Food and American Culture
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This paper is a brief discussion of how American culture is defined through food. Many nations and regions throughout the world have established distinct identities, some of which can be articulated through the dishes and preparation methods that make up their distinctive cuisines. The United States, however, is made up of groups of individuals from all across the globe, and its food reflects this diversity. The foods that Americans have made popular reflect both the distinctive identity of this cultural melting pot and the conflicts that continue to define its society. Author Sidney W. Mintz is careful to clarify his definition of what constitutes a national cuisine. He writes, "Cuisines, when seen from the perspective of people who care about the foods, are never the foods of a country, but the foods of a place" (96-97). He argues that a cuisine, to fit his definition, must spring from social roots and a sense of community. Cuisine is determined by several factors, including the availability of ingredients. Food helps people establish a distinctive identity that says a great deal about how people in a specific region see
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Sidney Mintz, Pennsylvania Dutch, Pizza Kitchen, Harvey Levenstein, , True American, Food Foodways, american food, Italian Food, Boston Beacon, distinctive identity, preparation methods, italian food,
Approximate Word count = 767
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page)
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