American Food

[Raider Nation Fisher]

The Olive Garden thread got me to thinking. Do other countries have American restraunts. I'm not talking about chains or fast food. I mean if I go to Italy would I find Guido's Soul Food, or Don Capastrone's BBQ? If so. Would it be nationalized like we do with Chinese food? Or would it be served traditional like it is here?

[Long Mike]

Raider, I lived overseas for eleven years (oil patch) and I've never run across a Mom and Pop outfit that specialized in American food. Probably my worst experience with American food was in the early seventies at a KFC in Great Yarmouth, England. They fried their chicken in fish oil! That was the most disgusting fried chicken that I have ever tried. I never went back.

[slonezp]

In answer to your ?, Don't know. There are places in America you can't find "American" food. By that I mean alot of food is regional. I dread going to other parts of the country. I'm spoiled living in Chicago with all the different food options. Not only pizza and hot dogs that we are famous for. Italian beef was invented here and I'd bet most of you have never had one. How many people can go out on any given night for italian, greek, chinese, japanese, indian, middle eastern, polish, russian, mexican, romainian, BBQ, east coast grinders and philly cheese steaks, local seafood, non local seafood, etc? My son want's to open a Chicago style restaurant in the south. I don't think it would work. People are raised on certain foods and it's in their blood. Most people don't like change. I was raised eating italian food and I don't even like going out for italian because most of it doesn't match up.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

In answer to your ?, Don't know. There are places in America you can't find "American" food. By that I mean alot of food is regional. I dread going to other parts of the country. I'm spoiled living in Chicago with all the different food options. Not only pizza and hot dogs that we are famous for. Italian beef was invented here and I'd bet most of you have never had one. How many people can go out on any given night for italian, greek, chinese, japanese, indian, middle eastern, polish, russian, mexican, romainian, BBQ, east coast grinders and philly cheese steaks, local seafood, non local seafood, etc? My son want's to open a Chicago style restaurant in the south. I don't think it would work. People are raised on certain foods and it's in their blood. Most people don't like change. I was raised eating italian food and I don't even like going out for italian because most of it doesn't match up.

I'm gonna disagree with you on that one. I think a Chicago style restraunt would do pretty well in the south. We got a Chicago style pizzeria here. It's one of the busiest restraints in town. It's won all kinds of awards too. Two inch thick slices of pizza! Drooollll!!

I think location plays a big part in how well it would do. Avoid the small towns stick with the bigger cities.

Also outta curiosity do yall by chance have Kogel (sp) hot dogs up there?

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Raider, I lived overseas for eleven years (oil patch) and I've never run across a Mom & Pop outfit that specialized in American food. Probably my worst experience with American food was in the early seventies at a KFC in Great Yarmouth, England. They fried their chicken in fish oil! That was the most disgusting fried chicken that I have ever tried. I never went back.

That's kind of disheartening. The poor people don't know what they are missing.

I bet that chicken was horrible. It honestly doesn't even sound appealing. Ughhh. Yet I guess they could say the same about sone of the stuff we eat too, so I can't rag them too much on it.

[slonezp]

Vienna Beef and Oscar Meyer are the big names. Both are local

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Vienna Beef and Oscar Meyer are the big names. Both are local

Never had the Vienna Beef. If I have I didn't know what they were. Anywho I agree yall got some dang good hotdogs and pizza.

[clayton86]

All I know is "buffalo" chicken here in Mississippi ain't buffalo chicken.

[Hi Salenity]

American food should just be called KANSAS food as we have the best BBQ!

[midnighthrasher]

You can find McDonalds all over the world. I spent alot of time abroad and people always called fast food type meals American.

[jeremyt]

American food should just be called KANSAS food as we have the best BBQ!

I'll have to respectfully disagree eastern NC BBQ is the best.

[Fishing Rhino]

American food should just be called KANSAS food as we have the best BBQ!

Clambake is better. Clams, potatoes (white and sweet), hot dogs, sausage, kielbasa, linguicia, onions, sweet corn, tripe (the lining of a cow's belly), fish, and sometimes lobster are the typical ingredients.

It's how they are cooked that makes it so tasty with a smoky flavor.

First wood is stacked so that it can burn really hot. It may be as much as a cord, depending on how many are being fed. Throughout the wood are smooth round beach stones, and plenty of them. The fire is then lit. When most of the wood is burned, the remaining embers are raked away from the fire leaving only the rocks. This is done by folks wearing firemen's gear. It's that hot. Usually they are periodically hosed down with water to cool them down. The rocks are then placed in a flat, rectangular or square pile over a foot high. On top of the rocks goes a thick layer of salt water rockweed, over a foot thick. The ingredients, in wooden trays are then stacked on the rockweed in a particular order since they each have different cooking rates.

