|archive-date=June 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616221529/http://www.welike2cook.com/2013/11/colonial-cream-of-peanut-soup.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Florida cuisine====
{{see|Floribbean cuisine}}
{{More citations needed|1=section|date=March 2023}}
Certain portions of the South often have their own distinct subtypes of cuisine owing to local history and landscape. Floridian cuisine, for example, has a distinct way of cooking that includes different ingredients, especially south of Tampa and Orlando.

Spain had control of the state until the early 19th century and used the southern tip as an outpost to guard the [[Spanish Main]] beginning in the 1500s, but Florida kept and still maintains ties with the [[Caribbean Sea]], including the [[Bahamas]], [[Haiti]], [[Cuba]], [[Puerto Rico]], the [[Dominican Republic]], and [[Jamaica]].

South of Tampa, there are and have been for a long time many speakers of [[Caribbean Spanish]], [[Haitian French]], [[Jamaican Patois]], and [[Haitian Creole]] and each Caribbean culture has a strong hold on cooking methods and spices in Florida. In turn, each mixes and matches with the [[foodways]] of the Seminole tribe and Anglophone settlers. Thus, for almost 200 years, Floridian cooking has had a more tropical flavor than any other Southern state.

[[Allspice]], a spice originally from [[Jamaica]], is an ingredient found in spice mixes in summer barbecues along with [[ginger]], [[garlic]], [[scotch bonnet peppers]], sea salt, and nutmeg; in Floridian cooking this is often a variant of [[Jamaican jerk]] spice. Coconuts are grown in the areas surrounding Miami and are shipped in daily through its port for consumption of the milk, meat, and water of the coconut.

Bananas are not just the yellow Cavendish variety found in supermarkets across America: in Florida they are available as ''bananitos'', ''colorados'', ''[[Cooking banana|plátanos]]'', and ''maduros''. The first of these is a tiny miniature banana only about 4–5 inches (10–13&nbsp;cm) in length and it is sweet. The second has a red peel and an apple-like aftertaste, and the third and fourth are used as a starch on nearly every Caribbean island as a side dish, baked or fried: all of the above are a staple of Florida outdoor markets when in season and all have been grown in the Caribbean for almost 400 years.

[[Mango]]es are grown as a backyard plant in Southern Florida and otherwise are a favorite treat coming in many different shapes in sizes from ''[[Nam Doc Mai]]'', brought to Florida after the Vietnam War, to ''Madame Francis'', a mango from Haiti. [[Sweetsop]] and [[soursop]] are popular around Miami, but nearly unheard of in other areas of the South.

[[Citrus]] is a major crop of Florida, and features at many breakfast tables and many markets, with the height of the season near the first week of January. Hamlin [[Orange (fruit)|oranges]] are the main cultivar planted, and from this crop the rest of the United States and to a lesser extent Europe gets [[orange juice]]. Other plantings include [[grapefruit]]s, [[tangerine]]s, [[clementine]]s, [[Lime (fruit)|limes]], and even a few more rare ones, like [[Cara Cara navel orange]]s, [[tangelo]]s, and the Jamaican [[Ugli fruit]]. [[Tomato]]es, [[bell pepper]]s, [[habanero pepper]]s, and [[Ficus|figs]], especially taken from the [[Florida strangler fig]], complete the produce menu.

[[Blue crab]], [[Queen conch|conch]], [[Florida stone crab]], [[red drum]], [[common dolphinfish|dorado]], and [[marlin]]s tend to be local favorite ingredients. Dairy is available in this region, but it is less emphasized due to the year round warmth.

[[File:Key lime pie with whipped cream and lime decoration, March 2009.jpg|thumb|left|[[Key lime pie]]]]
Traditional [[key lime pie]], a dessert from the islands off the coast of Miami, is made with [[condensed milk]] to form the custard with the eye wateringly tart limes native to the [[Florida Keys]] in part because milk would spoil in an age before refrigeration.

