United States

GeoCultural Background:  In 1776, after 169 years of distant and undemocratic British rule, the 13 Colonies declared independence. With the Constitution of 1787, the United States of America’s four million people embarked on a political experiment: a democratic republic with representation at the local, state, and federal levels—with a built-in balance among executive, legislative, and judicial branches. From 1861 to 1865, the union of the United States was tested by the Civil War; it survived after a great loss of life.

On September 11, 2001, America witnessed death not seen on its soil since the Civil War, when 3,025 people died as four passenger jets were hijacked and turned into terrorist bombs—crashing in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The images of a destroyed World Trade Center and damaged Pentagon had a momentous impact on the country, and the government launched a “war on terror.” In October 2001 the U.S. led a military campaign against terrorists in Afghanistan, driving the Taliban regime from power. In November 2002 the Department of Homeland Security was created to protect the nation against terrorist attacks. In March 2003 a U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq, toppling Saddam Hussein’s hostile dictatorship.

Food Culture:  New England clam chowders. hilly cheesesteaks. Chicago pizze. New Orleans jambalaya.  Maine lobster. Northwest salmon. Tex-Mex cuisine. Kansas City ribs. Seattle's Pike's Peak Fish Market. Olvera Street in L.A. New York delis. Chicago's Greek-town. The list goes on and on. The foods and cuisine of the United States clearly reflect the varied resources and cultures the make the country so diverse.

Describing the plethora of styles is a challenge — American cuisines are influenced by various cultures, regional resources, personal preferences such as vegan and vegatarian diets, the pace of society coupled with fast food (ugh!), fusions of cuisine styles, and more. While the American diet has a dubious reputation of being processed, pre-packaged and predictable many people are becoming more attentive to the ingredients in their food choices. Interests in organic, whole-food, slow-food, and local-food options are gaining traction.

The U.S. food industry remains one of the largest producers in the world.  Although many growers and harvesters are represented by large corporations, there is significant growing interest in artisan products, with special care given to environmental sustainability, resource impacts, and product quality and uniquness.

Taste the Culture of the United States