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A Portrait of American Food Before the National Highway System

Morris Carter

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Published in The Food Of A Younger Land: A Portrait Of American Food Before The National Highway System Before Chainrestaurants And Before Frozen Food When The Of American Food From The Lost WPA Files

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Before the National Highway System, American food was a patchwork of regional cuisines, each with its own unique flavors and traditions. This article explores the evolution of American food from the colonial era to the mid-20th century, and how the development of the highway system helped to create a more homogenized national cuisine.

Colonial Era

The first American colonists brought their own culinary traditions to the New World. These traditions were based on the foods that were available in their home countries, and they were adapted to the new ingredients that they found in America. For example, the English colonists brought with them a love of beef, pork, and wheat. They also brought with them a tradition of making pies and cakes. The Spanish colonists brought with them a love of corn, beans, and chili peppers. They also brought with them a tradition of making tamales and enchiladas.

The Food of a Younger Land: A portrait of American food- before the national highway system, before chainrestaurants, and before frozen food, when the ... of American food from the lost WPA files

by Mark Kurlansky

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	2245 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	428 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

As the colonists moved westward, they encountered new foods and new culinary traditions. They adopted some of these new foods and traditions, and they created new dishes that were a blend of their old and new traditions. For example, the settlers in the Midwest adopted the Native American tradition of making pemmican. Pemmican is a mixture of dried meat, fat, and berries. It is a nutritious and portable food that was perfect for the long journeys that the settlers took.

19th Century

The 19th century was a time of great change for American food. The Industrial Revolution led to the development of new food processing technologies. These technologies made it possible to produce food more quickly and cheaply than ever before. This led to a decline in the traditional home cooking that had been the norm in the colonial era.

The development of the railroad also had a major impact on American food. The railroad made it possible to transport food from one region of the country to another. This led to the spread of regional cuisines. For example, the Southern cuisine of fried chicken, collard greens, and cornbread became popular in the North. The Northern cuisine of baked beans, brown bread, and apple pie became popular in the South.

20th Century

The 20th century was a time of further change for American food. The development of the automobile led to the growth of the suburbs. This led to a decline in the traditional family farm. As a result, more and more Americans began to eat their meals in restaurants.

The development of the National Highway System in the mid-20th century had a major impact on American food. The highway system made it possible to transport food from one region of the country to another quickly and easily. This led to the spread of national chain restaurants. These restaurants served the same food in every location, regardless of the region of the country. This led to a decline in the regional cuisines that had been the norm in the past.

The development of the National Highway System had a major impact on American food. It led to the spread of national chain restaurants and the decline of regional cuisines. As a result, American food became more homogenized. However, there are still some regional cuisines that survive today. These cuisines are a testament to the rich culinary history of the United States.

The Food of a Younger Land: A portrait of American food- before the national highway system, before chainrestaurants, and before frozen food, when the ... of American food from the lost WPA files

by Mark Kurlansky

4.2 out of 5