Pork in this region tends to be roasted in methods similar to those found in Puerto Rico and Cuba, owing to mass emigration from those countries in the 20th century, especially in the counties surrounding Miami.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://southfloridagaynews.com/outEATS/pernil-al-horno-roasted-pork-shoulder.html|title=Pernil Al Horno (Roasted Pork Shoulder)|first=Jay|last=Rinaldi|work=South Florida Gay News|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227145547/http://southfloridagaynews.com/outEATS/pernil-al-horno-roasted-pork-shoulder.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Orange blossom honey is a specialty of the state, and is widely available in farmer's markets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thomashoney.com/honey.html|title=Honey – from Thomas Honey Company|website=Thomashoney.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231063142/http://www.thomashoney.com/honey.html|archive-date=December 31, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Panulirus argus|Caribbean lobster]] is a favorite special meal eagerly sought after by Floridians as it is found as far north as [[Fort Myers]]: spear diving and collecting them from reefs in the [[Florida Keys]] and near rocky shoals is a common practice of local scuba divers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scubadiving.com/bagging-bug-how-to-have-successful-lobster-hunting-season|title=Bagging the Bug: How to Have A Successful Lobster-Hunting Season|website=Scuba Diving|language=en|access-date=January 21, 2019|archive-date=October 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171004011358/http://www.scubadiving.com/bagging-bug-how-to-have-successful-lobster-hunting-season|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Other small game====
[[Ptarmigan]], [[grouse]], [[crow]], blackbirds, dove, duck and other game fowl are consumed in the United States. In the American state of [[Arkansas]], [[American beaver|beaver]] tail stew is consumed in Cotton town.<ref>{{cite news |title=What's Best, Worst, and Most Weird About American Food |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/12/151220-american-food-cuisine-local-state-ngbooktalk/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615221801/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/12/151220-american-food-cuisine-local-state-ngbooktalk/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2020 |work=National Geographic News |date=December 20, 2015 }}</ref> [[Tree squirrel#In the US|Squirrel]], [[Cooning|raccoon]], [[Virginia opossum|possum]], [[bear]], [[muskrat]], [[chipmunk]], [[skunk]], [[groundhog]], [[pheasant]], [[armadillo]] and [[rabbit]] are also consumed in the United States.

===Cuisine in the West===
{{Main|Cuisine of the Western United States}}
Cooking in the American West gets its influence from Native American and Hispanophone cultures, as well as later settlers that came in the 19th century: Texas, for example, has some influence from Germany in its choice of barbecue by using sausages.

Another instance can be found in the Northwestern region, which encompasses [[Oregon]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], and Northern California. All of the aforementioned rely on local seafood and a few classics of their own.

In [[New Mexico]], [[Colorado]], [[Nevada]], [[Arizona]], [[Utah]], [[West Texas]], and [[Southern California]], Mexican flavors and influences are extremely common, especially from the Mexican states of [[Chihuahua (state)|Chihuahua]], [[Baja California]], and [[Sonora]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Martynuska|first=Małgorzata|date=November 27, 2017|title=Cultural Hybridity in the USA exemplified by Tex-Mex cuisine|url=http://archive.sciendo.com/IRSR/irsr.2017.7.issue-2/irsr-2017-0011/irsr-2017-0011.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://archive.sciendo.com/IRSR/irsr.2017.7.issue-2/irsr-2017-0011/irsr-2017-0011.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|journal=International Review of Social Research|volume=7|issue=2|pages=90–98|doi=10.1515/irsr-2017-0011|s2cid=54189154|issn=2069-8534}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Arellano|first=Gustavo|date=March 23, 2012|title=As American as Fajita Pie|language=en-US|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304724404577297981260189946.html|access-date=June 8, 2021|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=September 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130914090018/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304724404577297981260189946.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Northwest====
[[File:Cioppino.jpg|thumb|Cioppino]]
The Pacific Northwest as a region includes [[Alaska]] and the state of Washington near the Canada-US border and terminates near [[Sacramento, California]] and the [[San Francisco Bay Area]] of [[Northern California]], and for culinary purposes includes the historic influence of the [[Monterey Bay]] area. Here, the terrain is mostly temperate rainforest on the coast mixed with pine forest as one approaches the Canada-US border inland.

One of the core favorite foodstuffs is [[Pacific salmon]], native to many of the larger rivers of the area and often smoked or grilled on cedar planks. In [[Alaska]], wild game like [[ptarmigan]] and [[moose]] meat feature extensively since much of the state is wilderness.

Fresh fish like [[Rainbow trout|steelhead trout]], [[Pacific cod]], [[Pacific halibut]], and [[pollock]] are fished for extensively and feature on the menu of many restaurants, as do a plethora of fresh berries and vegetables, like Cameo apples from [[Washington (state)|Washington]] state, the headquarters of the U.S. [[apple]] industry, [[cherries]] from [[Oregon]], [[blackberries]], and [[marionberries]], a feature of many pies. [[Hazelnut]]s are grown extensively in this region and are a feature of baking, such as in chocolate hazelnut pie, an Oregon favorite,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/mix/index.ssf/dessert-recipes/chocolate_bourbon_hazelnut_pie.html|title=Chocolate Bourbon Hazelnut Pie|publisher=Oregonlive.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 16, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216163143/http://www.oregonlive.com/mix/index.ssf/dessert-recipes/chocolate_bourbon_hazelnut_pie.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Almond Roca]] is a local candy.