Once all the goodies are in place, several layers of canvas tarps are spread over the food, seaweed, and rocks. The tarps extend onto the ground and more rockweed is placed on the edges to provide a better seal.

Clam chowder is then served, and after about an hour of cooking the tarps are removed, the wooden trays are placed on long tables with plates and utensils at one end. Grab a plate, walk down the line, and servers place the food on your plate. At the end of the line are cups of melted butter for the clams and lobster. No napkins. Rolls and rolls of paper towels on the tables.

It's not a meal. It's an event, from start to finish. An interesting note. Beach stones can only be used once. With new regs prohibiting taking stones from a beach, steel balls, like cannon balls are used in place of the stones. The upside, they can be used over and over.

Do not mistake a clambake for a clamboil. Clamboils are great, but bakes are better.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Clambake is better. Clams, potatoes (white and sweet), hot dogs, sausage, kielbasa, linguicia, onions, sweet corn, tripe (the lining of a cow's belly), fish, and sometimes lobster are the typical ingredients.

It's how they are cooked that makes it so tasty with a smoky flavor.

First wood is stacked so that it can burn really hot. It may be as much as a cord, depending on how many are being fed. Throughout the wood are smooth round beach stones, and plenty of them. The fire is then lit. When most of the wood is burned, the remaining embers are raked away from the fire leaving only the rocks. This is done by folks wearing firemen's gear. It's that hot. Usually they are periodically hosed down with water to cool them down. The rocks are then placed in a flat, rectangular or square pile over a foot high. On top of the rocks goes a thick layer of salt water rockweed, over a foot thick. The ingredients, in wooden trays are then stacked on the rockweed in a particular order since they each have different cooking rates.

Once all the goodies are in place, several layers of canvas tarps are spread over the food, seaweed, and rocks. The tarps extend onto the ground and more rockweed is placed on the edges to provide a better seal.

Clam chowder is then served, and after about an hour of cooking the tarps are removed, the wooden trays are placed on long tables with plates and utensils at one end. Grab a plate, walk down the line, and servers place the food on your plate. At the end of the line are cups of melted butter for the clams and lobster. No napkins. Rolls and rolls of paper towels on the tables.

It's not a meal. It's an event, from start to finish. An interesting note. Beach stones can only be used once. With new regs prohibiting taking stones from a beach, steel balls, like cannon balls are used in place of the stones. The upside, they can be used over and over.

Do not mistake a clambake for a clamboil. Clamboils are great, but bakes are better.

Sounds like my kind of event. I'm gonna have to go to one.

Oh, and Yall are all wrong! Alabama has the best BBQ hands down. Only place that comes close is possibly Memphis.

[Hi Salenity]

Clambake is better. Clams, potatoes (white and sweet), hot dogs, sausage, kielbasa, linguicia, onions, sweet corn, tripe (the lining of a cow's belly), fish, and sometimes lobster are the typical ingredients.

It's how they are cooked that makes it so tasty with a smoky flavor.

First wood is stacked so that it can burn really hot. It may be as much as a cord, depending on how many are being fed. Throughout the wood are smooth round beach stones, and plenty of them. The fire is then lit. When most of the wood is burned, the remaining embers are raked away from the fire leaving only the rocks. This is done by folks wearing firemen's gear. It's that hot. Usually they are periodically hosed down with water to cool them down. The rocks are then placed in a flat, rectangular or square pile over a foot high. On top of the rocks goes a thick layer of salt water rockweed, over a foot thick. The ingredients, in wooden trays are then stacked on the rockweed in a particular order since they each have different cooking rates.

Once all the goodies are in place, several layers of canvas tarps are spread over the food, seaweed, and rocks. The tarps extend onto the ground and more rockweed is placed on the edges to provide a better seal.

Clam chowder is then served, and after about an hour of cooking the tarps are removed, the wooden trays are placed on long tables with plates and utensils at one end. Grab a plate, walk down the line, and servers place the food on your plate. At the end of the line are cups of melted butter for the clams and lobster. No napkins. Rolls and rolls of paper towels on the tables.

It's not a meal. It's an event, from start to finish. An interesting note. Beach stones can only be used once. With new regs prohibiting taking stones from a beach, steel balls, like cannon balls are used in place of the stones. The upside, they can be used over and over.

Do not mistake a clambake for a clamboil. Clamboils are great, but bakes are better.

That sounds great!

[GrundleLove]

i actually went to a soul food restaurent in england when i visited. and then 2 years later they where on Ramseys kitchen nightmares...so you figure out how good it was.

[Hi Salenity]

As for that Mustard or vinegar base sauce I think we may be on to something, we could feed it to the foreigners! LOL