A Historical Perspective Of American Cuisine and The Blend-in Of Asian Dining (1/6)

Asian Cuisines, in the context of America - on the soil of a united ethnic cultures and communities, reflect what America is. They came with immigrants, derived of distinctive cultures of many Asian countries; assimilated in the melting pot, integrated as part of America’ daily dining scene, evolving in the America’s fusion food trend, and to lead a healthy way of dining in the future. How have Asian cuisines come along, in the past two centuries, to have become an indispensable (essential) component of today’s American cuisine? Asian Restaurants News editors compile this special article, to share with you, our friends of Asian cuisines, a look back in the history of American culinary development, and a natural blend-in of the prosperity for Asian food and restaurants taking place within the broad landscape. What is American cuisine, anyway? There are strict rules for each dish. But what are the characteristics of American cuisine? The answer is a cuisine in a perpetual state of flux, marked by a collaborative spirit that's been around for centuries. The collaboration began when English settlers first came to these shores. Indians introduced the Pilgrims to corn, beans, and squash, as well as the American wild turkey and lobster. For a long time, this kind of unpretentious cooking defined American food. In the 1950s, meals were straightforward rather than adventurous. Then came the 1960s--a tumultuous decade in politics and in culture. In 1965, sweeping immigration reform allowed many more foreigners to reach our shores, profoundly changing America's culinary mores forever. Now Americans cook and snack across an incredibly broad cultural spectrum. New Yorkers no longer nosh only on hot dogs and knishes, but have access to Indian dosas, Japanese sushi, and Puerto Rican-style jalapeno bagels. Additionally, the internationalization of American food isn't just a big-city phenomenon. Even in the smallest, seemingly insular towns, Mexican and Thai cooks have opened restaurants. Restaurants also reflect the growing preoccupation with food fresh from the farmer's market. Chef reates superb seasonal dishes with produce and meat from the farm. Such dishes are gaining new respect. The splendid scene of Asian food and restaurants prosperity are originated within this broad landscape. Having a clear vision of how this becomes possible may offer Asian restaurateurs greater confidence and greater hope, thus Asian Restaurants News editor compile this special article to lead readers to look back on the history of American culinary development. Colonial Age: Old Ways In A New World ? 1621 The first Thanksgiving is celebrated. ? 1773 After 342 chests of tea are dumped into Boston Harbor, coffee becomes the colonists' drink of choice. The American cuisine seems complex. But the food we eat today is strongly connected to the dishes the Pilgrims once made. The singular characteristic of good American food is believed to be simplicity. Even with the cornucopia of new ingredients, the best cooks incorporate them into their cuisine without great pretense or fuss. People say nations are what they eat. The fact is that even before America became an independent nation, its colonial inhabitants produced and consumed their daily fare in ways that gradually began to shape a distinctive American identity. The early British colonists were a varied lot. Historians identify four different waves of English-speaking immigrants: the Puritans of eastern England settled in and around Massachusetts in 1629; the Royalist elite from southern England who put down roots in Virginia starting around 1642; Quakers and others from England's North Midlands and Wales who began moving into the Delaware Valley around 1675; and a host of borderland folk from northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland who plunked themselves down in Appalachian backcountry mostly after 1718.