9.03
Common North American Herbs, Spices, and Dishes
Embedded Files
Common North American Herbs & Spices
Oregano
Oregano is a herb that's native to Europe, and it plays an important role in Mediterranean cuisine. Settlers brought oregano plants to North America in the 16th century, though it's popularity didn't really take off until pizza gained popularity with consumers after World War II. Oregano's earthy, warm aroma is distinct -- besides pizza and Mediterranean food, the herb is used in a variety of dishes ranging from sauces to chili. Due to its strong flavor and smell, it's best to pair oregano with other bold flavors, or it could end up dominating the dish.
Ginger
Ginger has been widely used as a cooking spice since ancient times, but it's also been aiding people with illnesses for thousands of years, too. Ginger has been used to treat headaches, colds, menstrual cramps and flu-like symptoms. It's also used by many as a natural remedy for nausea and vomiting.
Ginger products are made from dried or fresh ginger root, and the mildly hot, bitingly sweet spice can be prepared as tea and added to a wide range of foods. Mix up a delicious ginger marinade for fish, chicken or vegetables, or add crystallized ginger to chocolate or shortbread to make a dessert that's both spicy and sweet.
Basil
Genovese basil plants (the most popular and common basil variety) bear leaves that have a strong aroma similar to that of cloves or anise. While the leaves' odor is powerful, the taste is more subtle. Many cooks like to use basil in tomato dishes; the two flavors complement one another. Over the years, basil has become an important ingredient in Italian dishes that rely on tomato sauces. Other popular uses for basil include pairing it with meats, fish and salads. Lemon basil is often used in chicken dishes and desserts.
Garlic
Yes, we know: Garlic is a vegetable (not a herb or spice), but it's most often used as a seasoning. It belongs to the same family of plants as onions, chives and leeks. Garlic's strong odor and taste make it a powerful addition to any dish, and it can take many forms in the kitchen. Fresh garlic tends to have the most robust flavor, but garlic powder and even garlic salt taste great and are common key ingredients in everything from dips to seafood dishes.
Sage
Sage, an ancient herb, has long been used for medicinal purposes due to its astringent and antiseptic properties. It can treat mouth irritations like a sore throat, and research shows that it can even help diabetics by lowering blood sugar.
Sage is often used in salves and lotions, treating skin ailments and helping to curb excessive perspiration. It can also treat and remove dandruff buildup when used as a hair rinse, and it's a common ingredient in many perfumes. Like rosemary, sage has a pungent smell, and its aroma is described as fresh and soothing. Due to its savory, minty taste, the herb is often used in sauces and seasonings for meat entrees like pork chops, chicken breasts and turkey, and it's a classic pairing with winter squash and pumpkin.
Rosemary
Rosemary is an evergreen shrub that also belongs to the mint family. The plant has a bitter, woodsy taste. Like oregano, rosemary can be a powerful seasoning and should be paired with dishes that have bold flavors. It's also a versatile herb; cooks commonly pair rosemary with meats, root vegetables and hearty stews or soups. Winemakers combine its essential oils with dry white wines to produce vermouth.
If you want to add rosemary to your dish, slide your thumb and finger down a sprig to remove the leaves, adding them before you cook your food. Chopping the leaves will release the oils inside and increase the intensity of the flavors. You can include entire sprigs of rosemary or even use them as skewers -- just be sure to remove them before you sit down to enjoy your meal, or you may be in for a bitter surprise.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a sweet-tasting spice that's also good for your health. Studies show that it helps regulate blood sugar and reduce harmful cholesterol levels. The spice can even be used as a natural food preservative due to its ability to stop bacteria like yeast and mold from growing. Cinnamon is an ingredient in both savory and sweet dishes, including recipes for chili, beef brisket and pumpkin pie. Add a dash to your favorite coffee drink or sprinkle a mixture of cinnamon and sugar on whole wheat toast for a unique treat.
Cumin
Cumin is a spice with many uses: It can be used to treat skin ailments like eczema and psoriasis, regulate the digestive system, and it was even used by ancient Egyptians for the mummification process. Thymol, a compound found in cumin, improves digestion, and the spice's antiseptic properties could help strengthen the immune system. In cooking, cumin's pungent and powerful flavor makes it a common ingredient in many hot mixtures and powders, and it's very popular in Indian, North African and Mexican cuisine.
