The evolution of food is a topic I find fascinating, especially when it comes to American cuisine. We have integrated so many cultures into our dishes that it can be hard to pinpoint where a dish originated from. There are quite a few new book and cookbook releases coming out soon that talk about the history of American cuisine. Some even have recipes alongside these amazing stories.
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Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories behind America’s Favorite Dishes
Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories behind America’s Favorite Dishes is going to answer a lot of questions we have about American cuisine. If you’ve ever wondered how certain dishes came about, this book has the answers.
Author David Page is pivotal when it comes to food in pop culture. He created the television series Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and is a two-time Emmy winner. He has traveled all over the world to cover food and now he has gone to America to explore “What is American cuisine?”
We learn about amazing people such as Alice Waters and Daniel Boulud. Then we travel to Maine for a lobster hoagie and across to San Francisco for amazing Chinese food. Page shows us what American cuisine looks like today and how it was transformed throughout history. There are things we have taken internationally and made ours, such as sushi or pizza and even tacos. “Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories behind America’s Favorite Dishes” book is incredibly entertaining! This isn’t a heavy read.
There are a few recipes in this book to take you to each location. I can’t wait to try some New York pizza or California birria tacos!
Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue
When most of the world thinks about American food, I guarantee barbeque is the top three things people reference. Though barbeque has been around since Homo erectus, as far as American culture goes, we have neglected to shine the spotlight on black pitmasters who have contributed to what we call American BBQ today.
The Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue cookbook dives into the history of how Black Americans have laid the groundwork for American barbeque since the founding of our nation. We learn about sixteen significant people who have paved the way for other Black pitmasters with 22 recipes alongside. Don’t forget there’s also thirty-one illustrations to show our nation’s history. We also learn about five types of Black barbeque cookery (I’m very curious!), entrepreneurship, and culinary subcultures.
We love barbeque, but we also love learning the history behind it. Americans love reading about it and watching shows, because this is a part of our culinary core!
Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story
Now, Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story is not a cookbook. Even so, it is filled with important pieces of history for any food buff.
A quick summary: hot chicken is an American classic. Many restaurants try to recreate Nashville’s staple food, but it honestly doesn’t compare. This hot chicken was exclusively sold and made in Black neighborhoods for over 75 years. This is a glimpse into race relations in Nashville and a fight for Black entrepreneurs to be rewarded for their creative expertise.
This book shows the history of Nashville during the Civil War all the way to 2020 where we still struggle for race equality. What does this have to do with hot chicken? Because this gospel bird is built on a fascinating history that defines Nashville and the South. We need to give credit where credit is due.
An African American Cookbook: Exploring Black History and Culture Through Traditional Foods
Many cuisines make up American style food, but the Black community has contributed a substantial amount of food knowledge. An African American Cookbook: Exploring Black History and Culture Through Traditional Foods gives us a small tidbit of American’s favorites. Some examples are cornbread sausage stuffing, macaroni and cheese, fried green tomatoes, and so much more.
I am thrilled to see that the recipes are very easy to prepare and look delightful! Plus, they are already family favorites. There are even dishes that I’ve never cooked or tried which will be an interesting experience.
There are 400 recipes (wow!) in this cookbook that sit alongside memories and excerpts from people’s lives. There are historical accounts and even sayings that go along with these recipes. A lot of the contributors to this book have had ancestors that participated in the Underground Railroad or lived near where it was active.
These tidbits of information throughout the book are profound. Even after reading a few pages I feel like I have more insight into the history of African American cuisine.
Just a Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes from Our Favorite Places
This is the last book from the South we are visiting today, but I am really excited to check out Ouita Michel’s Just a Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes from Our Favorite Places cookbook.
Not only is Michel a six-time James Beard Foundation Award nominee, her restaurants have been featured in many magazines, TV shows, and other media sources. Her diners are famous and include flavors from all around the world. Things like her delicious Wallace Cubano and Bourbon Banh Mi – my mouth is watering!
Her recipes are a direct example of combining modern day foods with her grandmother’s cooking. This is a true blue cookbook with many amazing recipes that will blow your mind. I included this in here as a culinary history, because we see examples of American cuisine evolving. There are so many cultures contributing to the culinary world that we are beginning to see a shift in what we view as classic.
A Culinary History of Delmarva: From the Bay to the Sea
Perhaps it’s because I live on the Westside that I’ve never heard of “Delmarva”, but now I am utterly curious. How is Delmarva cuisine different than the South, Southwest, or even Pacific Northwest? We will learn all about it with the A Culinary History of Delmarva: From the Bay to the Sea (American Palate) cookbook.
This coastal region is full of culinary history including how they’ve cultivated their food which includes fishing, hunting, and more. Seafood is very prevalent in these areas as is birds! There are three sections in this book: “On the Water From Substance to Sport”, “We Hunt, We Gather”, and “We Plow, We Propagate”. Throughout we see methods and types of foods used in local dishes.
There are recipes trickled throughout explaining various cooking techniques, like broiling and salting. Included are beautiful photos that display all the gorgeous and authentic scenery in the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and DC areas.
Devour NYC: A Cookbook: Discover the Most Delicious, Epic and Occasionally Outrageous Foods of New York City
Now we dive into one of food’s central hubs in the entire nation – New York City. For many, this is where it all started. This big city has become a place where some of the greatest foodies live. Displaying a whole array of cultures, New York City is a focal point for American cuisine. This is the melting pot we are looking for. With Devour NYC: A Cookbook: Discover the Most Delicious, Epic and Occasionally Outrageous Foods of New York City cookbook we will see how traditional food has transitioned into the modern era.
This cookbook illustrates some of New York’s current best restaurants that truly define this great city. This book includes at least 50 recipes and 50 styled food photos. Some of these restauranteurs and chefs aren’t actually famous – yet. This is what makes New York City such a defining place for American and International cuisine.
Learn a little while eating with some of these awesome books and let us know what you think!
~Kaiti