American Regional Cuisine New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern Cuisines

New England Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island

Region of New England While many of the other regions of the U.S. have rich, fertile soil, New England is very rocky, mountainous, and forested. Many farmers moved out of the area because of the terrain. The region was also surrounded by many water bodies Rivers, coves, and the ocean were very fertile and yielded all types of fish and shellfish. New England winters are very long, severe, and cold. The early colonists had to work very hard to survive. A small group of English separatists, the Pilgrims, arrived in 1620 and founded the Plymouth Colony. Did not believe in overindulgence; food was merely nourishment for the body In the 1880’s, immigrants from Ireland, Italy and Portugal began to arrive in masses in New England.

Squanto and the Pilgrims They were helped by Squanto, an English speaking Indian of the Wampanoag tribe. He taught them how to farm the rocky soil and how to gather lobsters, clams, oysters and fish He also taught them how to cook seafood Introduced the clambake The Narragansett and Penobscot tribes steamed their clams in beach pits lined with hot rocks and seaweed. After layering clams, crabs, lobster, and corn with seaweed, they covered the pit and allowed the foods to steam for hours. Settlers also learned how to hunt deer, rabbit, wild turkey, bear and moose.

The Influence of the Sea When the wave of immigrants came in the 1800’s, settlers came who understood fishing. Fishing and fish became an important part of the lifestyle and history of the peoples of New England. The abundance of cod and other fish made it possible to survive in the New World. Popular fish include cod, haddock, halibut, flounder, swordfish, tuna, Atlantic salmon, and many others. Shellfish such as lobsters, crabs, scallops, oysters, clams, mussels, and shrimp live in the icy waters.

New England Foods New England cooks used foods that were readily available to create hearty, substantial meals. To survive the long cold winters, they learned to dry and salt foods to preserve them. They frequently dried beans, corn, and apples. Later, they soaked the foods until they became tender One dish meals were very popular because it gave cooks more time to do other tasks. One of the most common is the New England Boiled Dinner – it is still popular today. Combination of meat (usually corned beef), potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, cabbage, and other available vegetables.

New England Foods The colonists used a variety of meats, seafood, and vegetables to make stews and chowders. Clam chowder was one of the most popular. The Indians taught the Pilgrims how to tap the maple trees to get the sap. After they boiled down the sap, they used the syrup to make cakes, candies, sauces, and puddings. Molasses was a very popular sweetener. It was used very frequently over sugar because it was less expensive to import.

Popular New England Foods Red Flannel Hash Leftovers from a corned beef boiled dinner were ground together with red beet juices Boston Baked Beans Beans cooked with onion, salted pork, molasses and bean liquid Chowders Translated from the French word for “hot soup”, usually made from seafood in the region Clam, Oyster, Lobster, and Corn chowders were all popular Succotash Mixture of corn and beans Boston Brown Bread Traditional colonial sweet bread served on Saturday evenings with baked beans. Made with cornmeal, molasses, rye and whole wheat flours. Steamed in a large can or mold. Cobbler Baked, unlined deep dish fruit pie with a biscuit or piecrust topping Cod A fish so important in New England, that the region’s largest peninsula, Cape Cod, was named after it

N e w E n g l a n d Boston, Massachusetts Providence, Rhode Island Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. N e w E n g l a n d Acadia National Park, Maine Salem, Mass.

N e w E n g l a n d Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts Coast of Maine Providence, Rhode Island A New England Winter N e w E n g l a n d Vermont Countryside New Hampshire Countryside Killington, VT

Mid-Atlantic and Pennsylvania Dutch New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland

Mid-Atlantic Region Climate is milder than New England Land is rich and fertile; farming is profitable. Abundance of river valleys and extensive coastline This made the region a perfect environment for orchards and farms Settled by Dutch, German, Swedish, British and other European immigrants French, German, and Jews all came to the area for religious freedom Irish came to the area due to the potato famine in Ireland Many of the foods from this region were made popular by the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Pennsylvania Dutch William Penn, a Quaker, was granted the right in the 17th century to begin a Quaker province in the new colonies He invited Europeans seeking religious freedom to settle in his colony He was followed by many people, beginning with the Mennonites, followed by the Amish and the Moravians They eventually settled in and around Lancaster where they chose to live in isolated groups Small colonies still exist throughout the country