Allspice
Allspice -- unripe, dried berries of the allspice plant -- has a distinct taste that has been described as a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. The seasoning is often used in marinades and is common in English, Indian and Mexican cuisines. Besides being a cooking spice, allspice is often used to help ease symptoms associated with arthritis and muscle pain and serves as a digestive aid.
Black Pepper
Few spices have as much of a claim to fame as black pepper. The spice comes from the berries of a climbing vine native to India. To make pepper, cultivators pick berries off the vines just as they begin to turn red. They're boiled for several minutes and dried for several days. Pepper's spicy kick has turned many a bland dish into an exciting meal. In fact, it may be the most widely used spice in the world.
Most people prefer to apply pepper directly to food after it's been cooked. Dishes with a cream sauce sometimes call for white pepper, a slightly milder version that doesn't leave those quintessential black specks in the liquid (if appearance is an issue for the cook). Both white and black pepper varieties come from the same plant, although each requires a different approach during production.
Old Bay Seasoning
Old Bay Spice is a Baltimore, Maryland-based seasoning blend with a trademarked name. Bay leaves, dry mustard, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, mace, cardamom, and allspice are said to be among the spices in the mix, which also contains paprika, celery salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and black pepper. The spice blend is most commonly used to season shrimp and crab, but it may also be used to season eggs, french fries, corn on the cob, popcorn, fried chicken, and salads.
Jerk Seasoning
Jerk is a Jamaican spice combination that may be used to dry-rub or wet-marinate a variety of seafood and meat. Pimento is the main component in jerk spice, which is combined with other peppers including Scotch bonnet and other seasonings like onions, salt, cloves, garlic, thyme, and scallions. The majority of jerk meat is now cooked in steel drum pans over charcoal.
Filé powder
Filé powder, also known as gumbo filé, is a herbal powder prepared from dried and powdered leaves of the sassafras tree, Sassafras albidum. These powdered leaves were first employed by Choctaw Indians, but they were quickly adopted by Cajuns in Louisiana, who utilized it as an earthy thickening and seasoning in stews, gumbos, and soups. If it is added while cooking, it becomes thick and stringy, so it should be added to gumbo when it's off the burner, just before serving.
Montreal Steak Seasoning
This spice rub usually consists of coarse salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, paprika, onions, coriander, and dill. It can also easily be made at home. It provides heat and flavor to steaks, burgers, and potatoes even without the floral herbs of numerous old world spice blends.
Popular American Dishes
Biscuits & Gravy
Biscuits and gravy have been a staple of Southern cuisine since the American Civil War because of its basic ingredients and rapid cooking time. Biscuits and gravy can be found at practically every breakfast establishment in North America. The All-American dish is made out of soft, doughy biscuits topped with your choice of gravy--milk, flour, sausage, and other types of meat. Biscuits and gravy is popular because of its rich, savory, and delicious taste, and can be eaten at any time of the day, despite the fact that some people find it a little too heavy for breakfast.
Buffalo Chicken Wings
Teressa and Frank Bellissimo developed Buffalo chicken wings in 1964 at their restaurant, Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, after their son and his college pals came in for a late-night snack.
Teressa was faced with an overabundance of chicken wings and decided to coat them in cayenne hot sauce and serve the first dish of what would become a North American classic. Buffalo chicken wings have been embedded in North American cuisine, from the Wing Bowl in Philadelphia to the National Buffalo Wing Festival.
Buffalo chicken wings are coated in melted butter and a vinegar-based cayenne pepper sauce. The great Buffalo chicken wing will have a robust and spicy flavor that will make you want more! Buffalo chicken wings are best found in Buffalo, New York, however they can be found in practically any chicken wings restaurant around North America.
Hamburger
Despite historians' disagreements about its origins, the American hamburger has become one of the most well-known North American cuisines in the world, thanks in part to the globalization of popular foods. The hamburger is a sandwich with one main component: a spice-and-herb-infused meat sandwiched between two hamburger buns.
