American Theme Dinner Help Needed

[sharmon]

I am suppoosed to help my husband plan an American themed dinner, and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas,,,I was thinking each course could be from somewherein the US? So far i came up with "New England" Clam Chowder,,,any other soups? any salads and "American Pot Roast"...are there other foods named with states or US regions in their name that could help build a menu? Please help!

[AlyKen]

Key Lime Pie... must be made with real key lime juice and no Jello or green food coloring.
Pittsburgh Strip District sandwich http://www.rackdeal.com/primantibroth...
Chicago-style deep dish pizza
Carolina-style barbecue

[sailormouth]

Also, the White House often does major dinners with purely American product, so you might find good ideas for wine pairings there.

[sailormouth]

The Fat American Menu:

The Northeast/First Courses. . .
Lobster or Shrimp Newburgh
Duxbury & Wellfleet Oysters
New England or Manhattan Clam Chowder

The Left Coast/Second Courses
Caesar Salad (or a California Cobb Salad)
Hawaiian Spam and Pineapple OR Mahi Mahi

The Great Vast Middle/Main Courses
A Chicago Style Hot Dog
Kansas City Barbecue Pork with Iowa Corn
Colorado Lamb with Idaho Potatoes

Southern Coronary (Dessert)
Georgia Peach Cobbler
New Orleans Pralines
A Charleston Chew

The end:
Vermont and Wisconsin Cheeses

[JungMann]

I think that's a great idea for a future menu for me to do. Even the Charleston Chew is a whimsical (if slightly gross) addition! Is Colorado very well-known for their lamb, though?

[sailormouth]

My roommate, who is a high-end butcher (score!) waxes on about American lamb, particularly those from Colorado. Better than what you get from Australia and New Zealand.

The stuff he brings home is fantastic.

[chef chicklet]

I'm curious sharmon, is this a sit down or buffet? Nice affair or casual after a game of golf?
And why the American theme? American regional cuisine, How do you choose? Unless your allowing for say, 3 entrees and a vegetarian offer, appetizers and the whole lot, then you could possibly cover a good chunk of regional cuisine.

[davebough]

America is really big. I would work with the chef who is cooking the meal to put together a regional meal for your area. I see you posted a couple times on the Chicago board. If you are from the Chicago area you could have a menu like below;

appetizer

Duck Breast in Raspberry Sauce
Beef and Mushroom Brochette
Mushroom Caps stuffed with Sausage

entree

Rib Steak a la Morton's with Sauted Veggies
Buttermilk Roast Chicken with Twice Baked Potatoes
Planked Whitefish with Wild Rice

dessert

Apple Pie a la mode
Carrot Cake
Original Rainbow Cone Orange Sherbet

Have Lake Michigan Shore AVA wines

dave

[Eat_Nopal]

That sounds good but you please elaborate on what makes each of those dishes particularly Chicagoan?

[davebough]

What I was after was dishes where the ingredients were local and standard fare in the area. Whitefish are in Lake Michigan, but I think commercial fishing gets you fish from Lake Superior. Everything else would be obtainable from suppliers within 50 miles of Chicago. I don't know where Original Rainbow Cone gets what they put in the Sherbet, but they are a Chicago legend.
dave

[davebough]

Oops! The wild rice would come from Minnesota or Wisconsin, but was standard fare in Chicago and grew there when the white men came.
dave

[Eat_Nopal]

If you are looking to keep it on the finer dining side.... I recommend a Sonoma Salad. There are varying versions but its basically Spring Greens, Apples, Blue Cheese, Glazed Walnuts, Cranberries in Champaigne & Mustard Vinaigrette.

[danhole]

Texas Sheet Cake
Texas Caviar
King Ranch Casserole (a ranch in texas)
Texas Border Chili
Anything Tex-Mex (americanized mexican food)

[ktmoomau]

Don't forget Maryland crabcakes (but you gotta do them MD style). Everyone loves crabcakes or mini crab balls as appetizers.

[bbqboy]

What does Maryland Style mean?

[ktmoomau]

This is a big discussion on the Balt-Wash board to summarize: MD blue crab meat, very tiny amount of filler (normally a mayo combination) only enough to keep the meat together and a seafood seasoning most of the time old bay but older places have their own recipe. Broiled or fried (I prefer broiled). That's it.

[Gio]

Philly Cheesesteak - wit.
Kentucky Burgoo
Mississippi Mud Pie
Idaho Potatoes
Hawaii Coconut Muffins (the state muffin)
Boston Cream Pie
Maine Blueberry Pie
Alaska Salmon
Georgia Peaches
Iowa Corn
Louisana Crawfish
Virginia Ham

[Suzy Q]

New Orleans pralines
Winston Salem Moravian sugar cake
Southern cornbread
Smithfield ham
Charleston shrimp & red rice

[Megiac]

Denver omelettes

[southernitalian]

You'll have to tell us why he needs to do this! And how much he plans to spend per person. I was thinking steaks and baked potatoes, grilled corn on the cob. Local beers or wines, if available.

[sharmon]

budget isnt really limiting becuase it is for a golf event and each person pays for their own meal,,,we just plan it

[JungMann]

To add to the list of regionally-named foods:
Texas chili
Cincinnati chili
Manhattan clam chowder
Yankee pot roast
Maine lobster
Kentucky fried chicken(!)
Ranch dressing
Vermont cheddar
Wisconsin cheddar
Boston cream pie
New England boiled dinner
San Francisco burritos
Alaskan king crab
Minnesota hotdish
Kansas City BBQ
St. Louis pizza

[sharmon]

you are the best!

[AlyKen]

JungMann, What is St. Louis Pizza? I've never heard of it.

[JungMann]

Cracker-thin crust topped with Provel cheese. I hadn't heard of it either until I saw it on FN.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Loui...

[SweetPhyl]

Southern Fried Chicken
Memphis BBQ Or Carolina BBQ
Mac and cheese is a must
Texas Toast
California Pizza
Apple Pie for desserrt
NY Cheesecake
Chicago style pizza or dogs
NY style Pizza
Boston brown bread
Boston baked beans
and that's just off the top of my head...I could go on and on...

[sharmon]

all of you are AWESOME! so happy to have some great ideas!