As the classic patriotic tune goes, “I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free (to eat whatever the hell I want).” That’s the assumed subtext, at least. Food is such a huge part of American culture, largely because we have limitless deliciousness at our disposable at all times. And when we indulge in such decadence, we’re openly proud of it (see: Instagram).
The freedom to choose what we want to chew and the pride for whatever we decide on often correlate with this country’s ubiquity of ethnically diverse cuisine. In metropolitan areas, you can stroll down the street and have your pick between dining on Indian, Thai, Polish, you name it. Even small towns are often gifted with the likes of Chinese eateries and Mexican restaurants.
However, misconception is often a key ingredient in many of the ethnic foods found in the United States. So, before celebrating the sophistication of your worldly palate, here are five beloved “ethnic” foods that are totally, authentically American in spirit. Don’t let the backstories of these dishes ruin your enjoyment of them, though. If anything, they’re shining examples of the American ideals of adaptability, entrepreneurship, and myth-making.
General Tso’s Chicken
“Who exactly is General Tso, and at what point in his time in the Chinese military did he create such a tasty chicken dish?” is something you might have asked yourself while digging into this Chinese takeout fan favorite. It’s no secret that the white-carton-contained cuisine delivered to your door is often referred to as “American Chinese food.” However, it seems safe to assume it’s usually a close adaptation of authentic Chinese food, right?
Despite being considered a Hunanese dish typically, General Tso’s chicken is not found in the Hunan capital, Changsha, nor the city of Xiangyin, which was the home of General Tso. For her book The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food, author Jennifer Lee even interviewed descendants of Zuo Zongtang, the 1800s Qing Dynasty general now referred to as General Tso; as it turns out, though, none of them had heard of the ever-popular menu item. Though the exact geography of the dish’s introduction is disputed, it seems to have been in New York City either way. Chef Peng Chang, who studied under the famous Chinese chef Cao Jingchen, first served the dish as a house specialty at his NYC restaurant in the ‘70s. However, NYC’s Shun Lee Palaces claims that their chef, T.T. Wang, beat Peng to the punch by creating the dish in 1972. Either way, the crispy, spicy dish was born on American soil.
Alfredo Sauce
Flickr/Meal Makeover Moms
Surely, a sauce that shares a name with a character in the classic Italian film Cinema Paradiso must be Italian. When it comes to food, though, names often don’t mean much. In this particular case, the sauce is named after a guy who didn’t even really invent it.
In 1914, Alfredo Di Lelio whipped up a sauce consisting of parmesan cheese and butter to top off the fettucine he was serving his pregnant wife. After opening a restaurant in Italy where that very dish gained great popularity among locals and visiting Americans alike, Di Lelio eventually moved to New York City and opened another restaurant. From there, the sauce eventually became a staple in Italian-American cuisine, although the modified version that ended up being the widespread standard usually features additional ingredients like cream, eggs, and starches. Since cream is hardly ever used to make sauces in Italy and the European name for Di Lelio’s dish is Pasta al Burro (“pasta with butter”), Alfredo sauce as we know it today really only traces back to America.
Mission-Style Burritos
Flickr/Ross Bruniges