The hamburger, which comes in a number of varieties ranging from chicken to ground beef, is a “choose your own adventure” food that allows you to customize your sandwich with a range of toppings such as pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, cheese, and even potato chips! The entrée, which is incredibly flavorful and filling, may be found practically any place in the world, including fast food and casual dining establishments.
Hot Dogs
Nothing complements a baseball game or summer cookout quite like a hot dog.
For that we owe a debt to a similar sausage from Frankfurt, Germany (hence, "frankfurter" and "frank") and German immigrant Charles Feltman, who is often credited with inventing the hot dog by using buns to save on plates.
But it was Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker's hot dog stand on Coney Island that turned the hot dog into an icon. Every Fourth of July since 1916, the very same Nathan's has put on the International Hot Dog Eating Contest (current five-time winner Joey Chestnut took the title in 2011, downing 62 hot dogs and buns in the 10-minute face-stuffing).
Meanwhile in Windy City, the steamed or water-simmered all-beef Chicago dog (Vienna Beef, please) is still being "dragged through the garden" and served on a poppy seed bun -- absolutely without ketchup.
Thanksgiving Dinner
No fancy centerpieces or long-simmering family squabbles at that first Thanksgiving when the Pilgrims decided not to fast but to party with the Wampanoag tribe in 1621 Plymouth.
Today we eschew the venison they most certainly ate, and we cram their three days of feasting into one gluttonous gorge.
Indigestion notwithstanding, nothing tastes so good as that quintessential all-American meal of turkey (roasted or deep-fried bird, or tofurkey, or that weirdly popular Louisiana contribution turducken), dressing (old loaf bread or cornbread, onion and celery, sausage, fruit, chestnuts, oysters -- whatever your mom did, the sage was the thing), cranberry sauce, mashed and sweet potatoes, that funky green bean casserole with the French-fried onion rings on top, and pumpkin pie.
Almost as iconic (and if you ask most kids, as delicious) is the turkey TV dinner, the 1953 brainchild of a Swanson salesman looking to use up 260 overestimated tons of frozen birds. No joke: He got the idea, he said, from tidily packaged airplane food. We do love those leftovers.
Calm Chowder
There are time-honored versions of chowder from Maine to Florida, but the most famous and favorite has to be New England style: creamy white with potatoes and onions.
There's Manhattan: clear with tomatoes. And there's even Minorcan (from around St. Augustine, Florida): spicy with hot datil pepper. The variations on East Coast clam chowder are deliciously numerous.
Even the West Coast has a version (with salmon instead of pork). With your fistful of oyster crackers ready to dump in, you might stop to wonder: What were the Pilgrims thinking when they fed clams to their hogs?
Crab Cakes
The Chesapeake Bay yields more than just the regatta-loving suntanned class in their sock-free topsiders.
It's the home habitat of the blue crab, which both Maryland and Virginia claim as their own.
Boardwalk style (mixed with fillers and served on a bun) or restaurant/gourmet style; fried, broiled, or baked, crab cakes can be made with any kind of crab, but the blue crabs of Chesapeake Bay are preferred for both tradition and taste.
When Baltimore magazine rounded up the best places to get the city's signature food, editors declared simplicity the key, while lamenting the fact that most crabmeat doesn't even come from home turf these days. Kind of makes you crabby, doesn't it?
Jambalaya
Jambalaya, crawfish pie, file gumbo ... what dish could be so evocative that it inspired Hank Williams to write a party song for it in 1952 and dozens more to cover it (including everyone from Jo Stafford to Credence Clearwater Revival to Emmylou Harris)?
The sweep-up-the-kitchen cousin of Spanish paella, jambalaya comes in red (Creole, with tomatoes) and brown (Cajun, without). Made with meat, vegetables (a trinity of celery, peppers, and onions), and rice, Louisiana's signature dish might be most memorable when made with shrimp and andouille sausage.
Whatever the color and secret ingredients, you can be sure of one thing when you sit down with friends to a big bowlful: son of a gun, gonna have big fun on the bayou.
