The Top 10 Foods Only America Could Have Invented
Photo: Emdot
When it comes to food, America gets a bad rap. It’s a common refrain that America has no cuisine to call our own. We’ve got apple pie and hot dogs, but that’s about it. (And when you really get down to it, the Germans invented hot dogs, and the British were eating apple pie like 1,000 years ago.
But the truth is, America does have a cuisine to call it’s own. Over the past 232 years we’ve invented some of the most creative, daring, and yes, downright craziest dishes the world has ever seen. Sure, they can be overly greasy, a little too cheesy, and sometimes fried a few times too many. But they’re ours. So to celebrate Independence Day, we’ve put together this list of the best foods that only a country with just the right combination of greed, grit, and gluttony could have possibly dreamed up.
The Top Ten Foods Only America Could Have Invented:
10. Corn Dog
Photo: Intangible Arts
In 1942, at a beautiful place called the Texas State Fair, an industrious young man named Neil Fletcher came up with a way to make his hot dogs sell quicker: dip them in corn meal, deep fry ‘em, and pop ‘em on a stick. And so an American tradition was born. Every year, as the weather turns warmer and state fair season comes around, Americans say to themselves: what can we deep fry next? We’ve deep fried twinkies, oreos, hamburgers, even coca-cola. But all of these wondrous achievements owe a debt to the original food that really didn’t need to be battered and fried but just had to be: the corn dog.
9. Philly Cheesesteak
Photo: x-eyedblonde
Only Philadelphia, the most American of all cities, could invent an iconic sandwich and then vehemently insist that there shall be no attempts to make it good. Crappiest ingredients only, please. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell explained problems non PA-ers have when trying to make cheesesteaks: “First, they use good meat. You need the fattiest, stringiest meat to get a proper taste.” The second mistake, of course, is that you’ve got to use Cheese Whiz; no real cheese allowed. Rendell insists this is became “real cheese doesn’t melt,” which is of course a lie. But never matter. The Philly Cheesesteak is delicious. Would it be more delicious if it were made with thinly slice Kobe steak and melted Gruyere? Of course it would be. But it wouldn’t be as amazing.
8. “Chinese Food”
Photo: VirtualEm
One of the great things about American cuisine is that when we come up with something so outrageous that even we can’t stand behind it, we figure out a way to pin it on someone else. Case in point: “Chinese Food.” All across America, Chinese buffets offer endless arrays of beautiful, deep-fried, grease-soaked food. General Tso’s chicken, chop suey, egg rolls, chow mein, fortune cookies. What do all these dishes have in common? They were all invented in America. Seriously people, do you really think Chinese people eat this crap? No. They eat rice. With vegetables and maybe a little meat. And it’s not battered or fried, or double fried, or double battered, and it’s certainly not filled with cheese. I mean, crab rangoon? Come on, that stuff has imitation crab meat and cream cheese. It could only have been invented in one place, and I think you know where that is.
7. S’mores
Photo: Phil Hawksworth
It’s difficult to say exactly how s’mores became so popular throughout America. Graham crackers are not particularly well-liked, and neither are marshmallows. We generally do not enjoy eating things that were cooked on a stick our little brother just found in the dirt, nor do we usually like to burn our food to a crisp before dinnertime. Yet somehow, s’mores just work. Despite their cutesy contraction of a name, and the fact that we have to actually cook and assemble them ourselves, rather than order them from a fast food window, I’ve yet to meet a person who does not love s’mores. Except for foreigners, who will look at you like you are the craziest person ever if you try to explain what a s’more is.
6. Reuben Sandwich
Photo: kimberlykv
This fully-loaded sandwich may seem like an international delicacy, but the reuben is as American as it gets. Start with pastrami–a meat so infused with spices that it has more flavor in a single bite than most full meals. Pile this sky-high, preferably using at least a pound of meat per sandwich. Add on some “swiss” cheese–a bland, hole-y cheese that no actual Swiss person would ever touch. Top it off with “Russian dressing,” a beautiful orange mayonnaise concoction that–you guessed it–hasn’t a thing to do with Russia.
5. Cobb Salad
Photo: Richard Moross
The responsibility of eating all this greasy, fatty food can be weighty. Sometimes so much so that Americans have been known to say “I think I’ll just have a salad today.” Of course, when we say salad, we don’t mean it in the same greens-and-tomatoes topped with balsamic way that the Euros do. No, when we make a salad, we pile it so high with meat, cheese and carbs that it passes the caloric intake of the cheeseburger we were so proud of ourselves for passing up. The ultimate example: the cobb salad. Bacon, chicken, eggs, cheese, and really whatever else you can find in your fridge, ideally piled so high that the eater can see no shred of lettuce at all.
4. Baked Alaska
Photo: Angusf
We Americans are complex people. When we face serious decisions like “What would you like for dessert, dear? Ice cream or pie?” we don’t merely sit back and say, “How about you put a scoop of ice cream on top of that pie?” No, no. We take the entire box of ice cream, and figure out a way to bake it inside the damn pie. How does it work? Damned if I know. But I do know this: you can throw rum on top of it and light it on fire - now that’s a meal.
3. Buffalo Wings
Photo: rick
So yeah, chicken is fine. I mean, it can taste OK sometimes, but really it’s kind of a bland protein. Why can’t you be more like pork, chicken? Wait a minute. What if we fry it at 600 degrees to a burnt little crisp, until it’s barely recognizable as meat, then smother it in XXX hot sauce and serve it with a heaping bowl of gooey cheese product? That’s more like it, chicken! Bonus points: the use of vegetables—solely as a palette cleanser between bites of meat.
2.Turducken
Photo: The CJM
Such a brilliant-but-simple innovation, it’s hard to believe that 5,000 years of civilization couldn’t create it without us. Take one turkey, shove a duck inside it, and then shove a chicken inside that. From there you’re on you’re own, although it’ s most preferably enjoyed with sausage stuffing in the very middle, deep-fried, and wrapped in bacon if possible. Bonus points if you can figure out a way to enjoy some form of melted cheese product with this monstrosity. Some people have pushed to have the turducken become the traditional Thanksgiving feast, while others have begun to enjoy it on Christmas. But this invention is so uniquely American that there is no better day to enjoy one than the Fourth of July.
1.Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
Photo: WayTru
When Ruth Graves Wakefield of Whitman, Massachusetts first chopped up a semisweet chocolate bar and added it to her buttery cookie recipe in 1937, she invented a treat that likely would have made this list on its own merits. But it was to be significantly improved. As the decades went on and millions of Americans attempted to recreate Ruth’s recipe, they came to a shocking realization: they were way too lazy to actually bake the cookies. On the flip side, they realized that eating the cookie dough straight from the bowl was actually even tastier than waiting for the final cookie, despite the salmonella risks. Searching for a way to eat this delicious snack without having mom yell at you to get your hands out of the mixing bowl, America put our collective heads together for one epic conclusion: chop it up and put it in ice cream. Now that’s cooking.