Like its counterpart on the opposite coast to the East, there is a grand variety of shellfish in this region. [[Geoduck]]s are a native species of giant clam that have incredibly long necks;  they are eaten by the bucketful and shipped to Asia for millions of dollars as they are believed to be an [[aphrodisiac]]. [[Tresus|Gaper clams]] are a favorite food, often grilled or steamed in a sauce.

Native California [[abalone]] is protected as a food source, and a traditional foodway predating settlement by whites, today featuring heavily in the cooking of fine restaurants as well as in home cooking, in mirin-flavored soups (the influence of Japanese cooking is strong in the region) noodle dishes and on the barbecue.

Native [[Ostrea lurida|Olympia oysters]] are served on the half shell as well as the [[Kumamoto oyster]], introduced by Japanese immigrants and a staple at dinner as an appetizer.

[[California mussel]]s are a delicacy of the region, and have been a feature of the cooking for generations. There is evidence that Native American tribes consumed them up and down the California coast for centuries.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Erlandson |first1=Jon |title=Human impacts on ancient shellfish: a 10,000 year record from San Miguel Island, California |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |date=2008 |volume=35 |issue=8 |pages=2144–2152 |doi=10.1016/j.jas.2008.01.014 |bibcode=2008JArSc..35.2144E |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305440308000277 |access-date=November 16, 2022}}</ref>

Crabs are a delicacy, and included in this are [[Alaskan king crab]], [[cancer productus|red crab]], [[Metacarcinus anthonyi|yellow crab]], and [[Dungeness crab]]. Californian and Oregonian sportsmen pursue the last three extensively using hoop nets, and prepare them in a multitude of ways.

Alaskan king crab, able to grow as large as 10&nbsp;kg, is often served steamed for a whole table with lemon-butter sauce or put in chunks of salad with avocado, and native crabs are the base of dishes like the [[California roll]], [[cioppino]], a tomato-based fisherman's stew, and [[Crab Louie]], another kind of salad native to San Francisco.

Favorite grains are mainly wheat, and the region is known for [[sourdough bread]]. Cheeses of the region include [[Humboldt Fog]], [[Monterey Jack]], [[Cougar Gold cheese|Cougar Gold]] and [[Teleme]].<ref>Davies, S. (2010). The Guide to West Coast Cheese: More than 300 Cheeses Handcrafted in California, Oregon, and Washington. Timber Press</ref>

====Southwest and Southern California====
{{Main|Cuisine of the Southwestern United States}}
[[File:Flickr elisart 324248450--Beef and chicken fajitas.jpg|thumb|Mixed beef and chicken ''[[fajita]]'' ingredients, served on a hot iron skillet]]
The states of the [[Four Corners]] ([[Arizona]], [[New Mexico]], [[Colorado]], and [[Utah]]) plus [[Nevada]], [[Southern California]], and [[West Texas]] make up a large chunk of the United States.

There is a distinct Hispanic accent to the cookery here, with each having cultural capitals in [[Albuquerque]], [[Denver]], [[Las Vegas]], [[Los Angeles]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]], [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], [[San Diego]], and [[Tucson]].

For centuries, prior to California's statehood in the 1850s, it was part of the [[Spanish Empire]], namely [[Alta California]] (modern [[California]]), [[Santa Fe de Nuevo México]] (modern [[New Mexico]]), and [[Spanish Texas|Tejas]] (modern [[Texas]]). Today it is home of a large population of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]], Hispanos, descendants of the [[American frontier]], [[Asian Americans]], and immigrants from [[Mexico]] and [[Latin America]].

California, New Mexico, and Texas continue to hold their unique identities which is reflected in their distinct regional cuisines, the multiple [[Cuisine of California|cuisines of California]], [[New Mexican cuisine]], [[Texan cuisine]], and [[Tex-Mex]]. [[Spanish language|Spanish]] is a commonly spoken secondary language here; the state of [[New Mexico]] has its own distinct [[New Mexican Spanish|dialect]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=History, language and culture in New Mexico|url=https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/north-america/united-states-of-america/new-mexico/|access-date=April 29, 2021|website=World Travel Guide|language=en-US|archive-date=April 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429091034/https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/north-america/united-states-of-america/new-mexico/|url-status=live}}</ref>

With the exception of Southern California, the signature meat is [[beef]], since this is one of the two regions in which [[cowboy]]s lived and modern [[Ranch|cattle ranchers]] still eke out their living today.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/nevada-cattle-rancher-wins-range-war-federal-government/story?id=23302610|title=Nevada Cattle Rancher Wins 'Range War' With Federal Government|work=ABC News|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150104081604/http://abcnews.go.com/US/nevada-cattle-rancher-wins-range-war-federal-government/story?id=23302610|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.utahcattlemen.org |title=Welcome to the Utah Cattlemen's Association |publisher=Utahcattlemen.org |access-date=January 16, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218091907/https://utahcattlemen.org/ |archive-date=December 18, 2014 }}</ref> High-quality beefstock is a feature that has been present in the region for more than 200 years and the many cuts of beef are unique to the United States. These cuts of meat are different from the related Mexican cuisine over the border in that certain kind of offal, like ''lengua'' (tongue), ''cabeza'' (head), and ''tripas'' (tripe) are considered less desirable and are thus less emphasized. Typical cuts would include the ribs, brisket, sirloin, flank steak, skirt steak, and t-bone.

