The United States of America (USA) is the name for a country in North America. The area of 9.529.063 km2 (fourth country in the world) is home to 50 federal states and one federal district. The capital city is Washington D.C., and other large cities are: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio.
Soul food is the Afro-American version of southern cuisine that is prepared with the same special love a mother has when feeding her child
It consists of a lower part in the east and a mountainous part in the west; the eastern part covers the coastal valley along the Atlantic ocean, the Appalachian mountains and central valley between the Rocky Mountains from the west and the Appalachian in the east, and the mountainous region consists of the Rocky Mountains in the east and west and Cordeliers in the west and between them are basins and high plains.
The climate is mostly continental, subtropical around the Mexican Gulf, mountain climate in the mountain zone, and ocean climate on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
The main rivers are: Connecticut, Hudson, Delaware, Potomac, St. Lawrence, Mississippi, Alabama, Brazos, Rio Grande, Yukon, Columbia, Colorado and Sacramento.
The USA is the first food exporter in the world.
Historical influence
It is assumed that the North American continent was discovered by the Vikings around the year 1000, but to the Europeans it became known in 1492 after Columbus’s discovery. The continent inhabited with Indians was first colonized by the Spaniards, then the French, English, Dutch and Swedish.
Up to the year 1775 the population rose to 2.5 million. The economy was mainly based on agriculture apart from the south where slaves from Africa worked on cotton and tobacco plantations and Indians were driven to the west. In the 18th century a number of wars between the French and the British took place ending with the Peace of Paris. The conflict between the British and American colonists known as the Boston Tea Party occurred in 1773. The continental congress tried to stand up against the repressive measures of the British administration and in 1775 the War of Independence started.
On 4th July 1776 the Declaration of Independence was proclaimed. Thirteen colonies united and became the United States of America and in 1787 George Washington was elected as the first president. In 1845 the territory of the USA expanded to New Mexico and California, all up to the Pacific Ocean.
Differences between the slave-owning South and the industrialised North resulted in war in 1861, which ended in 1865 with the victory of the North. In 1867 Alaska was bought from Russia. The USA became the first industrial country in the world.
In World War I, the USA contributed to the victory of the Entente. The great economic crisis occurred in 1929 which President f. D. Roosevelt successfully ended with his New Deal.
In World War II, the USA supported Great Britain in the battle against Nazism and fascism.
Cuisine
"Melting pot"
This picturesque name best describes the population of the United States of America: “a pot where different people, tradition, cultures, races, religions and gastronomies from all over the world are melted”. The American cuisine is therefore extremely diverse and cannot be reduced to a common factor, nor strictly be defined.
What we immediately think of when someone mentions “American cuisine” is fast food: hamburgers French fries, fried chicken, hot-dog, potato salad, meat loaf, doughnuts, apple pie and traditional meals that are served at special occasions such as stuffed turkey, sweet potato and cranberry sauce.
The conventional wisdom is that the majority of the population – middle and lower class literally lives on fast food. That is really true, and home-made, cooked food is rare, but that does not mean it does not exist.
Grill and chilli, typical cowboy food is so popular that even annual chilli festivals are held.
Regional cuisine
Settlers brought with them the specialties of their country and with time those meals became widely accepted and popular. Regional styles of cooking were created by the ethnic groups of the first settlers, adjusting their recipes to local tastes and available ingredients. This is also one of the charms of travelling through the USA: in each region you can expect different specialties.
New England
The northeast part of the USA is known under the name New England, famous for refreshing meals created from recipes taken over by British colonists and seafood. This is the country of Brunswick stews, Yankee roasts and Boston beans.
Tourists are recommended to try the famous thick mussels soup which gained popularity in other parts of North America as well, and lobster from Maine that is on the menu of almost all better restaurants. The coastal cities such as Boston and Providence are places where seafood lovers can enjoy.
Central part
The Germans, Scandinavians, East Europeans, Russians, the British and Italians and all their cuisines participated in creating a unique cuisine of the central part of North America. The European tradition and local ingredients reached full beauty in combination with Indian skills of preparing food that is simple, but nutritious. Cornish pasties (meat pies), different types of bread, cakes, pan cakes and pies, trout and seafood, stews, pickled vegetables, and even the Croatian specialty – sarma are the most frequently mentioned meals in this part of the USA.