Read More:
on July 2nd, 2008 at 11:13 am
Corned beef! A reuben is made with corned beef, not pastrami. Mmm, pastrami…
on July 2nd, 2008 at 11:43 am
don’t tell anyone - but i’ve never had a corn dog before.
on July 2nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
nor me… we should lose our corn dog virginity together!
on July 2nd, 2008 at 12:32 pm
WTF, Stef! That’s ridiculous!
I was thinking nachos should be added, although wikipedia claims that they originated in a Mexican border town when a restaurateur made them for a bunch of gringos http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nachos
not sure if the story’s true tho
also, tater tots
on July 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Brilliant!
For the record, though, minibar does one HELL of an upscale cheesesteak (two bites, of course). It may not be the real deal, but it blew us away.
And the Cobb salad is definitely a piece of culinary genius, but I think the Taco Salad trumps it for sheer brazen disregard of all things traditionally salad. The ‘Real Men of Genius’ ad that salutes “Mr. Giant Taco Salad Inventor” is an all-time favorite.
And I definitely second the inclusion of Tater Tots on the list. Honorable mention, maybe?
on July 2nd, 2008 at 1:04 pm
The reuben can be made with either corned beef or pastrami, depending on where you are in the country and what you prefer. So it’s best to check, to make sure you don’t get a meat you’re not expecting.
on July 2nd, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Doesn’t a Reuben also have sauerkraut? A “vegetable” that’s super laden with sugar? Just wondering…
I’ve never had a corn dog either. Haha… for shame? I’ve been thinking how I kind of want to try one lately, but it isn’t as easily had as you’d think!
on July 2nd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
It can also be made with smoked duck, if you order it off the bar menu at Poste. Fourteen bucks, but well worth it!
on July 2nd, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Awesome, awesome post. Well done.
Also Gansie, the fact that you’ve never had a corn dog is an abomination. I am the rare eater that doesn’t really care for normal hot dogs, but would devour as many corn dogs as you could put in front of me.
on July 2nd, 2008 at 4:18 pm
i can’t believe how many of you have never tried a corn dog! Coney Island is a good place to start
on July 2nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
[…] Endless Simmer has Top 10 foods only America could have invented. […]
on July 2nd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
well, i have a very good reason i never ate a corn dog.
being raised kosher-jewish, my mom was never quite sure what kind of meat made up the corn dog, so i was never allowed to have them growing up. and every time we wanted a hot dog in a public place, my mom would need to verify that it was 100% beef. so by the time i got out of my eating kosher phase, i was consequently out of my trying fried mystery meat phase. well, fine, im not really out of that phase, i just haven’t been to the garden state fair in a while.
i do admit, though, this needs to be remedied.
on July 2nd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Um… what about the doubledecker veggie burger… pretty sure that’s as american as apple pie. vegetarianism is pretty damned american these days
on July 2nd, 2008 at 5:10 pm
tur-duck-en was not invented by us. We actually slimmed it down. I read about it - some Royal European thing made with like 26 animals - and the thing at the very center? Either an oyster or a truffle, depending on your taste. Royalty was known to throw everything away but that one middle.
on July 2nd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
so when are we going to have a party with all ten best together????? we’lll bring whatever; at all beef c dogs
i’m sure we can make up a 10 best drink list too!!! what a hellava party that would be!!!!!!
hope every es’er has a safe and fun holiday weekend
on July 3rd, 2008 at 7:52 am
Corn Dogs were regularly served in my College’s canteen. I was surprised by this food (a naive foreigner, then), but almost immediately took to its obvious advantages over all foods that, lamentably, _don’t_ come on a stick.
-
Turducken isn’t really all that American — the French kings had already contests in the astonishing field of: how many different dead birds can you stick into one-another. Record is something like 14, topped off with a deliciously fried Hummingbird. (Boneless!) [Oh, someone just made that point… darnit.]
on July 3rd, 2008 at 9:21 am
Love corndogs slathered with a little yellow mustard. Yummy. But I only eat them at Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
on July 3rd, 2008 at 10:34 am
hello!!! deep fried oreos/mars bars! fried ice cream!!!
on July 3rd, 2008 at 10:38 am
In case anyone else was wondering what the damn difference between pastrami and corned beef is…
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/ck_culinary_qa/article/0,1971,FOOD_9796_1696221_,00.html
on July 3rd, 2008 at 10:49 am
Uhhh, I hate to break it to you, but egg rolls and chow mein have been in existence around China and surrounding Asian nations forever.
on July 3rd, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Uhhh, Kinkistyle, I hate to break it to you, but Chinese and other Asian nations do not eat egg rolls or chow mein. To think so would be as absurd as suggesting that the American and French diet are identical due to skin color. Raviolis are more akin to a Chinese dish than any egg roll. Don’t get me started on “Italian” food as we know it here in the US.
on July 3rd, 2008 at 12:41 pm
[…] July 4th special list of the most disgusting/amazing American foods set off quite the […]
on July 3rd, 2008 at 7:48 pm
My daughter-in-law is from the Phillipines and she makes us a type of egg roll quite often. It is longer and skinnier, but it is basically the same type of food as an egg roll and she calls it lampia. I also know a girl from Korea that make the same type of thing.
on July 4th, 2008 at 2:32 am
[…] Endless Simmer -The Top 10 Foods Only America Could Have Invented hee. (tags: absurdity US food) […]
on July 4th, 2008 at 3:16 am
Uh, Carl, hate to break it to you… We Chinese people have been eating whatever in the pictures forever. I don’t live in America btw. So yea, what you Americans brought your Chinese food to us Chinese people???
on July 4th, 2008 at 3:20 am
The Top 10 Foods Only America Could Have Invented…
When it comes to food, America gets a bad rap. It’s a common refrain that America has no cuisine to call our own. We’ve got apple pie and hot dogs, but that’s about it. (And when you really get down to it, the Germans invented hot dogs, and the B…
on July 4th, 2008 at 4:01 am
[…] them out here. Especially the Turducken (I have never had […]
on July 4th, 2008 at 5:48 am
Yeah my mom is from Korea and she makes a couple types of fried egg rolls and fried rice. My neighbors from the Phillipines made those lampia Vaughn is talking about too. They’re identical in concept to the American Chinese restaurant egg roll, but a lot better..
Now I’m hungry
on July 4th, 2008 at 6:35 am
My mother (who is korean) makes eggrolls as well. I’m not sure if they’re American foods, but who cares… they’re awesome and I eat that stuff up!
Anywho.. I can’t believe there are people who have never had a corndog before! *gasps* You don’t know what you’re missing! Best ever!! I also love pigs in a blanket. Yum yum!
hehe
And I love my American Chinese food
on July 4th, 2008 at 6:42 am
If you’ve never had a corn dog, try this recipe.. it’s pretty simple: http://thisfoodthing.wordpress.com/2007/07/11/old-fashioned-corn-dogs/
on July 4th, 2008 at 7:02 am
Turducken comes from ancient Rome… Not American, not even invented in the centuries America has existed.