[[File:Chili with garnishes and tortilla chips.jpg|thumb|''[[Chili con carne]]'', a typical Tex-Mex dish with garnishes and tortilla chips]]
Historically, Spanish settlers that came to the region found it completely unsuitable to the mining operations that much older settlements in [[Mexico]] had to offer as their technology was not advanced enough to extract the silver that would later be found. They had no knowledge of the gold in California, which would not be found until 1848, and knew even less about the silver in Nevada, undiscovered until after the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].

Instead, in order to make the pueblos prosper, they adapted the old rancho system of places like [[Andalusia]] in [[Spain]] and brought the earliest beefstock, among these were breeds that would go feral and become the [[Texas longhorn]], and [[Navajo-Churro sheep]], still used as breeding stock because they are easy to keep and well adapted to the extremely arid and hot climate, where temperatures easily exceed 38&nbsp;°C.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://doublehelixranch.com/History.html|title=History of Texas Longhorns|first=David|last=Hillis|publisher=Doublehelixranch.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=March 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150306164211/http://doublehelixranch.com/History.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Later, cowboys learned from their management practices, many of which still stand today, like the practical management of stock on horseback using the [[Western saddle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=2&psid=3573|title=Digital History|publisher=Digitalhistory.uh.edu|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 19, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150119162402/http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3573|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Fresh batch of Biscochitos, Albuquerque NM.jpg|thumb|''[[Biscochitos]]'', the [[List of New Mexico state symbols#food|state cookie]] of [[New Mexico]]]]
Likewise, settlers learned the cooking methods of those who came before and local tribes as well, for example, portions of [[Arizona]] and [[New Mexico]] still use the aforementioned beehive shaped clay contraption called an ''[[horno]]'', an outdoor wood-fired oven both Native American tribes like the [[Navajo]] and Spaniards used for roasting meat, [[maize]], and baking bread.<ref>Green, Rayna (1999). The British Museum Encyclopedia of Native North America. London: British Museum Press. p. 4. {{ISBN|0-253-33597-3}}.</ref>

Meats that see frequent use are [[elk]] meat, a favorite in crown roasts and burgers, and nearer the Mexican border [[rattlesnake]], often skinned and stewed.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-snake.html|title=The Nutrition of Snake|publisher=Fitday.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109143157/http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-snake.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04E1DE123EF931A35753C1A9679D8B63|title=How Does Rattlesnake Taste?|date=October 2, 2011|publisher=Query.nytimes.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141214161220/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04E1DE123EF931A35753C1A9679D8B63|url-status=live}}</ref>

The taste for alcohol tends toward light and clean flavors found in [[tequila]], a staple of this region since the days of the [[Wild West]] and a staple in the bartender's arsenal for cocktails, especially in Las Vegas. In Utah, a state heavily populated by [[Mormons]], alcohol is frowned upon by [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] but still available in area bars in [[Salt Lake City]], mainly consumed by the populations of Catholics and other Protestant denominations living there.

Introduction of agriculture was limited prior to the 20th century and the development of better irrigation techniques, but included the addition of [[peach]]es, a crop still celebrated by Native American tribes like the [[Havasupai]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitarizona.com/things-to-do/havasupai-tribe-supai-az |title=Havasupai Tribe |publisher=Visitarizona.com |access-date=January 16, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219010128/http://www.visitarizona.com/things-to-do/havasupai-tribe-supai-az |archive-date=February 19, 2015 }}</ref> and oranges. Today in [[Arizona]], [[Texas]], and [[New Mexico]] the favored orange today is the Moro [[blood orange]], which often finds its way into the local cuisine, like cakes and marmalade.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/blood-orange-marmalade|title=Blood Orange Marmalade|date=June 1, 2010|work=Texas Monthly|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211082045/http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/blood-orange-marmalade|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/halloween-blood-orange-cake|title=Halloween Blood Orange Cake|date=October 31, 2013|work=Texas Monthly|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 11, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211081711/http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/halloween-blood-orange-cake|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Pine nut]]s are a particular regional specialty and feature often in fine dining and cookies; in Nevada the Native American tribes that live there are by treaty given rights to exclusive harvest, and in New Mexico they reserve usage of the term ''piñon'' for certain species of indigenous pine nuts.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/11/21/pine-nuts|title=Pine Nuts|date=November 21, 2011|magazine=The New Yorker|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208081557/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/11/21/pine-nuts|url-status=live}}</ref>

From Native Americans, Westerners learned the practice of eating cactus fruit from the myriad species of [[opuntia]] that occupy the [[Chihuahuan Desert|Chihuahuan]], [[Sonoran Desert|Sonoran]], and [[Mojave Desert|Mojave]] desert lands. In California, Spanish missionaries brought with them the [[mission fig]], and today this fruit is a delicacy.

