http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071222144339AAma75o
while browsing about on the internet, i stumbled upon this interesting Yahoo! answers® question of the true american food. Is there such a thing as the one true "American" Cuisine? many may agree that the hamburger is the answer, but after a quick dig, it's origins can be traced back to the German town of Hamburg (hence the name "Hamburger"), and invented by Otto Kuase . what about barbecuing? Brought into the Americas, by the Spanish. so, does that mean there is no "true" American Cuisine? the answer is complicated, since what i see as being the true "American" cuisine, is the Americanization of other dishes. This makes sense, at it solidifies the melting pot concept of America, wherein just like the immigrants, who are taken and blended into this melting pot, to create the modern american, these culinary "influences" are taken in together and combined to create something unique, something american. if you notice, authentic Mexican tacos are different than Americanized tacos; Mexican tacos are usually served with 6 inch diameter soft tortillas, loaded with choice meat and topped off with onions and cilanto, while americanized tacos are served with crunchy folded corn tortillas, with ground beef, and lettuce. like being thrown into the melting pot, an immigrant loses the specific distinction of themselves as an immigrant, and takes up a "unifom" notion as an american.
I have to agree with your blog post Ralph, food has become another aspect that has been stripped of its cultural context and stamped as just American. This is an example of the melting pot because, food in this country literally becomes a concoction of flavors to make the American palate happy. We strip these foods from its authentic flavors and then as time passes by it eventually becomes American. This is what happened to the hamburger which was German and the hot dog that originated from Poland.
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