Replace with “Fluffernutter”.
http://www.marshmallowfluff.com/pages/fluffernutter.html
kthxbye
on July 4th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Great collection of all-American inventiveness and ingenuity… even if half of them make you want to barf a little when you think about it.
Every year in Brussels, at an American-hosted Christmas party, the room was PACKED with foreigners who beelined it to the table serving up… corn dogs! They couldn’t get enough of them. Darndest think you ever saw (well, the Brits begged off, but the Continental Europeans were just crazy for them.) God Bless Texas.
on July 4th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Well, you say that your number 2 “Turducken” is far from a “uniquely American” invention! Multi-bird roasts were very popular in the banquets of medieval Europe. They remained popular for a long time – here’s a recipe, published in 1829, for a “Roast without equal” of 17 birds (it’s in French): http://cuisine.evasions.be/cuisine_1829/cuisind4.htm#_VPINDEXENTRY_701 .
on July 4th, 2008 at 9:47 am
You’re wrong about turducken, it was invented in France about 1,000 years ago. A simple wiki search could’ve shown you that.
Not big on research, huh?
on July 4th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Fantastic selection of food hmmm!
I’m coming to America
on July 4th, 2008 at 10:23 am
[…] the right combination of greed, grit, and gluttony could have possibly dreamed up. Please click here to see the […]
on July 4th, 2008 at 10:39 am
[…] sure most of you have J-4 plans already, and they probably involve burgers and corn dogs at a neighborhood bbq. But just in case you want to get out of the heat, and make someone […]
on July 4th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Hush Puppies! French Toast! Yankee Pot Roast! Deep-fried Okra! Pop Tarts!
on July 4th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
You all that eat or corndogs or not, I love them with maple syrup! And my understanding of a pastrami “Rueben” is that it is called a “Rachael” and has coleslaw instead of kraut. Can’t remember if it has a different bread or cheese though…
on July 4th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
[…] going on in Mississippi; I’m thinking something along the lines of butterscotch IVs. Happy America Day! Published […]
on July 4th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
[…] http://www.endlesssimmer.com/2008/07/02/the-top-10-foods-only-america-could-have-invented/ […]
on July 4th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Tatertots don’t really reflect the fatness of the United States, by the way, the United States invented these foods, not America, leave Canada, Latin America, and South America out of the glory of the glorious turducken.
on July 5th, 2008 at 4:10 am
“Uhhh, Kinkistyle, I hate to break it to you, but Chinese and other Asian nations do not eat egg rolls ”
If you want to mince fine hairs down to the molecule then you’re correct, however someone needs to do their homework. The egg roll that one typically gets at chinese restaurants is more akin to what Chinese cooks (like Martin Yan) call a “spring roll”. I’ve seen a Vietnamese restaurant call a similar dish an “imperial roll” (Ch? giò). In the Philippines and I hear Indonesia, they are called “lumpia”, from hokkien “lun pia”. The Hokkien also brought the noodle dish called pansit to the Philippines.Chow mein IS eaten in China, but it is of a different style, just like every single ethnic cuisine made for Americans.
Also, how are Raviolis closer to a Chinese dish than an egg roll or chow mein? Last I heard the Chinese didn’t fill theirs with things like spinach, cheese, nor did they dress them in cheese, olive oil, or tomato based sauces.
on July 5th, 2008 at 4:53 am
One of my favorites is the “stuffed crust ” pizza. Also, once Domino’s, I think,offered something called “pizzert.” Truly frightening.
on July 5th, 2008 at 5:34 am
In no way is the Turducken authentically American, except as a simplification of the original. I can’t remember it’s name - but it was a 10-bird stack, and dates back to Elizabethan England. It’s documented in surviving cookery books (yes, they had them!) of the period.
So the idea pre-dates your *country* by at least 250 years
on July 5th, 2008 at 7:44 am
this post is real funny! i mean the way everything is described is so ‘eloquently american’! kudos! loved reading about all the food.. hmm.. getting hungry already! =)
on July 5th, 2008 at 8:56 am
How about peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Pretty sure that was invented in the US
on July 5th, 2008 at 9:01 am
The Philly Cheesesteak is not normally made from the cheapest steak and cheese whiz. As many may know, the city is divided between the cheese whiz lovers and the purists who take theirs with Provolone cheese.
I worked in a restaurant in Philly where cheesesteaks were made and we used good quality beef for the minute steaks used in the sandwich.
Now that I’m a vegetarian, I still make them, but obviously not with beef.
… seems many of us have picked up on your lack of research.
… and yes, a Reuben is made with Corned Beef, not Pastrami.
on July 5th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Swiss cheese is certainly not bland! It’s actually kind of strong. If you get Kraft cheese, of course it’s bland. If you get real cheese (god forbid! real cheese!) it’s very good. And, it’s called Swiss cheese because of it’s resemblance to Emmental, which is actual Swiss cheese.
Check your typing. There’s quite a few mistakes… “became” instead of “because,” etc.
Enjoyed reading though.
on July 5th, 2008 at 10:14 am
We Americans are so lazy we also invented peanut butter and jelly IN THE SAME JAR!
on July 5th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
The only question I have is, since when are Graham crackers and marshmallows not popular in the US?
on July 5th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Turducken is a French dish from about 400 years ago.
on July 5th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Indeed “chinese food”is chinese
americans only sell the shitty versions of it,
you americans are dumbasses
on July 5th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Turducken is not armerican!
yes the pooey name is, but here in england weve been doing that for years.
we get a goose, stick and turkey inside, followed by turkey, duck, quail and a songbird. We also put layers of stuffing and venison in between layers. Its called a Lancashire Pot. One of the most expensive meals ever =D
on July 5th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Bageldogs! deep fried twinkies! Funel Cakes!
Pretty much any food available at a carnival or amusement park
on July 5th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Fried mozzarella sticks?
on July 5th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
A “Lancasheer Pot” is like some meat and potatos… what are you talking about quail and songbird
on July 5th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
It’s not russian dressing, it’s thousand island. Way to ruin a great sandwich.
on July 5th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Just for the record, no matter what meat your corn dog’s made from, if it doesn’t come from a Kosher source, it’s still not considered Kosher. Then again, the modern definition of Kosher is an excellent example of something good being bogged down and complicated by tradition.
I studied Koshering techniques for a couple of years, most of which are purely traditional, and compared them to the requirements of the Law. It’s amazing how many “rules” have been added to the process. The more orthodox the views the more complex the process becomes. Oddly, the law is very simple on the matter. Where, then, did all those rules come from? Not that it matters.
Eat your beef corn dog and enjoy. If you can find one that’s actually made from beef, it’s likely as close to Kosher as your going to get anyway.