[[File:New Mexico green chile.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[New Mexico green chile]] is a staple of [[New Mexican cuisine]].]]
Cuisine in this region tends to have certain key ingredients: [[tomato]]es, [[onion]]s, [[black turtle bean|black beans]], [[pinto bean]]s, [[rice]], [[bell pepper]]s, [[chile pepper]]s, and [[cheese]], in particular [[Monterey Jack]], invented to the north in the [[Central Coast (California)|Central Coast]] area of California in the 19th century and itself often further altered into pepper Jack where spicy [[jalapeño]] peppers are incorporated into the cheese to create a smoky taste.

Chili peppers play an important role in the cuisine, with a few native to the region. This is especially true with the region's distinct [[New Mexico chile]] pepper, still grown by [[Hispanos of New Mexico]] and [[Puebloans]] the most sought after of which come from the [[Hatch, New Mexico|Hatch]] valley, [[Albuquerque]]'s [[Albuquerque metropolitan area|Central Rio Grande]], [[Chimayo]], and [[Pueblo]]s.

In New Mexico, chile is eaten on a variety of foods, such as the green chile cheeseburger, made popular by fast food chains such as [[Blake's Lotaburger]]. Indeed, even national fast food chains operating in the state, such as [[McDonald's]], offer locally grown chile on many of their menu items.

In the 20th century a few more recent additions have arrived like the [[poblano pepper]], [[Capsicum pubescens|rocoto pepper]], [[ghost pepper]], [[thai chili pepper]], and [[Korean pepper]], the last three especially when discussing Southern California and its large population from East and South Asia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/chili.html|title=Chilis & Other Peppers|publisher=Clovegarden.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220022218/http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/chili.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-sep-23-fo-calcook23-story.html|title=New Mexico's green chile, the real deal|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 23, 2009|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221135832/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/sep/23/food/fo-calcook23|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Cornbread]] is consumed, however the recipe differs from ones in the East in that the batter is cooked in a cast-iron skillet.

Outdoor cooking is popular and still utilizes an old method settlers brought from the East with them, in which a cast-iron [[Dutch oven]] is covered with the coals of the fire and stacked or hung from a tripod: this is different from the earthenware pots of Mexico.

[[Tortilla]]s are still made the traditional way here and form an important component of the spicy [[breakfast burrito]], which contains ham, eggs, and salsa or ''[[pico de gallo]]''. They are also used for regular [[burrito]]s, which contains any combination of marinated meats, vegetables, and piquant chilis; smothered burritos, often both containing and topped with New Mexico chile sauces; [[quesadilla]]s, a much loved grilled dish where cheese and other ingredients are stuffed between two tortillas and served by the slice; and steak [[fajita]]s, where sliced skirt steak sizzles in a skillet with caramelized onions.

[[File:Goettanachos.jpg|thumb|left|[[Nachos]] with cheese]]
Unlike Mexico, tortillas of this region also may incorporate vegetables like spinach into the flatbread dough to make [[wraps]], which were invented in Southern California. Food here tends to use pungent spices and condiments, typically ''chili verde'' sauce, various kinds of [[hot sauce]], [[sriracha sauce]], [[chili powder]], [[cayenne pepper]], [[white pepper]], [[cumin]], [[paprika]], [[onion powder]], [[thyme]] and [[black pepper]]. Nowhere is this fiery mix of spice more evident than in the dishes [[chili con carne]], a meaty stew, and [[cowboy beans]], both of which are a feature of regional cookoffs.

Southern California has several additions like [[five spice powder]], [[rosemary]], [[curry powder]], [[kimchi]], and [[lemongrass]], with many of these brought by recent immigration to the region and often a feature of Southern California's fusion cuisine, popular in fine dining.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

In Texas, the local barbecue is often entirely made up of beef [[brisket]] or large rib racks, where the meat is seasoned with a [[spice rub]] and cooked over coals of [[mesquite]]. In other portions of the state they smoke the meat and peppery sausages over high heat using [[pecan]], [[apple]], and [[oak]] wood and serve it with a side of pickled vegetables, a legacy of German and Czech settlers of the late 1800s.

