North America
At a later date I'll include Central America in this section, but for now I'll limit my focus to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Once again, as I gain more information on other countries, I'll be sure to add them.
Here in the United States, our cuisine reflects our history, and blends the culinary contributions of indigenous American Indians, African Americans, Asians, Europeans, Pacific Islanders, and Latin Americans. Our regional cuisines are deeply rooted in our ethnic heritages, including Cajun and Creole in Louisiana, various Native American influences throughout the nation, New Mexican (totally distinct from Tex Mex!!!), Pennsylvania Dutch, and Soul food. Some dishes that are typically considered American have their origins in other countries. For example, hot dogs and hamburgers are both based on traditional German dishes, but in their modern popular form they're definitely American. Pizza is based on the traditional Italian dish, but varies highly in style based on the region of development since its arrival (e.g. "Chicago" style has a thicker, taller crust, whereas a "New York Slice" is much thinner, with a crispier crust, and even the flavors of the sauces have regional variations.
Interestingly, some dishes that Americans think of as being "foreign" were, in fact, invented in America and customized to American tastes! The best example I can think of is the fortune cookie, which was invented in California in the early 1900s, and is known in Asia only as an American style food. Oh, that reminds me...if you go to China or Japan, don't expect to order "fried rice," because the Chinese consider it a dish made with left-overs that's only served at home (i.e. they would never think of serving it to guests). And chop suey has no actual Asian origins. It was concocted by the Chinese immigrants working on the construction of the first cross-continental railroads.
New England is noted for its seafood and even for a few dishes that predate the arrival of the Pilgrims. New York is a culinary world unto itself: You can find any type of cuisine there, just about any time of the day or night, and my husband and I love going there to eat, even though Los Angeles is our home (oh, yeah, go Dodgers!). Midwestern cuisine is very eclectic, an odd mix and match of food that probably reflects the original northern European settlers and the vast farmlands: It covers everything from Kansas City-style barbecue to the Chicago-style hot dog, to great steaks too! If you're in the South you'll find some of the oldest known cuisines in the land, with some recipes almost 400 years old! In Louisiana, cooking methods much in common with rustic French cuisines of the 17th and 18th century, what we think of as "Cajun cuisine." In addition, African American influences have given us the wonderful additions of crops like okra, sorghum, sesame seeds, eggplant, and many different kinds of melons.
The Pacific Northwest is most well known for its salmon: It used to be that a trip to Seattle would not be complete without a visit to Seattle’s Pike Place market to see the fish sellers tossing 100-pound salmon at each other, a practice that ceased when a woman tourist complained. Alaska is known for its wild game, including moose meat, as well as a grand variety of shellfish (think Alaskan King Crab). Oh, and when you're in San Francisco don't forget to try sourdough bread at any of a hundred or so bakeries, and brunch at a Chinese dim sum restaurant is a must.
The southwestern part of the continental US, stretching from southern California across through Texas, has a distinctly Hispanic influence on its cuisines. With the exception of "SoCal," the signature meat is beef, but don't sell Southern California short! Our access to a variety of seafood is incomparable. And thanks to its temperate climate, California is the biggest food producer in the nation, including things like almonds, pistachios, kiwifruit, avocadoes, strawberries, and tomatoes.
Hawaii (you thought I'd forget about them, huh?) is often considered to be one of the most culturally diverse U.S. states, with much of its cuisine mixing and melting into traditions like the luau.
Finally, although I am not forgetting US territories like Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, I await the chance to visit those tantalizing places and find out what special dishes they have to offer!
Like US cuisine, Canadian cuisine varies widely by region. Most of Canada is heavily influenced by British cuisine, the cuisines of the indigenous people, and those of immigrant groups (for example, Toronto has large communities of Caribbean peoples as well as immigrants from India and other Asian nations). In contrast, the traditional cuisine of French Canada in the East has evolved from, of course, French cuisine and the winter provisions of the early fur traders. Additional influences include those of the Dutch and Scandinavians who settled parts of Ontario.
Mexico’s cuisines, like its culture, are rich, colorful, and vibrant, influenced by its ancient civilizations such as the Aztec and Maya as well as European colonization. It is unique and probably one of the most fascinating cultures in the world. As I mentioned previously, Mexican cuisine varies by region due to local climate, geography, and ethnic differences among the indigenous inhabitants. Northern Mexico is known for its meat dishes especially beef, and wheat tortillas (the thin, round breads made from wheat or corn dough and used to make tacos, as we all know, thanks to certain famous fast food chains). The Oaxaca region is known for savory tamales (a kind of dumpling of sorts, made from corn meal [or masa] dough, surrounding various fillings, wrapped tightly with corn husks or banana leaves, and steamed) and mole, a rich sauce, often flavored with cocoa or ground nuts, used to make a meat dish (also called a mole). In the Yucatan, tropical fruits feature heavily in the cuisine. The mountainous regions of the west are known for birria (that’s goat/beef/mutton/pork in a spicy tomato-based sauce). Lastly, in the Pacific Coast and Baja California Peninsula, seafood dominates the cuisine.
The three staples you’ll find in all Mexican dishes are corn, beans, and chilies (i.e. hot peppers). Corn is consumed in all possible forms, but most importantly as tortillas, accompanying all meals or used to make tacos, tostadas, and quesadillas (see below). Avocados, tomatoes, and rice also feature heavily in Mexican dishes. Some of the other foods we love are pozole (chicken or pork broth with hominy (pozole actually means hominy), herbs and spices, with onions, lettuce, dried ground chili, lemon juice, and radish sprinkled on top); chilaquiles (fried corn tortillas topped with red or green salsa, scrambled or fried eggs, cheese, and cream); tacos al pastor (corn tortillas with pork, onions, coriander, and…pineapple); tostadas (fried tortillas served with frijoles [refried beans], cheese, meat or seafood, and vegetables); and enchiladas (corn or flour tortillas filled with meat, cheese, and beans, topped in a red or green chili sauce and more cheese).