Take care,
Azy!
on July 5th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I started out hoping to be entertained, and possibly informed by this piece, but as typical of so much material that’s posted on the internet, this article is loaded with prejudices, bigotry, inaccuracies, misconceptions, misspellings, poor grammar, and outright BS.
This list is just another sad example of how someone can fail miserably when trying too hard to write something that they think the reader will find clever and snarky instead of concentrating on constructing an thoroughly researched, informative, accurate and well-written article.
Instead of praise for being entertained and informed by it, the majority of the comments posted about it are corrections to the more glaring inaccuracies contained within.
In fact, there wasn’t one single item listed in this “TOP 10″ thats description, history, “recipe”, and/or ingredients was wholly accurate. The most accurate and appropriate part of it was the actual byline.
on July 5th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
PB&J is a funny American invention. It was created by Americans, but not in America. I was made by American GIs who received the ingredients in their rations, they slapped it all together, and then brought the recipe home when the war was over.
on July 5th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Good attempts, however mere amatuers compared to the scots who offer these,
Deep fried pizza:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-fried_pizza
and the all conquering “Munchy box”:
http://blog.23x.net/5/what-is-a-munchy-box.html
on July 5th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Where the hell is the fool’s gold sandwhich?
Thats an American meal right there packed with 8000calories
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fool’s_Gold_Loaf
on July 5th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
As Ian stated before real Philly cheese steaks are made with quality meat
on July 5th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Only thing I question - talk to someone from China about the local cuisine - authentic Chinese food is actually very oily and often fried - it’s famous for that all over Asia.
Taiwanese food is quite low fat, but mainland Chinese food is all about the oil.
on July 5th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Haha…love it… “Chinese Food”.
on July 5th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Firstly, Vegetarisum is an ancient Native word for “can’t hunt or fish worth a darn”. Sauerkraut on the Rueben. Sauerkraut becomes a thing of great beauty, in a Rueben. Also, the only bread, in my humble opinion that is worthy the honor of being part of the Rueben is (are you Americans ready for this) is Winnipeg Light Rye bread. Leave to a Canuck to take you, guys too the edge and beyond…
on July 6th, 2008 at 12:34 am
S’mores are a staple of Girl Scout cookouts and camping, and have been for …ever. Possibly that’s where they gained popularity. Any mom who was ever a Girl Scout showed their kids how to make them.
on July 6th, 2008 at 1:05 am
i am proud to say I have Never eaten anything on the above list. Maybe not being an American has proved a blessing!
on July 6th, 2008 at 1:25 am
There’s also the Luther burger, a double cheeseburger topped with bacon and eggs, sandwiched between two ckrispy kreme doughnuts. Blech. Only we could have thought up something like that. Thankfully it didn’t catch on.
Dammit now i want a corndog
on July 6th, 2008 at 2:22 am
Frito pie is much more American than Turducken.
on July 6th, 2008 at 5:27 am
Heinous as we are, lets not forget some other international delicacies. Like foie gras. A special duck or goose liver. Foie gras is a delicacie in French cuisine Foie gras can be sold whole, or prepared into mousse or parfait and served as an accompaniment to another food like steak.. Gavage is the way the birds are fed. It is practiced mostly on geese or male Moulard ducks, a Preparation for gavage usually begins 4–5 months before slaughter. For geese, after an initial free-range period and treatment to assist in esophagus dilation (eating grass, for example), the force-feeding commences. Gavage is performed 2–4 times a day for 2–5 weeks, depending on the size of the fowl, using a funnel attached to a slim metal or plastic feeding tube inserted into the bird’s throat to deposit the food into the bird’s crop (the storage area in the esophagus). A grain mash, usually maize mixed with fats and vitamin supplements, is the feed of choice. Waterfowl are suited to the tube method due to a non-existent gag-reflex and extremely flexible esophagi, unlike other fowl such as chickens. These migratory waterfowl are also said to be ideal for gavage because of their natural ability to gain large amounts of weight in short periods of time before cold seasons. For this reason, gavage is usually a “finishing” stage before the bird is set for slaughter, for if left to its own devices after finishing, the bird will quickly return to its normal weight. The result of this practice is a severely enlarged, especially fatty liver– which, if especially exaggerated, results in the liver disease hepatic lipidosis. The liver may swell up to 12 times its normal size (up to three pounds). While the livers are the coveted portions of these birds, the fatty flesh of geese and ducks, traditionally used to make confit as well as their feathers find a market
Corn Dog Anyone?
on July 6th, 2008 at 6:23 am
While stuffing one meat into another has been around for hundreds of years as forcemeat, the Turducken (chicken inside duck inside turckey) is an American invention. It was fist introduced by Paul Prudhumme in the late 70s.
For those of you who believe that ancient tribes cooked 27 or so animals inside eachother all surrounding a truffle - you may also be interested to know that the word ‘gullible’ does not appear in the dictionary.
on July 6th, 2008 at 7:07 am
Lol “Chinese Food”
So true.
on July 6th, 2008 at 9:54 am
These are really interesting recipes,I have never eaten any of them , they are a heart attack waiting to happen
on July 6th, 2008 at 10:29 am
What about learning ENGLISH, mate?
- bad rep (non rap, gansta!)
- its not it’s
- your not you’re
CMON you can do it!
on July 6th, 2008 at 10:29 am
In Scotland, they have something similar to a corn dog, its a potato dog. Pretty tasty, I must say. You (America) did not invent chinese food. Its a hunch but I think it was the Chinese.
on July 6th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Well, hows this you take an American Staple, A cheese burger. Smother it in Chili, Mustard, Onions, and an Egg. Put it on the cheese burger, an make it small enough that an average sized person can eat 5 of them in a sitting. But yet still for eating one you get all the calories and bad things as you would if you just ate a tub of grease and lard. Now that is A Coney Island Sundowner. An that is as American as you can get. Heck it was even invented in New York City.
on July 6th, 2008 at 11:06 am
We invented what we *call* Chinese food. Read the description.
on July 6th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I don’t think the turducken is original to America. If it is, then it was imported to the UK because I know it’s been there for a while. You can buy them at farmer’s markets and suchlike.
on July 6th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Yeah, that turducken thing is a version of an old european dish that would have up to 10 birds, from a swan to a sparrow inside each other.
on July 6th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I’m American and I’ve never liked s’mores
on July 6th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
You got the reuben all wrong man. You gotta coat it in some pancake batter, and fry it up realllll nice. Ya. Now that’s a reuben.
on July 6th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
For those of you who have never had corn dogs much less looked at one, they sell them in the freezer section at your local food store. Deep fried cookie dough anyone?
on July 6th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I’m an American living in China. I’ve been here four and a half years. The first two months i lived here I survived on chow mein almost everyday because it was all I could say. In American restaurants we’d call it lo mein. egg rolls in mandarin are called “chun1 juan3″ ?? (lit; spring roll) and they eat them all the time in the south as part of dim sum
on July 6th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
@ jim
I think the point they’re trying to make is a lot of what we consider to be “Chinese food” was actually invented in America by the Chinese.