California is home to [[Santa Maria–style barbecue]], where the spices involved generally are [[black pepper]], [[paprika]], and [[garlic salt]], and grill over the coals of [[coast live oak]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 18, 2009 |title=Introduction to Santa Maria Style Barbecue |url=https://santamariavalleybbq.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/introduction-to-santa-maria-style-barbecue/ |access-date=August 12, 2022 |website=The Official Santa Maria Style Barbecue Site |language=en |archive-date=August 12, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812024815/https://santamariavalleybbq.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/introduction-to-santa-maria-style-barbecue/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Chimichanga in Bremen 7095.JPG|thumb|A [[chimichanga]]]]
Native American additions may include [[Frybread|Navajo frybread]] and [[corn on the cob]], often roasted on the grill in its husk. A typical accompaniment or appetizer of all these states is the [[tortilla chip]], which sometimes includes cornmeal from cultivars of corn that are blue or red in addition to the standard yellow of sweetcorn, and is served with [[Salsa (sauce)|salsa]] of varying hotness.

Tortilla chips also are an ingredient in the Tex Mex dish [[nachos]], where these chips are loaded with any combination of ground beef, melted Monterey Jack, cheddar, or Colby cheese, [[guacamole]], [[sour cream]], and salsa, and Texas usually prefers a version of [[potato salad]] as a side dish.

For alcohol, a key ingredient is [[tequila]]: this spirit has been made on both sides of the US-Mexican border for generations,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/18-19th%20centuries.htm|title=In Search of the Blue Agave: Tequila History – 18th–19th Centuries|publisher=Ianchadwick.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220924093314/http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/18-19th%20centuries.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and in modern cuisine it is a must-have in a bartender's arsenal as well as an addition to dishes for sauteeing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.closetcooking.com/2008/06/tequila-lime-shrimp.html?m=1|title=Closet Cooking: Tequila Lime Shrimp|work=Closet Cooking|date=June 12, 2008|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208153241/http://www.closetcooking.com/2008/06/tequila-lime-shrimp.html?m=1|url-status=live}}</ref>

Southern California is focused more towards the coast and has had more contact with immigration from the [[West Pacific]] and [[Baja California]], in addition to having the international city of [[Los Angeles]] as its capital. Here, the prime mode of transportation is by car.

Drive through fast food was invented in this area, but so was the concept of the gourmet burger movement, giving birth to chains like [[In-N-Out Burger]], with many variations of burgers including chili, multiple patties, avocado, special sauces, and [[Angus beef|Angus]] or [[wagyu beef]]. Common accompaniments include thick [[milkshake]]s in various flavors like mint, chocolate, peanut butter, vanilla, strawberry, and mango.

[[Smoothie]]s are a common breakfast item made with fresh fruit juice, yogurt, and crushed ice. ''[[Agua fresca]]'', a drink originated by Mexican immigrants, is a common hot-weather beverage sold in many supermarkets and at mom and pop stands, available in citrus, watermelon, and strawberry flavors; the California version usually served chilled without grain in it.

[[File:Pork machaca with eggs, served with potatoes and salsa and wrapped in a tortilla- 2013-04-07 13-31.jpg|thumbnail|''[[Machaca]]'' with pork, eggs, and potatoes wrapped in a tortilla, served with salsa]]
The weather in Southern California is such that the temperature rarely drops below {{convert|54|F}} in winter, thus, sun-loving crops like [[pistachio]]s, [[kiwifruit]], [[avocado]]es, [[strawberries]], and [[tomato]]es are staple crops of the region, the last often dried in the sun and a feature of salads and sandwiches.

[[Olive oil]] is a staple cooking oil of the region and has been since the days of [[Junípero Serra]]; today the [[mission olive]] is a common tree growing in a Southern Californian's back garden. As a crop olives are increasingly a signature of the region along with [[Valencia orange]]s and [[Meyer lemon]]s.

[[Soybean]]s, [[bok choy]], [[Japanese persimmon]], [[thai basil]], [[Napa cabbage]], [[nori]], [[mandarin orange]]s, [[water chestnut]]s, and [[mung bean]]s are other crops brought to the region from East Asia and are common additions to salads as the emphasis on fresh produce in both Southern and Northern California is strong.

Other vegetables and herbs have a distinct Mediterranean flavor which would include [[oregano]], [[basil]], [[summer squash]], [[eggplant]], and [[broccoli]], with all of the above extensively available at farmers' markets all around Southern California.

Naturally, salads native to Southern California tend to be hearty affairs, like [[Cobb salad]] and [[Chinese chicken salad]], and dressings like [[Green goddess dressing|green goddess]] and [[ranch dressing|ranch]] are a staple.