Ham
"Ham, history, and hospitality." That's the motto of Smithfield, Virginia, the Smithfield of Smithfield Virginia ham. Notice "ham" comes before history, which really says something considering this hamlet of 8,100 was first colonized in 1634.
Epicenter of curing and production of a head-spinning number of hogs, Smithfield comes by the title Ham Capital of the World honestly: lots of ham is called Virginia, but there's only one Smithfield, as defined by a 1926 law that says it must be processed within the city limits.
The original country-style American ham was dry cured for preservation; salty and hard, it could keep until soaked in water (to remove the salt and reconstitute) before cooking. The deliciously authentic cured Virginia country ham happens to have been the favorite of that famous Virginian, Thomas Jefferson.
Pot Roast
The childhood Sunday family dinner of baby boomers everywhere, pot roast claims a sentimental favorite place in the top 10 of American comfort foods. There's a whole generation that would be lost without it.
Beef brisket, bottom or top round, or chuck set in a deep roasting pan with potatoes, carrots, onions, and whatever else your mom threw in to be infused with the meat's simmering juices, the pot roast could be anointed with red wine or even beer, then covered and cooked on the stovetop or in the oven.
Meatloaf
The most humble of comfort food. Who would have imagined when the recipe for "Cannelon of Beef" showed up in Fannie Farmer's 1918 "Boston Cooking School Cook Book" that every mom in America would someday have her own version?
Fannie made hers with slices of salt pork laid over the top and served it with brown mushroom sauce. (In her day, you had to cut the meat finely by hand; the advent of commercial grinders changed all that.)
However your mom made it -- we're guessing ketchup on top? -- she probably served that oh-so-reliable meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans.
And you were probably made to sit there, all night if need be, if you didn't eat all your beans. A better threat might have been no meatloaf sandwich in your lunch tomorrow.
Barbeque
Pork or beef, slathered or smoked -- we're not about to wade into which is more embraced, what's more authentic, or even what needs more napkins. There are cook-offs all over the country for your own judging pleasure.
But we will admit we're partial to pork ribs. The Rib 'Cue Capital? We're not going to touch that one with a three-meter tong, either. We'll just follow signs of grinning pigs in the South, where the tradition of gathering for barbecues dates to before the Civil War and serious attention to the finer points of pork earn the region the title of the Barbecue Belt.
Outside of the belt, Texas smokes its way to a claim as a barbecue (beef) epicenter -- check out the 'cue-rich town of Lockhart. And let's not forget Kansas City, where the sauce is the thing. But why debate it when you can just eat it?
Corn Bread
It's one of the pillars of Southern cooking, but cornbread is the soul food of many a culture -- black, white, and Native American -- and not just south of the Mason-Dixon. Grind corn coarsely and you've got grits; soak kernels in alkali, and you've got hominy (which we encourage you to cook up into posole). Leaven finely ground cornmeal with baking powder, and you've got cornbread.
Southern hushpuppies and corn pone, New England johnnycakes; cooked in a skillet or in muffin tins; flavored with cheese, herbs, or jalapenos -- cornbread in any incarnation remains the quick and easy go-to bread that historically made it a favorite of Native American and pioneer mothers and keeps it on tables across the country today.
Apple Pie
According to a pie chart (seriously) from the American Pie Council, apple really is the U.S.'s national favorite -- followed by pumpkin, chocolate, lemon meringue and cherry.
Not to burst the patriotic bubble, but it's not an American food of indigenous origin.
Food critic John Mariani dates the appearance of apple pies in the United States to 1780, long after they were popular in England. Apples aren't even native to the continent; the Pilgrims brought seeds.
So what's the deal with the star-spangled association? The pie council's John Lehndorff explains: "When you say that something is 'as American as apple pie,' what you're really saying is that the item came to this country from elsewhere and was transformed into a distinctly American experience."
And you're saying Americans know something good enough to be an icon when we eat it, with or without the cheddar cheese or vanilla ice cream on top.
Key Lime Pie
If life gives you limes, don't make limeade, make a Key lime pie. The official state pie of Florida, this sassy tart has made herself a worldwide reputation, which started in -- where else? -- the Florida Keys, from whence come the tiny limes that gave the pie its name.