The Germans brought beer, sauerkraut, sausages and salami and numerous types of bread. The Scandinavians brought lutefisk (fish), lefse (bread made of potato) and meat balls; the Hungarians brought goulash and the Italians the art of making cheese. Cooks adapted to the cold and long winters with an appropriate way of preserving ingredients: curing meat, pickling vegetables and preserving fruit and vegetables.
Southern cuisine
Southern cooking or down home southern cooking is the name of the cuisine of the southeast states of the USA and this cuisine is not for sensitive stomachs. It was created following the desires of tough farmers who need a rich and nutritious diet for their hard work and energy. Just to mention it is based on food fried in deep oil, greasy sauces and very sweet desserts and you can imagine how this kind of cuisine is paradise for cholesterol. Elvis Presley, who worshipped home-made southern cuisine and his waist line proved this statement. Southern fried chicken (deep fried chicken) and deep-fried steak (beef steak fried in deep fat) are served with thick white sauce called home-style gravy.
The Southerners show great taste for grill. As opposed to westerners they do not like sweet tomato sauce, and pork, especially pork ribs which are first marinated and then slowly grilled. Grilled dishes are served wit fresh vegetables, peas and corn bread. Pecan pie (pie made of a type of walnut that grows in the South of the USA), peach cobbler (ice beverage from wine, sugar, peach and lemon), banana pudding and sweet potato pie are just some of the most popular treats.
Soul food is the Afro-American version of southern cuisine that is prepared with the same special love a mother has when feeding her child.
New Orleans and Cajun cooking
Simple and full of flavour Cajun (nation that lives west and south of New Orleans; of French-Canadian origin) cooking is prepared in pots of heavy, cast iron. Most of the recipes contain a spicy trio which consists of: peppers, onion and celery.
Although it is situated in the very heart of the south, New Orleans is proud of its original cuisine with a European touch. This city situated on the banks of the Mississippi carries a mixture of Spanish, French and African culture. It is a well balanced blend of light Creole and French cuisine, with intensive African and West-Indian spices.
Fish and steak are grilled covered with layers of pepper, chilli and other hot spices. Jambalaya and gumbo are spiced stews with meat, sausages and seafood. Specialties are Creole bouillabaisse, shrimp rémoulade, okra beignets, pompano en papillote, chicken Rochambeau, wild goose cassoulet and terrapin stew.
Southwest Tex-Mex
Indians and early Spanish settlers from Mexico had the greatest influence on the cuisine of south-western states. Available ingredients and Mexican spices created the cuisine of this region, whose version of Tex-Mex is popular both in Texas and along the Mexican border.
Grill and chilli, typical cowboy food, are so popular that annual chilli festivals are held and the winner cook is awarded a prize for the best recipe. Lovers of Tex-Mex will not refuse original Mexican specialties such as nachos, tacos, burritos and salsa.
Californian cuisine
We have reached a healthier terrain here. Plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit and seafood require a lighter diet. The diverse population brought with them bits and pieces of their national cuisines and combined with an abundance of fruits of nature created the Californian cuisine.
Fresh ingredients are seasoned with strange spices: do not be surprised if you are served lettuce with avocado or orange, hot Asian peanut sauce. A lot of grilled fish is consumed, which is first marinated in salsa and then served with vegetables Chinese style and Indian fried bread. Almost every national cuisine will find its way into Californian cuisine, the forerunner of avant-garde and experimental cooking.
Fast Facts
Name: United
States of America (USA)
Area: 9.63 million km2
Population: 290 million
Capital city: Washington DC
Language: English, Spanish, Indian
Religion: Protestant (56%), Roman-Catholic (28%),
Jewish (2%), Muslim (1%)
Currency: American dollar ($)
Most attractive events:
- Super Bowl: football finals in second half of January
- Mardi Gras in New Orleans: in February or March
- St Patrick'S Day, especially celebrated in New York and Chicago, in mid March
- Independance Day: 4th July
- Halloween: 31st October
- Thanksgiving: fourth Thursday in November