Pennsylvania Dutch Were a group of German Immigrants who settled in the southeast of PA. Came from the Rhine Valley, where they were farmers. They were successful when they came to the U.S. in adapting their farming techniques Developed a style of cooking that was rural, hearty, and inventive. Based it on cooking techniques practiced in the Old World. Wives canned, pickled, and dried the produce, meat, and poultry raised on the farm Did not waste anything Used their thriftiness and ingenuity to create many new dishes Ex. Pickled pig’s feet, blood pudding, scrapple, smoked beef tongue, stuffed heart, sausages, and bologna

Pennsylvania – The Western Side (The Better side!!) As the 18th century turned into the 19th century, German immigrants were followed into western PA by the Scots and Irish. The steel and tin mills as well as the coal mines provided many jobs for the immigrants to work and send money back to their families in the Old Country, With the immigrants came many traditional dishes, many of which are still staples for PA families Kielbasa, sauerkraut, halushki (noodle dumplings), pierogies, goulash, and cabbage rolls were typical foods

Food of The Chesapeake When the colonists arrived in the Mid-Atlantic region, they discovered that over 40 rivers fed into the Chesapeake Bay Chesapeake means “great shellfish” The colonists quickly learned from the Native Americans how to gather oysters and blue crabs from the bay. Maryland’s waters still produce more oysters than any other state

Mid-Atlantic Foods Apple butter: butterlike spiced apple spread made by the Pennsylvania Dutch Crab: primarily the blue crab which is found in abundance in the Chesapeake Bay Clams: surf clams are the variety most frequently found in New Jersey and New York Crab Cake: a patty of crab meat mixed with fresh bread crumbs, eggs, herbs, and spices Funnel cake: a crisp, squiggly pastry made by pouring batter through a funnel into hot fat then swirling into strips Lox: salt cured side of salmon, sliced paper thin and frequently served on a bagel half spread with cream cheese

Mid-Atlantic Foods Scrapple: a pan pudding of boneless pork simmered with cornmeal or buckwheat flour and flavored with sage. It is chilled, sliced, and pan fried until golden brown Shoofly pie: Crumbly mixture of brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter baked over a layer of molasses in a pie shell Pierogies: pasta pockets filled with mashed potatoes and sometimes onions, cheddar, sauerkraut or a sweet filling. Boiled or sautéed with butter and onions

Mid-Atlantic Pictures Catskill State Park, NY Amish Country, Lancaster PA Philadelphia New York City Pittsburgh

Pictures of the Mid-Atlantic Dover, DE Baltimore Rehoboth Beach, DE Fort McHenry, Baltimore Annapolis

Southern Cuisine West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana

Southern Cuisine Southern cooking defines comfort food. Southern cooking came from a blend of English, Native American, and African influences, with a mix of French and Spanish. Mild climate Made year round production of many crops possible Sugarcane, rice, and peanuts were the most economically important food crops

Agricultural Development First rice and then cotton, sugar, and tobacco grew into significant crops for the South. These industries had a tremendous impact on the food styles that eventually defined southern cuisine – especially rice. Rice cultivation started in South Carolina in the early 1700’s and spread to Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Plantation owners became wealthy exporting rice to England by the ton. Charleston was an affluent port serving the wealthy plantation owners. Rice cultivation provided the basis for an extensive slave-based plantation economy.

Low Country Cookin’ Rice became a staple food used frequently in the cooking of the Low Country An area of swampy marshes, inlets, and bayous that extends from Orangeburg, South Carolina, to the coast, and the length of the state from the North Carolina border to Georgia’s Savannah River. Charleston, SC lies at the heart of the Low Country. Heavy influenced by the cuisine of the Native Americans, and the people from France, Portugal, Spain, Barbados, and West Africa who settled there to work the rice fields. Used figs, pomegranates, and peaches. Dishes included pilafs or “per-low” as southerners pronounce it, Frogmore stew, country captain chicken, she-crab soup, and shrimp and grits

The Birth of Soul Food The food and style of cooking in the South was profoundly influenced by the African slaves. They introduced many now basic foods such as okra, yams, black-eyed peas, collard greens, sesame seeds, and watermelon. They also brought cooking techniques that had been familiar to them in West Africa, such as deep fat frying. Working as plantation cooks both during and after slavery, they were considered to be even better cooks than the French chefs who had been brought to America. Southern food replaced the plain, bland English cooking.

