Sorry for the lack of updates lately but i just got back from America and work 's been crazy since then. Anyway...
It's true that despite the lack of gastromical traditions in their country, american Chefs have to be really creative and to pull out the best out of the world cuisine influences, and let's say that some of them are pretty talented at it. (Bobby Flay, Emeril...)
There is though one part of the united States which does possess a strong set of culinary roots: "The South"...
Indeed the combined influences of the cajuns, the cuisine from the bayou and all the "back in the days" french influences did form a solid block of food traditions. The grits, the Gombos, the Crab Cake, The steamed Oysters, the Jambalaya, all those are typical dishes you could enjoy during a pleasant stay in the South. The abundance of fish and amazing seafood also helped building those classics. In Charleston for example, there'isnt a restaurant in which you can't find shrimp or crab on the menu. Like Bubba in Forest Gump said, Fried Shrimp, Shrimp skewers, boiled Shrimp, Shrimp Cocktails and so on are the perfect appertizers...
As a eurocentric french it was refreshing to be surprised and even inspired by some of the delicatecies down there...Of course some (guess which europeans) might say that the frying dough is a bit overwhelming and that shrimp taste better tossed in pesto and garlic, or that wrapping scallops with bacon is close to a sacrilege; but some might also say that americans don't bother themselves with old and boring cooking principles so their creativity is more vibrant than ours...Let's keep it at this and conclude by saying that food like wine is not an exclusive patent belonging to anyone and thanks to the newbies for bringing new blood and evolutions in it...