Aunt Sally, a cook for Florida's first self-made millionaire, ship salvager William Curry, gets the credit for making the first Key lime pie in the late 1800s. But you might also thank Florida sponge fisherman for likely originating the concoction of key lime juice, sweetened condensed milk, and egg yolks, which could be "cooked" (by a thickening chemical reaction of the ingredients) at sea.
Popular Canadian Dishes
Smoked meat
Smoked meat
Known as "boeuf fumé", this type of smoked meat is usually served in Canada as the main ingredient of a sandwich, normally with wholemeal bread. The sandwich is flavored with pickles and mustard sauce. It is very popular with locals, so it can also be found on many street stalls, as well as in cafes and restaurants.
Tourtière
Tourtière
This meat pie, made up of a bread dough stuffed with meat, originates from the time of French colonization, hence it is also known as pâté à la viande. It was introduced mainly in Quebec, although nowadays it can be found in many other cities in the country. Also, although it was a dish that was served in important celebrations, today it is consumed at any time of the year.
Fidleheads
One of the most healthy and tasty dishes in Canada. Fiddleheads are rolled fern leaves and when cooked they have a taste similar to asparagus. They are originally from New Brunswick, on the east coast of the country, although they can be found in other neighboring regions. Ideal to try as a starter, it is a fairly light dish.
Peameal bacon
Peameal bacon
Originally from Toronto, this dish became famous due to the company William Davies Company. This company was the one that began to market them in the cities. Back bacon is rolled in corn flour and cooked to produce a crispy outside. Peameal bacon can be found in many restaurants in the city, as well as in fast food establishments.
Salmon
Salmon
Canada is one of the countries where salmon is harvested and exported most prolifically. It can be found throughout the territory, although one of the best-known areas to try smoked salmon is in the Bay of Fundy, near the Atlantic coast. In the Pacific, on the other hand, wild salmon is usually eaten, either fresh, cut into slices or roasted. Salmon caviar, dehydrated salmon strips, salmon burgers or marinated steaks are also sold in this area.
Maple syrup
Maple syrup
Maple syrup is one of the most popular products in Canada. In fact, the leaf of this tree is the one that proudly shines on the national flag. It is an amber colored syrup that is extracted from the sap of maple trees. Its flavor is sweet, so it is often used in desserts such as waffles, crepes, and pancakes. As an emblem of the country, this viscous liquid can be found easily in the nation's supermarkets or even in specialist maple syrup stores.
Poutine
Poutine is a delicacy that originated in rural Québec in 1950s snack shops and has since become a symbol of Canadian national identity. Poutine, which is as simple as fries, cheese curds, and gravy, has won the hearts of every Canadian and can now be found in practically every fast-food and casual dining establishment in the country.
While many people like traditional poutine, the dish can be prepared in a variety of ways. Poutine, like the hamburger and beavertail, is completely customizable, from the supreme poutine (nacho cheese, sour cream, gravy, cheese curds, tomatoes, fries, and green onions) to pulled pork poutine (pulled pork, barbecue sauce, gravy, cheese curds, and fries).
BeaverTails
The BeaverTail is a delicious fried dough pastry that can be topped with a variety of fruits or sweets, including bananas, whipped cream, crumbled Oreos, cinnamon, and more. Customize your BeaverTail and choose your own adventure! The greatest places to have a Beavertail are in Montréal or Ottawa, which are the most popular cities for the delicacy.
Trempettes
Trempettes
Trempettes are one of the most typical sweet dishes in Canada. They can be eaten at breakfast or as dessert. They are crispy, thick pancakes and are usually accompanied by a piece of butter or cream and completely covered with maple syrup, the most popular condiment in the country.
Nanaimo bars
Nanaimo bars
This cake-shaped dessert is originally from Nanaimo, British Columbia. It is composed of a crumbled cookie or waffle base, covered by a layer of custard and, at the top, molten chocolate. Depending on where it is consumed, this cake may come in different variations. In some restaurants, they add mint to give a touch of freshness to its sweet taste.
Page updated
Report abuse