Example: Fortune cookies were invented in San Francisco.
on July 7th, 2008 at 2:03 am
Jordan,
A good attempt to explain the debate over Chinese food, but I think a better explanation is that the author doesn’t know a thing about chinese food. and although he is correct on a few parts (IE Fortune cookies) he’s wrong on others, if you want proof come to my mom’s house and ask her where she learned to cook chow mein and egg rolls. (I can tell you it wasn’t here in america)
on July 7th, 2008 at 2:17 am
Wow, people are so mean on here. Sometimes I’m Miss. Grammarian, and I didn’t even notice any mistakes. I could probably find them now, but don’t worry. They don’t detract too much from the humor. Your comment about crab rangoons (my fav) made me laugh so hard I’m probably going to link to it. I love your list.
on July 7th, 2008 at 5:35 am
A Lancashire Hotpot is a rich, layered meat and vegetable stew, with sliced potatoes on top, nothing to do with chickens or turkeys.
The stuffing birds inside other birds has indeed been around since Roman times as many people have pointed out. Recently a TV chef here in the UK managed a 12 birder, starting with a wood pigeon and working out to a massive turkey.
I assume the comparison with ravioli and chinese food is the dim sum dumpling which isn’t dissimilar, usually known in China as Jowser and Bowser depending on how it’s cooked I believe.
Stop having a go at the author for poor research! It’s a bloody joke article meant as light entertainment, not a sodding PhD thesis, give the guy a break!
on July 7th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Turducken ? ! ?
Only the americans could eat something that has Turd in the name. Dirty sods
on July 7th, 2008 at 6:16 am
Wow. That is the most disgusting list of “foods” I have ever seen. I would not touch a single one of those products. Putting that in my mouth goes against my notions of humanity. No wonder America has no problems with torturing foreigners - they’re torturing themselves all the time.
on July 7th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Well, I can’t understand the lunatic who wants to batter fry a Rueben, but more to the point- a real Rueben isn’t made with pastrami. You should use corned beef, thick slabs of it, not sliced thinly, and you should always use pumpernickle. We always used corned beef from our “Irish” corned beef and cabbage in the crock pot, which is apparently, fitting for this forum, pretty American.
And for all you American food haters- I have eaten Toad in the Hole, with powdered gravy. It wasn’t anything to be proud of.
on July 9th, 2008 at 1:58 am
I never was inclined to eat a corn dog, until now. I think I may try it.
on July 9th, 2008 at 6:11 am
which do YOU like better? pastrami or corned beef??
on July 9th, 2008 at 8:54 am
are you asking me? Def pastrami. It’s an unbelievable creation. But I understand the corn beef pushers.
on July 13th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Everyone keeps going on about how the turducken isn’t really American, and I concur. Yes, many people have heard of the “Roast Without Equal”. I would like to posit the concept that, while the dish was most certainly inspired by its European counterpart, the name itself is uniquely American. How much classier can you get than “turducken”? Seriously.
Also, I love crab rangoons. Take a wad of cream cheese, some Krab, wrap it in a wonton and deep fry it. Yes, that is certainly an American dish. As for the other “chinese” foods mentioned, the author did have a point. You can’t walk into a chinese buffet and honestly say that was all invented in China, or anywhere in Asia. Some, yes, but not all.
on July 13th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
You all ever have a breaded pork tenderloin sandwich at a county/state fair? They are typically called “elephant ear” sandwichs because the tenderloin is so large compared to the bun. Excellant eats and I believe truly American.
on July 13th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
The peanut butter jelly sandwich has been eaten in europe for ages, Apple pie is as American as Mickey Mouse is Dutch, there are recepi’s known in Holland that date back to the 16th century
Americans don’t invent food, they take and addapt, they are kinda like the borg
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:01 am
Where the fuck is scrapple? It’s a huge tradition in the Philadelphia area and surrounding suburbs. Take what’s leftover from a pig after you take the bacon, ham, pork chops, etc. (’snouts and assholes,’ some people may joke) and then grind it all into a semi-fine paste (not too fine, that’s how they make hot dogs) and add lots of spices (paprika, oregano) and shape it into bricks, which are then shrink-wrapped.
To cook it you cut slices (between 1/8th and 1/4 inch thick) and fry them on a skillet. Some people like them crispy, some people like them soft, some like adding ketchup, I do not however. I like my scrapple thick and crispy on the outside but of course not burnt beyond recognition.
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:13 am
ps: I don’t know where you got that sh*t you said about Philly cheesesteaks, there’s no ‘rule’ claiming you ‘vehemently insist that there shall be no attempts to make it good. Crappiest ingredients only, please. Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell explained problems non PA-ers have when trying to make cheesesteaks: “First, they use good meat. You need the fattiest, stringiest meat to get a proper taste.” The second mistake, of course, is that you’ve got to use Cheese Whiz; no real cheese allowed. Rendell insists this is became “real cheese doesn’t melt,” which is of course a lie. But never matter.’ So you can go suck a fat one for attempting to drag my fine city’s name through the mud. You use thin slivers of steak, there are even companies that have capitalized on it (Steak-ums, anyone?) to mass produce them to be sold in the freezer section of your local food store. And Cheeze-whiz is not required and not how I make them, I make them with slices of American cheese (which is actually a type of white cheddar) and fried onions and maybe some fried mushrooms.
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:17 am
There are even 3 very famous cheesesteak shops that operate 24/7/365 in Philly that you simply must visit if you ever visit Philly; Pat’s and Geno’s, which are opposite each other at 9th and Passyunk, in south Philadelphia, and then there’s Tony Luke’s which unfortunately I don’t know the address of, but I’m sure Google could find it easily. Oh and you can’t miss the honkin’ huge hot peppers waiting for you outside Pat’s/Geno’s, waiting patiently soaking in pickle brine in large metal tins/vats.
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:21 am
And while undoubtedly there are ‘chinese foods’ that really were invented by the chinese (eggrolls) it is quite true that there are ‘chinese’ dishes that the chinese have never heard of; I know of one specifically: General Tso’s chicken. You can go to China and ask someone about General Tso and they will tell you they’ve never heard of him, and they are familiar with the fact that in America there is a ‘chinese’ dish called ‘General Tso’s Chicken.’
It’s pretty arrogant of you to make this page where it seems you know virtually nothing about most of the foods you mention.
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:29 am
coz american like tons of calories that´s why they are so fat
on July 14th, 2008 at 3:56 am
Can I just say that most of these things will kill you… On the spot… if eaten only once… I feel my arteries hardening just looking at the pics.
on July 14th, 2008 at 9:45 am
“Turducken isn’t really all that American — the French kings had already contests in the astonishing field of: how many different dead birds can you stick into one-another. Record is something like 14, topped off with a deliciously fried Hummingbird. (Boneless!) [Oh, someone just made that point… darnit.]”