[[California-style pizza]] tends to have disparate ingredients with an emphasis on vegetables, with any combination of chili oil, prawns, eggs, chicken, shiitake mushrooms, olives, bell pepper, goat cheese, and feta cheese. Peanut noodles tend to include a sweet dressing with lo mein noodles and chopped peanuts.

Fresh fish and shellfish in Southern California tends to be expensive in restaurants, but every year since the end of WWII, the Pismo clam festival has taken place where the local population takes a [[pismo clam|large species of clam]] and bakes, stuffs, and roasts it as it is a regional delicacy.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Young |first1=Christopher |title=Digging for Pismo clams at San Diego Beaches |url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2013/apr/12/digging-pismo-clams-san-diego-beaches/ |work=San Diego Reader |date=April 12, 2013 |access-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204051701/https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2013/apr/12/digging-pismo-clams-san-diego-beaches/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.seacrestpismo.com/2012/10/pismo-beach-clam-festival/|title=Dig Into the 66th Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival|work=SeaCrest OceanFront Hotel|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140612063351/http://blog.seacrestpismo.com/2012/10/pismo-beach-clam-festival/|archive-date=June 12, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Fishing for pacific species of octopus and the [[Humboldt squid]] are common, and both are a feature of East Asian and other L.A. fish markets.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2013-jan-14-la-me-fishing-boat-20130114-story.html|title=Jumbo squid invasion attracts eager anglers|work=Los Angeles Times|date=January 14, 2013|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110143946/http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan/14/local/la-me-fishing-boat-20130114|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wideopenfish.com/2011/09/cooking-the-monster-giant-squid-made-easy/|title=Cooking the Monster Giant Squid Made Easy!|work=Wide Open Fishing Los Angeles Orange County Inshore Offshore Fishing|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=December 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221071325/http://www.wideopenfish.com/2011/09/cooking-the-monster-giant-squid-made-easy/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Koslow |first1=Jessica A. |title=10 Best Octopus Dishes in Los Angeles |url=https://www.laweekly.com/10-best-octopus-dishes-in-los-angeles/ |work=LA Weekly |date=May 15, 2013 |access-date=January 2, 2021 |archive-date=October 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030234416/https://www.laweekly.com/10-best-octopus-dishes-in-los-angeles/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Lingcod]] is a coveted regional fish that is often caught in the autumn off the coast of [[San Diego]] and in the [[Channel Islands (California)|Channel Islands]] and often served baked. [[California sheephead]] are often grilled and are much sought after by spear fishermen and the immigrant Chinese population, in which case it is basket steamed.

Most revered of all in recent years is the [[California spiny lobster]], a beast that can grow to 44&nbsp;lb, and is a delicacy that now rivals the fishery for [[Dungeness crab]] in its importance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boatingmag.com/how-to/california-lobster-battles|title=California Lobster Battles|work=Boating Magazine|date=August 7, 2012|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=February 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225221941/http://www.boatingmag.com/how-to/california-lobster-battles|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Pacific and Hawaiian cuisine===
{{Main|Cuisine of Hawaii}}
[[File:Lomi lomi salmon.jpg|thumb|[[Lomi salmon|Lomi-lomi]] salmon]]
Hawaii is often considered to be one of the most culturally diverse U.S. states, as well as being the only state with an Asian-majority population and one of the few places where United States territory extends into the tropics. As a result, [[Hawaii regional cuisine|Hawaiian cuisine]] borrows elements of a variety of cuisines, particularly those of Asian and [[Pacific Rim|Pacific-rim]] cultures, as well as traditional native Hawaiian and a few additions from the American mainland.

American influence in the last 150 years has brought cattle, goats, and sheep to the islands, introducing cheese, butter, and yogurt products, as well as crops like [[red cabbage]].

Major Asian and Polynesian influences on modern Hawaiian cuisine are from Japan, Korea, Vietnam, China (especially near the Pearl River delta,) Samoa, and the Philippines. From Japan, the concept of serving raw fish as a meal with rice was introduced, as was soft [[tofu]], setting the stage for the popular dish called [[Poke (Hawaii)|poke.]]

From Korea, immigrants to Hawaii brought a love of spicy garlic marinades for meat and ''[[kimchi]]''. From China, their version of ''[[char siu baau]]'' became modern ''[[manapua]]'', a type of steamed pork bun with a spicy filling.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coffeetimes.com/may97.htm|title=Getting to the Roots of Hawaii Regional Cuisine|publisher=Coffeetimes.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116201941/http://www.coffeetimes.com/may97.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Filipinos brought vinegar, ''[[bagoong]]'', and ''[[lumpia]]'', and during the 20th century immigrants from [[American Samoa]] brought the open pit fire [[Earth oven|''umu'']]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.polynesia.com/Umu_Making_Release.html#.VH5chJY8Lv4|title=Polynesian Cultural Center Shares The Flavors Of Samoa With Hands-On Umu Making Activity|publisher=Polynesia.com|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116192659/http://www.polynesia.com/Umu_Making_Release.html#.VH5chJY8Lv4|url-status=live}}</ref> and the Vietnamese introduced [[lemongrass]] and [[fish sauce]].