“…Mammy's little baby likes shortnin’ bread.” Corn is a staple food in the South Served many ways At breakfast, served as hominy or grits Use cornmeal to make corn bread and spoon bread Baked in a casserole like a pudding until it is crispy on the outside but still soft in the center Other southern specialties include: Buttermilk biscuits and shortnin’ bread Johnnycakes (pancakes), Hoecakes, Ashcakes, Hush puppies

Soul Ingredients Pigs and chickens were the most common types of livestock Pork was, and still is, the most frequently used meat in the south. Key industry : Virginia ham – considered to be the finest in the U.S. Bacon and salt pork are used to flavor greens and beans. Many different parts of the pig were used Ex. Chitterlings or chitlins, gut strut, and cracklin’ (bits of pork fat or pork skin fried until crispy.

Ol’ Man Creole Creoles on the other hand, were city folk. The Spanish who governed New Orleans in the 18th century called all people of European heritage Criollo, which became Creole Two hundred years ago, the Creole label was given to anyone of refined cultural background who had an appreciation for an elegant lifestyle. Their cuisine was a fusion of French, African, Choctaw Indian, and Spanish.

“There’s shrimp gumbo, shrimp creole, fried shrimp…” New Orleans is home to Creole Cuisine The addition of red beans, rice, and variety of fish and seafood native to Louisiana resulted in many unusual and delicious dishes Gumbo: soup; many recipes vary, meats, poultry, seafood, okra, and other vegetables are common ingredients. Jambalaya: traditional Creole rice dish. Contains rice, seasonings, shellfish, poultry and/or sausage. Some cooks may add tomatoes Beignets Deep fried squares of dough Pralines A sweet, rich candy made with sugar, pecans and sometimes milk or buttermilk Crawfish Étouffée typically served with shellfish or chicken over rice, similar to gumbo, very popular in New Orleans and in the bayou country of the southernmost half of Louisiana.

Cajun Dishes Hearty fare of rural southern Louisiana Like Creole, jambalayas and gumbos characterize Cajun cuisine The dishes are seasoned heavily with hot peppers and other spicy seasonings Cajun dishes are generally prepared from foods that are commonly available in southern Louisiana Crawfish, okra, rice, pecans, beans, and andouille (smoked pork sausage) Chaudin Braised pig stomach stuffed with ground pork, onions, bell peppers, garlic, and diced yams Boudin a fresh sausage made with green onions, pork, and rice. Pig's blood is sometimes added to produce "boudin rouge

Creole Culinary Creole cuisine is a fusion of French, African, Choctaw Indian, and Spanish The French lingered long in the kitchen fussing over the littlest culinary details. The African slaves introduced okra and the deliciously thick gumbos into which it was simmered. The Choctaw Indians taught the Europeans and their slaves how to use indigenous plants, including bay leaf, corn, and file powder. File is an essential seasoning made from dried sassafras leaves ground into a powder, tastes somewhat like root beer The Spanish signature is found in the mixing of fish and meat in one dish. Spanish chefs served almost everything over rice and their love of hot peppers added a kick to a few Creole dishes.

Southern Foods Andouille: smoked pork sausage Frogmore Stew: named after a town on St. Helena Island, SC, is a Gullah dish of crab, shrimp, sausage, and corn cooked in spicy seasonings. Grits: ground from hominy to a course, medium, or fine texture, grits are typically made into a soft, savory cornmeal mush. Oyster roast: popular Low Country event similar to a clambake. Pecan: relative of the hickory nut, used in many southern dishes and desserts Black-eyed peas: small tan beans with a distinctive black eye; used in many dishes. Brunswick stew: thick and hearty, traditionally made with squirrel, today it is made with smoked pork or chicken and is sometimes seasoned with a ham bone, traditional vegetables include: tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, lima beans, and corn.

Southern Foods Burgoo: thick stew made from barbecued meat or mutton and vegetables. Often associated with Kentucky Chitterlings: small intestine of a hog; cleaned, simmered until tender, then fried, added to soups and served with sauce. Fatback: fresh, unsmoked, and unsalted layer of fat from a hog’s back. Used to season and flavor dishes.

Colonial Williamsburg Southern Pictures Cape Hatteras Light House Richmond, VA Colonial Williamsburg Outer Banks, NC Charleston, SC Myrtle Beach, SC Charlotte, NC Harper’s Ferry, WV

Southern Pictures Everglades National Park Nashville, TN Florida Cumberland Gap, KY Atlanta, GA Great Smoky Mountains Gatlinburg, TN Savannah, GA Lexington, KY

Southern Pictures Miami, FL Mobile, AL New Orleans, LA Little Rock, AK Biloxi Lighthouse Biloxi, MS Bayou in Louisiana