‘Fraid this is true. The English gentry also had a long-standing Victorian (??) tradition of going out and shootings all kinds of foul and stuffing one into the other. UK’s tv chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has been promoting the idea of the 10-bird roast : a turkey stuffed with a woodcock, a pigeon, a partridge, a pheasant, a chicken, a guinea fowl, amallard, a duck anda goose, after he recreated the historical dish on his tv show.
on July 14th, 2008 at 10:55 am
This list is sooo true!! LoL…The best one is the Chinese food;-)
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Only tourists eat a Cheesesteak with wiz. CheezWiz is pretty gross. If you head over to Tony Luc’s you should try the Italian, it’s a cheesesteak with Sharp provelone broccoli raab and hot peppers. They also use ribeye and not grade X meat.
on July 14th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Sounds like the author is mad at America for being America. The author also has not done his/her research properly. This article was not worth the read.
on July 14th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Corn dogs are great. My son eats one almost everyday for lunch. If you have a Culver’s around, they have great corn dogs.
on July 14th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
Losing your corndog virginity sounds like something that could land you in the emergency room
on July 14th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Good call on the scrapple. Look at the philly phanatics representing!
on July 14th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
some very true observations here - as a European, I love coming to the US but dread the food. Hideously large portions of food which is really just made for kids. The great shame is what the Italian Americans have done to their own food - it bears no resemblance whatsoever to real Italian food. I blame Alfredo, whoever he is.
on July 14th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
listen, british visitor. i respect you views on huge portions, but don’t you fucking dare knock fettuccine alfredo. cream sauce on pasta could probably create peace in the middle east.
on July 14th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
To Ben “It was the US Don’t include Canada etc.”
Quit fucking whining. Face the fact that when someone mentions “America” they mean the US of A. It’s been that way since BEFORE Canada existed, as that particular whine is usually sniffled out by Canadians…Hoser.
Futhermore, the only part of Turducken we invented is the name “Turducken”. Let us all hang our heads in shame.
Egg Rolls and Chow mein and lots of food in Chinese Buffets is truly Chinese. Some of it was invented here, by Chinese, but this doesn’t make all Chinese food in America an American invention.
Kosher Corn Dog: Take one (1) Hebrew National hot dog, jam a stick in it’s arse, dip in corn-meal batter, freeze until batter is stiff. Fry until golden brown.
on July 15th, 2008 at 1:25 am
I’ve made a few turduckens in my time, but I never knew it had a name!
Anyway, you forgot to mention hamburgers, ice-cream cones and pizza. Yeah, they invented pizza in Italy, but it’s way different over here.
on July 15th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
A traditional reuben is made like this: pumpernickle bread,corned beef, swiss cheese, and saurerkraut. The bread is buttered and grilled on a griddle with Russian dressing added inside right before serving. Period. You can change it anyway you want though and it’s alright. To each his own. The debate about the true Philly cheese steak rages here in the City of Brotherly Love all the time. To even begin to be authentic you MUST have the soft Italian hoagie roll. No exceptions. As long as you have thinly sliced beef steak, you can add whatever you want-Philly favorites include cheeses, sweet or hot peppers, mushrooms, fried onions and LOTS of ketchup. There are only three things on the list I have not eaten, often, and I would love to try those, too!
on July 15th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Well, I’m from the south, and I’ve never seen a good pork bar-b-que sandwich with slaw anywhere else but here. Add it to the list to replace the turd-ferguson duck thingy.
on July 15th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
what you all refer to as a “turducken” (with the emphasis on the turd) is known in classic French cuisine as a ‘ballotine’. In England, it starts with a swan and ends up with a quail. While this was almost certainly a particular favourite dish of Queen Elizabeth the First, most sensible people today wouldn’t even consider it, unless there was an ambulance waiting outside to take them to the emergency room
on July 15th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
what can i do fun this weekend in washington dc…
Sounds interesting but not for every one….
on July 15th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Fantastic page, i showed it to my American man who thought it was hilarious. One thing i wanted to let you know is that in the many hundreds of years ago in France this was invented:
bustergophechiduckneaealcockidgeoverwingailusharkolanbler - a bustard stuffed with a turkey, a goose, a pheasant, a chicken, a duck, a guinea fowl, a teal, a woodcock, a partridge, a plover, a lapwing, a quail, a thrush, a lark, an Ortolan Bunting and a Garden Warbler. So you given that America may be the only ones doing multi birds still, i am afraid not an invention but crazily over the top all the same !
on July 15th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
I like how you have the Cobb Salad on this list and you assume that its bad for you. The only source of “carbs” on the cobb are from the greens and veggies, as well as the sprinkle of cheese they add (assuming you don’t use a flood of dressing.) Sorry to let you down but thats not so bad. Yeah they put protein in it, but thats the great thing about this salad. Unlike your “euro” salads you won’t be hungry 15 minutes after eating a cobb. Sorry to bust your bubble but eating a cobb is a pretty damn good choice.
on July 16th, 2008 at 2:36 am
im not sorry for loving corndog and ice cream. yes they add pounds to my body but they’re just soooooo yummy
on July 16th, 2008 at 3:48 am
HILARIOUS! I think I’ve eaten everything on the list except the turducken. Looking forward to the state fair this year to try more things on a stick, but corn-dogs are my favorite.
I wonder what your thoughts are on “hotdish” or, if you’re not from Minnesota, “casserole” — typically made with whatever you find in the cabinet and fridge. Usually contains something like hamburger, cream of something, possibly a vegetable, topped off by tater-tots, and baked in the oven
on July 16th, 2008 at 5:34 am
Why don’t some of you fucking people read the comments before you post? We got that Turducken wasn’t invented in America the first time. Now, 935 posts about it later, we’ve also learned that it was invented somewhere between 400 and 1,000 years ago, in either England, France or Rome. While I’m sure some of you are right, quite a few of you fuckers are wrong. So, get off the author’s ass about being incorrect, and quit being pompous assholes if you don’t have the correct information, either.
on July 16th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Earlier poster did say that the Reuben was made with Corned Beef rather than Pastrami. That is correct. When a Reuben is made with Pastrami it is called a Rachael. Same ingredients just with Pastrami instead of Corned Beef. This is a made in America sandwich!
on July 16th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Error: that turducken ain’t American. The idea of stuffing different birds inside one another goes back to renaissance times and there are recipes as old as that. BTW: the birds need to be de-boned (or as the Brits say, just boned…which results in amorous statements for a cook, like “boning that chic was so much work”, which it is).