Each East Asian culture brought several different kinds of noodles, including [[udon]], [[ramen]], ''[[mei fun]]'', and ''[[pho]]'', and today these are common lunchtime meals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://danazia.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/history-of-hawaiis-cuisine/|title=History of Hawaii's cuisine – The Go Lightly Gourmet|work=The Go Lightly Gourmet|date=March 8, 2011|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-date=March 15, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315165659/http://danazia.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/history-of-hawaiis-cuisine/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Much of this cuisine mixes and melts into traditions like the [[luau|''lu'au'']], whose traditional elaborate fare was once the prerogative of kings and queens but is today the subject of parties for both tourists and also private parties for the ''‘ohana'' (meaning family and close friends.)

Traditionally, women and men ate separately under the Hawaiian ''[[Kapu (Hawaiian culture)|kapu]]'' system, a system of religious beliefs that honored the Hawaiian gods similar to the [[Māori people|Maori]] ''tapu'' system, though in this case had some specific prohibitions towards females eating things like coconut, pork, turtle meat, and bananas as these were considered parts of the male gods. Punishment for violation could be severe, as a woman might endanger a man's ''mana'', or soul, by eating with him or otherwise by eating the forbidden food because doing so dishonored the male gods.

As the system broke down after 1810, introductions of foods from laborers on plantations began to be included at feasts and much cross pollination occurred, where Asian foodstuffs mixed with Polynesian foodstuffs like [[breadfruit]], [[Aleurites moluccanus|kukui nuts]], and purple [[sweet potato]]es.

Some notable Hawaiian fare includes seared ahi tuna, ''opakapaka'' (snapper) with passionfruit, Hawaiian island-raised lamb, beef and meat products, Hawaiian [[plate lunch]], and Molokai shrimp. Seafood traditionally is caught fresh in Hawaiian waters, and particular delicacies are [[Panulirus marginatus|''ula poni'']], [[Kona crab|''papaikualoa'']], [[Cellana|''‘opihi'']], and [[haliotis discus|''‘opihi malihini'']], better known as Hawaiian spiny lobster, Kona crab, Hawaiian limpet, and abalone, the last brought over with Japanese immigrants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.honolulupulse.com/2014/02/food-la-la-kona-abalone/|title=Food La La: Kona Abalone opens at Ala Moana – Honolulu Pulse – Hawaii Entertainment, Food and NightlifeHonolulu Pulse – Hawaii Entertainment, Food and Nightlife|work=Honolulu Pulse – Hawaii Entertainment, Food and Nightlife|access-date=January 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150116202330/http://www.honolulupulse.com/2014/02/food-la-la-kona-abalone/|archive-date=January 16, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Some cuisine also incorporates a broad variety of produce and locally grown agricultural products, including [[tomato]]es, sweet Maui onions, taro, and macadamia nuts. Tropical fruits also play an important role in the cuisine as a flavoring in cocktails and in desserts, including local cultivars of [[banana]]s, [[sweetsop]], [[mango]]es, [[lychee]], [[coconut]]s, [[papaya]]s, and ''lilikoi'' ([[passionfruit]]). [[Pineapple]]s have been an island staple since the 19th century and figure into many marinades and drinks.

===Common dishes found on a regional level===
{{See also|List of American regional and fusion cuisines}}
<gallery class="center" widths="200" heights="170">
File:BBQ Food.jpg|Chicken, pork and corn cooking in a [[barbecue]] [[smoking (cooking)|smoker]]
File:New York-Style Pizza.png|[[New York–style pizza]] served at a pizzeria in New York
File:Giordanos stuffed pizza.jpg|[[Chicago-style pizza|Chicago-style deep-dish pizza]] from the original [[Giordano's]] location
File:Whiz wit' Pat.gif|A [[Philly cheesesteak]] from Pat's King of Steaks in Philadelphia
File:Keylimepiecut.jpg|Key lime pie is from [[Key West, Florida]].
File:Ribs in a barbecue "pit".jpg|[[Memphis-style barbecue]]
File:Chez Panisse pizza.jpg|[[California-style pizza]]
File:Carnegie Deli Strawberry Cheesecake.jpg|New York–style cheesecake
File:Chicago-style hot dog 2.jpg|Chicago-style hot dog
File:Bostoncreampie.jpg|Boston cream pie
File:Cheese ball.jpg|[[Cheese ball (hors d'oeuvre)|Cheese ball]]
</gallery>