[coolJ]

I might have brought this topic up before, but can't really remember. what I am trying to figure out is what makes food "Canadian" or "American", I mean if you mention Greek or Chinese, or Russian food, there are things that pop in to your head right away, but with America and Canada being so ethinically and culturally diverse, and with alot of our dishes having been brought over from the old countries. If a person said hey we're going out for Canadian / American food, what pops into mind as being of either distinct nationality ??.

[KeeperOfTheGood]

Hey oh

I'm sorry, I drew a complete blank on this one. I had to beat my head on a wall once or twice to get some of them gears a grinding, and this is what I've got so far.

CANADIAN:

Peameal Bacon on a grilled bun with two eggs, preferably runny.
Nearly anything that has Maple Syrup as an ingredient.
Salmon -- endless variations here.
Fish n Chips (cod instead of haddock).
Pizza, with sauce on first, cheese on second, toppings on last.
PEI potatoes.
Alberta beef.
Poutine.



UNITED STATESION:

Philly cheese steak.
Red Beans and Rice.
Idaho potatoes.
Pizza, with sauce on first, toppings on second, cheese on last.
Gumbos and jumbalaya.
Bakes and roasts. (clam bakes, corn roasts, that kinda thing)
Chicken-fried steak
Deep fried anything (Twinkies, turkeys, Mars bars, that kinda thing).



Then there are the cross cultural dishes.

Baked Beans (the differences are in the amounts of brown sugar and molassis)
Clam Chowder (we Canadians make chowders like the New Englanders, and we add to that bacon and corn).
Hamburgers, Taco's, Salad Bars (uniformity due to chain restaurant influence)
Roast Beef.
Using Venison chiefly for sausage (I don't know why, but its like that here and there).


Well, that's my first volly. This could get interesting.

[Mikeb]

Can't speak for Americans, but when I think of Canadian food I think of this.

- Poutine (french Canadian)
- Anything with bacon and/or maple syrup
- anything made with exclusively Canadian ingredients
- grilled foods
- potatoes, corn, peas, beets, carrots, wheat, barley are common staples (or at least were in my family when I was growing up...)

Most cultures' foods are a product of geographic location, climate, etc... I would classify Canadian food as something made up entirely of common Canadian ingredients...