I’ve done a version of this with a corned beef tong stuffed in a deboned chicken, stuffed in a deboned goose, and wrapped in a pastry. We like to call it “chick-tong-goose-dough”.
on July 16th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I’ve had everything on the list except for turducken…and most are pretty dang good. Every country has their version of these fatty, but tasty foods - The US is not unique in having foods bad for you, but good tasting.
on July 16th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
to all you anal, sanctimonious, fractious, punctilious, whining posters: get over yourselves.
to all the rest who recognize a fun post and join in the fun: congrats, happy 4th!
on July 16th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I am American . I don’t eat corn dogs, I’m not a vegitarian. I do not like s’mors, but i like all the ingredents of s’mores one at a time. I cant stand anything deep fried, except chicken. I never hope to be served a turducken sounds gross. I love chinese food, but only when i make it myself….agian no tolrance for oily food. Its probly closer to what you would find served in Thiland or Singapore. When I make “Phillys” i use black angus beef (pastrami or roast, Bison is also very good) and top it with sauted onions, peppers, and mushrooms. I use either Provalone, Chedder or Montery Jack cheese. I hate cheese wiz. Bison burgers should be on this list,and Pumpkin pie is more American than apple pie. Please dont bother pointing out that i cant spell, im dislexic and already know that. Its amusing to see how much passion food can bring out.
on July 16th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
ha ha ha they have brown ale beer mats on the tabel in photo 3. come on the toon !
on July 16th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
The whole deep-fried candy desert “culinary” genre started in Scottish chip shops. They will actually deep-fry any food on their menu - even pizza.
And funnel cake is Amish in origin, the Pennsylvania Dutch. In other words: it’s German.
And Yvo, sauerkraut is fermented, no sugar added. Otherwise it would be a compote.
on July 16th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I think Turducken is a less extreme version of something served at banquets in medieval England. I couldn’t find a good reference, but in seraching I found this… “It serves 125, takes eight hours to cook and is stuffed with 12 different birds … now that really IS a Christmas dinner”… http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-502605/It-serves-125-takes-hours-cook-stuffed-12-different-birds—really-IS-Christmas-dinner.html
on July 17th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Reuben sandwiches have sauerkraut and usually corned beef, with pastrami it’s called a “rachel” at most of them jewish delis.
on July 17th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
Yuk!
on July 17th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
I think you could put just about anything in this list(a la “Chinese Food”) as visiting the US is definitely a gastronomic gamble. No matter what I ordered while visiting your fine country, no matter how familiar the dish, it seemed as though somebody had found some way to make it less healthy for me(excluding some fantastic 4 and 5 star restaurants I visited in NY). When visiting the US, be prepared to either make all your own food or go up a pants size.
on July 18th, 2008 at 9:37 am
I am a very indignent Englishman for the ‘tuducken’ , despite having a poposterous name, is at its heart an English dish stemming from the Tudor times. Where they would stuff a pigeon inside a chicken inside a duck inside a phesant inside a goose inside a turcky inside a swan. Look it up. And stop steeling our traditions and claming them to be your own. As you may or may not know i very much dislike the americans and their ideals and values and history. Anybody whom wishes to argue these points with me feel free at hotmail.
My regards,
Benja
Benja.w.p.c@hotmail.com Wimborne Dorset England
on July 18th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
AMERICA FTW! thats why we so fat nowadays, but seriously i have only tryed half of all dishes, and fryed coca cola? thats overkill…..
on July 18th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Chicago ITALIAN BEEF! A Philly can’t compare.
on July 19th, 2008 at 6:20 am
I just lost my appetite when I read the top ten …..(I’m from the Netherlands)
on July 19th, 2008 at 11:09 am
oh gosh
you scare me guys..
on July 19th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Everything deep fried and smothered in fat, cheese and a lot of salt and spices is obviously poisonous but tell that to someone who’s had it for lunch it all their lives, is hungry and tired/lazy and couldn’t care less if the world ended after the game…eh, healthy food is like methadone to some…just not enough…
on July 19th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
that is some crazy food u guys are eating:D
poor guy from Netherlands.:D
hey.do feel the same about Euro food as he?
peace.
on July 20th, 2008 at 1:04 am
I actually work at a restaurant in Portland, Oregon which serves only american cuisine! or, because there really is no “american cuisine” we refer to it as a culinary tour through the fifty states. we serve most these things, plus an extended great menu! take a look at our menu and if you’re ever in the area stop by!
on July 20th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
a little too much sarcasm and disdain emanating from the blogger, otherwise an enjoyable page
on July 21st, 2008 at 1:30 pm
You talk about fried twinkies and candy bars, corndogs and such. How bout a fried Dog Turd- Its fine cajun cuisine, It tast like chicken!!
on July 22nd, 2008 at 5:44 pm
delicious
on July 22nd, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Let’s worry about what other people think about our food… you’re just making me hungry.
on July 23rd, 2008 at 12:10 am
Mmm, I just love corn dogs.
on July 23rd, 2008 at 8:59 am
‘chinese food’ is what they have in china, hongkong and taiwan… ever been here? unless the americans influenced them thousands of years ago… highly doubt it.
on July 23rd, 2008 at 12:40 pm
Wow! That was the worst countdown of American foods I have ever seen, like does this person even live in America?? I Mean Turducken at number 2? And what the hell is a baked Alaskan? I think this could be the countdown for the most ridiculous American concoctions, and hey you think you could toss in a few more underhanded insults about Americans eating greasy fatty foods.
on July 24th, 2008 at 6:23 am
“The peanut butter jelly sandwich has been eaten in europe for ages”
“Peanut butter was invented by the Mayans as a protein source for those lacking the ability to chew.
A popular misconception is that George Washington Carver invented peanut butter. He did, however, disseminate over 300 uses for peanuts.”
I was taught the “misconception” from as far back as I can remember. I looked up the Peanut Butter wiki article and actually learned something. This assumes, of course that the wiki was not written by a Mayan with anti-Carver tendencies.
I grew up in the American South and can vouch for a tendency to deep fry almost anything. I have also lived in Germany and enjoyed Bratwurst and Pommes-Frites (French Fries, actually a Belgian creation) with mayonaise.
There are very few uniquely American foods. Now go enjoy your potatoes, tomatoes and maize.
on July 24th, 2008 at 10:52 am
How about cotton candy?
on July 24th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Some of these look good - I quite fancy the Turducken!
on July 24th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
NO NO NO NO NO.
American’s DID NOT even the corndog.
THAT’S JUST NOT TRUE.
Canadian’s invented it, and it’s called a damn POGO. ?
on July 24th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Ummm…. I read a comment that said fried ice cream was American. It’s not. There’s a (I believe) Mexican and Asian kind. The Asian kind is more popular. By the way most of the deep fried Chinese food really isn’t Chinese the rest of the other Chinese food pretty much is. Crab rangoons aren’t Chinese because the Chinese diet is pretty much doesn’t have any dairy.
on July 24th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
“serve it with a heaping bowl of gooey cheese product”?
Have you ever had a buffalo wings? There is no cheese product with it. It is a ranch dressing. Maybe at some foo foo restaurant they may serve it with blue cheese dressing but I have never come across it.
