While many iconic dishes like hamburgers and apple pie have international roots, America boasts a rich culinary history of its own. From desserts to savory snacks, here’s a look at some of the most beloved foods invented in America.
Sweet Sensations: American Desserts
America has contributed a delightful array of desserts to the world’s culinary scene.
Boston Cream Pie (1856)
Created in 1856 by Chef M. Sanzian at Boston’s Parker House Hotel, the Boston Cream Pie was his take on “American pudding-cake pie” or “Washington Pie.” Sanzian’s version became a hit, solidifying its place as a Boston staple.
Fudge (1880s)
This simple dessert, requiring just sugar, butter, milk, and flavorings, emerged in the 1880s. One popular story attributes its creation to a Baltimore confectioner who accidentally made chocolate fudge while trying to create chocolate caramels.
Chocolate Brownies (1893)
Bertha Palmer, a Chicago socialite, tasked the Palmer House Hotel’s pastry chef with creating a cake-like dessert for boxed lunches. The result, in 1893, was the first chocolate brownie.
Chocolate Chip Cookies (1938)
Ruth Graves Wakefield, owner of the Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, invented the chocolate chip cookie in 1938. Experimenting with her butter drop dough, she chopped up a Nestlé chocolate bar and baked the pieces into the cookies, creating an American classic.
Bananas Foster (1951)
Ella Brennan and Chef Paul Blangé created Bananas Foster at Brennan’s New Orleans restaurant in 1951. The dish, featuring bananas, butter, brown sugar, and rum, was adapted from a recipe often served by Brennan’s mother.
Cronut (2013)
Pastry chef Dominique Ansel invented the Cronut, a croissant-donut hybrid, at his New York City bakery in 2013. This innovative pastry quickly became a sensation.
Savory Staples: From Cheese to Fast Food
American ingenuity extends beyond desserts to include a range of savory foods.
Cream Cheese (1873)
In 1872, New York dairyman William A. Lawrence attempted to recreate Neufchâtel cheese, but ended up with a creamier version. He named it “Philadelphia cream cheese,” capitalizing on Philadelphia’s reputation for quality food.
American Cheese (1916)
While the name initially referred to exported cheddar cheeses, “American cheese” became associated with a processed cheese patented in 1916 by James L. Kraft.
Corn Dog (1926)
The corn dog’s origin is debated, but the earliest verified mention is in a 1926 patent by Stanley Jenkins of Buffalo, New York, for a “Combined Dipping, Cooking, and Article Holding Apparatus,” which included deep-fried “wieners” on a stick.
Philly Cheesesteak (1930s)
Brothers Pat and Harry Oliveri are credited with creating the cheesesteak in Philadelphia in the 1930s. Pat later opened Pat’s King of Steaks, which remains a popular spot today.
Cobb Salad (1937)
The Cobb Salad originated at the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant around 1937, using leftover ingredients. Named after the restaurant’s owner, Robert Howard Cobb, it features greens, tomato, chicken, cheese, eggs, avocado, and bacon.
Ranch Dressing (1950s)
Steve Henson created ranch dressing in the early 1950s while working in Alaska. After retiring, he served the dressing at his Sweetwater Ranch in Southern California, later renaming it Hidden Valley Ranch.
Tater Tots (1953)
Ore-Ida’s founders invented tater tots in 1953 to utilize excess potato scraps. They chopped the scraps, mixed them with flour and seasonings, and deep-fried them into nuggets.
Buffalo Wings (1960s)
In 1964, Teresa Bellissimo of Buffalo, New York’s Anchor Bar, introduced deep-fried chicken wings tossed in hot sauce. Another Buffalo eatery, Duff’s, claims to have invented them in 1961.
Big Mac (1967)
Jim Delligatti, a McDonald’s franchise owner in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, created the Big Mac in 1967. It quickly spread to menus across the country.
Other Notable American Inventions
Beyond desserts and savory dishes, some other American food inventions have left their mark.
Corn Flakes (1894)
W.K. Kellogg invented Corn Flakes in 1894 for patients at Michigan’s Battle Creek Sanitarium, a health resort.
JELL-O (1897)
Pearle White of LeRoy, New York, invented JELL-O in 1897 while experimenting with powdered gelatin.
Hershey’s Bars (1900)
Milton S. Hershey created the Hershey’s Bar in 1900, establishing a large production facility in Derry Church, Pennsylvania, which was later renamed Hershey.
Twinkie (1930)
James Alexander Dewar invented the Twinkie in 1930. Originally filled with banana cream, the filling was changed to vanilla during World War II due to banana rationing.
TV Dinners (1953)
Swanson introduced the TV dinner in 1953 to use 520,000 pounds of leftover turkey, packaging it in a three-compartment tray with peas and sweet potatoes.
German Chocolate Cake (1957)
Despite its name, German Chocolate Cake is American. Mrs. George Clay of Dallas, Texas, created the recipe, which appeared in The Dallas Morning News in 1957. The name comes from Samuel German, an English-American baker who invented a dark baking chocolate.
Tang (1957)
Food scientist William A. Mitchell invented Tang in 1957. Sales took off after astronaut John Glenn took it on his 1962 orbit around Earth.
Conclusion
From coast to coast, the United States has been a hotbed for culinary innovation. These American food inventions continue to delight and inspire food lovers worldwide. Whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer savory snacks, there’s an American creation to satisfy every palate.