Turducken is wonderful. I have only had it backed. Duck is a greasy bird and it works wonders in the middle layer because it keeps the chicken and turkey from getting dry.
One great food we invented is Pizza.
on July 26th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
ROFL @ Chinese food
on July 27th, 2008 at 4:17 am
As an Austinite, I felt it was my duty to bring to light the fact that Amy’s Ice Cream, the purveyors of said ‘Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream’ mix up a number of interesting and delicious flavors which can be enhanced by any number of Crush’ns… Amy’s uniquely elevates a childhood favorite to a masterpiece everytime!!
on July 27th, 2008 at 5:41 am
Hahahaha, that explains why Americans are the fattest people in human history!!!
Hahahaha, good joke, Lauren, about American cuisine, hahahaha. American…… cuisine……. get it????
Americans are complaining that that some many of their poor soldier died in Iraq. But more of them are dying because of eating this American cuisine. Way to go, guys. You are doing great!!! Hahahahaha
I love American humor!!!! Hahahaha
on July 27th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I disagree with DR7 on this one, any article that gets us talking like this one has done its job very effectively.
I am disappointed that a BIG MAC is not mentioned though. It this not American? Dick and Mac McDonald established the first restaurant in 1940 but they like most of us have roots that are Irish, according to the 1910 census.
They began franchising in 1953 so let’s pay tribute to our burger, how about it?
on July 28th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
The Reuben sandwich is a grilled or toasted sandwich made with either pastrami or corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and either Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing.[1] It is typically made with rye bread.
on July 29th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Not enough here about cabbage. By no means.
on July 29th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Turducken, up until this very blog post I had never ever heard of that. Now I can not wipe the site from my mind. G R O S S !!!!!
on July 30th, 2008 at 2:28 am
Ketchup Baby! Ketchup-like sauces originated in Asia - and everybody in Europe (and probably everybody in the world) thinks this is an invention made in USA. LOL
on August 2nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Hey Ya’ll,
Come Down South, find 3v3ryth1ng is homemade!! Most born only in the USA.
on August 2nd, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Why does your title say “…only America Could Have Invented”? Why “only” America? Other countries have their own hideous foods. Gee whiz.
on August 3rd, 2008 at 5:34 pm
What a piece of shit this guy is. Let’s celebrate America’s independence by showing foods. Then bash the fuck out of them, and only show pictures that make them look like disgusting piles of shit. Fuck you writer, you anti-America piece of shit.
on August 5th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
This is not an American invention, A form of this has been around since the Romans… History Channel wtf.
on August 6th, 2008 at 12:26 am
“Americans say to themselves: what can we deep fry next? We’ve deep fried twinkies, oreos, hamburgers, even coca-cola.”
Actually, the Scottish are the ones known for frying just about anything. Who wrote this crap? Other countries have done the same and/or worse than this.
on August 6th, 2008 at 12:27 am
I second what Joe says. Let’s throw turducken and fried twinkies at the arsehole!
Here here.
on August 6th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Great collection. I have tried several times to cook a Turducken - and failed dismally. I even made my own once. The kitchen looked like a slaughter house after i had de-boned the birds. What a mess.
on August 7th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Turducken isn’t uniquely American.
on August 8th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
You left something out of this list. While unfamiliar to those not from western or central New York, the Garbage Plate deserves to be close to the top. Originated at Nick Tahou’s in Rochester, the plate is traditionally two cheeseburgers atop a mountain of mac salad and home fries, topped with mustard, onions, and meatsauce.
Now THAT is an American dish. You really should revamp the list to include it.
on August 10th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
I’m a proud US citizen… but most of these foods look kinda gross to me. (S’mores, Cookie Dough Ice Cream and the Corn Dog are the only exclusions) The turducken looks disgusting. Glad I went vegetarian. -.- Yay for the newer generations of USA that are eating healthier food! Like real salad with lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, and a bit of bleu cheese on top. Mmm. ^_^
(Tomorrows my 16th birthday! Tons of cookie dough ice cream.
Nom nom nom.)
on August 11th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Turducken is not American at all. For one the original recipe comes from somewhere in the Middle East and is traditionally served at weddings. Plus, turducken is just a light snack (not very American) compared to the original, which consist of a camel stuffed with a goat/lamb stuffed with a turkey stuffed with a chicken stuffed with eggs. Plus all the other stuffing.
So, not very American at all.
on August 11th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Loved reading these crazy recepies…. Ireland has a few strange ones too- like Potato crisp sandwiches- ( we love them and always call them Tayto sanwiches) but the people of Glasgow in Scotland have it sorted- they have battered Mars Bars!!- like ur corn dogs- they take a good old Mars bar- batter it and deep fry it. It’s a gastromic experience. Don’t knock it till u try it
( Valerie - Dublin- Ireland)
on August 11th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Ok just want to know????? Egg rolls are not asian and asian people dont eat them??? Egg rolls have been around China and other asian countrys for centuries. Different types such as lumpia in the Philippines, spring rolls in Vietnam and Thailand. Second, most of the chinese foods that we do eat in America is still chinese just modified. They were created by Chinese immigrants to make more appealing to the American consumers, all based off of traditional chinese dishes.
on August 12th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Good post! Especially on chinese food. I was chuckling cos I am chinese living in America and yeah I don’t eat the American chinese food!
on August 12th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
How did cheese fries not make the list?
on August 13th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Sandwich purists will tell you that a true Reuben is made with corned beef. Some places do serve it with pastrami, sometimes called a ‘Rachel,’ but it’s orgin is always traced back to corned beef. I hardly think it’s an example of American excess…if you want that, you should have listed a Monte Cristo.
And yes, why didn’t fried cheese make the list?
Al
on August 14th, 2008 at 11:14 am
good post!!
on August 18th, 2008 at 10:35 am
thank god i wasn’t born in the US
on September 3rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
buffalo wings wit a side order of world famous newky broon,
a truley us of a invention i am sure!!!!!!!!!!!
on September 6th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Brownies are an american invention too.
on September 9th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I not sure, I would put cookie dough ice cream as number one. My first would be wings and corn dogs!!! UMMMM
on September 10th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
[…] Britain. But, come on, America makes better food than this. How about including a reuben instead? 14. Aloo gobi 15. Hot dog from a street cart 16. Epoisses 17. Black truffle 18. Fruit […]
on September 13th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
A reuben isn’t a reuben unless it has sauerkraut on it. And a corn dog is the perfect, perfect food. What’s not to like about a hotdog inside fried cornmeal and it’s on a stick? Perfection. But of course you have to have HEINZ ketchup for it, no other kind. And I live near Pittsburgh, home of the Primanti brothers sandwich. Two pieces of homemade Italian bread, french fries, cole slaw, and your choice of meat and cheese, all put together in a 8 inch tall sandwich! It doesn’t get any better than that!