I’m an Italian living in the USA and these are the “Italian” foods I had NEVER seen before moving here. From Chicken Parmesan to Spaghetti and Meatballs… let’s talk about it because they definitely changed my whole perspective on italian american food and they definitely made me love it.
Remember to not judge food until you try it:)
Id love recommendations on more things to try!!
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39 Comments
Immigrants are what makes the US great. They bring their cultures here and while they do assimilate to us somewhat, we also assimilate to them and we all grow and improve together. It’s not a melting pot but a garden.
Probably the only Italian on YT that didn't make a video to simply bash food. We love all the authentic international foods as well as the "American" versions. It's all good. Liking something different does't take anything away from the originals.
Olive Garden claims that they send their chefs to Italy for recipes. Hmmm…
No, Italians who moved to the USA invented them after emigrating from Italy
I was all over Italy in 1998 and I only saw ONE "pizza." That was in a tourist place in Venice. No "sandwiches," either.
Italian inspired foods. Not authentic Italian dishes. Just as Taco Bell is Mexican inspired, not authentic. The U.S. mashes up it's peoples so why not the same with foods?
OMG I have the same issue garlic! I love it but just make me smell horribly! At least in my mind! Lol
I'm so happy that you have tried these foods with an open mind, even if they are not found in Italy. I'm even happier that you love them. Almost every other Italian on YouTube bashes anything that is not exactly like their Nonna made it, even if it really is an Italian dish, just from a different region of Italy. They say that it is not Italian. Many of those food that they say are "not Italian foods" in America are invented by Italian immigrants, based on old country family recipes that have been adapted to appeal to American palates, not necessarily the palates of those from Italy. America has had a long history of accepting the food of other cultures and making changes to them for the American palate. For example, if you go into a restaurant in China, you will not see orange chicken, General Tso's chicken, or fortune cookies. Orange chicken was actually invented in America by a chef working for Panda Express. Orange chicken, like General Tso's chicken, is a mutation of the sweet and sour chicken found in China. The fortune cookie was actually invented by a Japanese man in San Francisco, based on the recipe of a cookie he remembered from Japan, known as senbei. He just took it to the next level by folding the dough before baking it, then inserting the paper holding the "fortune". The Chinese restaurateurs in San Francisco saw how popular these cookies were and started offering them in their restaurants as well. They have since become associated more with Chinese restaurants than Japanese. You also wouldn't find "California Roll" or many of the sushi you find on a Japanese restaurant menu in America offered in Japan. A lot of the Mexican dishes in America have also been changed to appeal to American palates. So, I am so happy that you can enjoy these Americanized foods for what they are, and not compare them to the foods you had in Italy. Your attitude is refreshing. 🍕
It's weird to think about it but as American's we often go out to eat "Italian" or "chineese" but we never go out to eat "French" lol Possibly the only other country considered to be known for it's superior cuisine's.
My favorite thing is to see people go crazy if you break the spaghetti.
i had a friend in high school that was Italian, his dad was born in America and his mom was born in Italy and came to the US as a teen. So when his mom made Italian food she blended both, food from home and the Americanized version. Now and then she would make her food from home and i was shocked at how different it was…but it was soooooo good.
Modern Italians will lose their identity completely in the us if they were to be immigrants. They are too rigid. You can never replicate your culture in a place so foreign from your homeland.
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So we can claim spaghetti, lasagna, and pizza as 100% American? Cool.
Pizza
Italian American cuisine.Like pizza 🍕😊
Hi, I'm a food nerd. The whole thing about food in the US being bad or being 'less real' than Italian food really doesn't pass the sniff test of most people who have spent time in both cultures for exactly the reasons you describe. Good for you to look for food you *like*, as that's what ultimately matters.
One, Italy isn't a food culture monolith. What is common in Venice and what is common in Naples isn't going to be the same.
Two, the US had waves of S Italian immigration that evolved a new form of American Italian food Americans just see as 'Italian food'.
Three, for some reason there's a subset of people who have this idea that everything from another place they don't live in is homemade from scratch by someone's grandparent and that food technology and processing just doesn't exist there. For anyone with this view: It does. Look up Crik crok or San Carlo. If there's food logistics for a place, there's going to be junk food in some form and the 'chemicals' of food processing don't magically change due to borders.
One time, my parents were at a restaurant in France. When it came time for desert, my father ordered pomme frites, thinking it was fried apples. The waiter tried to dissuade him but Dad was insistent. So, ultimately, my father sat there and manfully ate his plateful of French fries for desert.
just an unrequested tip, unfortunately not always applicable to restaurants if not high end. I also have a garlic "issue" because of my companion can smell it within me or from me for almost 24hrs, just remove the central stem or else briefly boil the garlic 2 or 3 times and then consume it as you wish: this saved my marinara pizza, arrabbiata & aglio e olio experiences. 🍕🍝
I always make it to the end. 🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕🍕De gustibus non est disputandum.
Hi Jess. As an Italian, I'm a bit like you. While traveling, not just in the US, I've also enjoyed revisited "Italian" foods. Yes, out of curiosity, why not?
But not all the "foreign" versions have convinced me, because, I believe, you have to distinguish between taste and goodness. Let me explain: I was pleasantly surprised by spaghetti filled with butter or spicy sauce, or ravioli dipped in cream… but… I might like them only once. I believe Italian food has a balance and simplicity that make it not only tasty but also "good," just like a diet. And obviously, those who are only looking for special flavor won't find themselves in this category.
Never tried them (Rocky Mountain Oysters) and I'm an American….lol.
Wait…they give you pasta at the hospital and better health care? Sign me up
I would agree with you on most points but not on Pepperoni Pizza. As a real Sicilian, who has also lived in and around Naples, the only true pizza is Pizza Margherita, with that said, the US style pepperoni's taste is too overwhelming and excessively greasy. A more suitable alternative would be mild Italian sausage. The sausage's ingrediencies enhances the flavour of the pizza without overpowering the cheese, sauce and basil and without making an oily mess. As for the bread sticks, I can't understand why they are even called sticks. As you pointed out, they are merely just soft bread. When I pay a visit to my childhood home, I always go to a local deli and stock up on real bread sticks.
You can't go home now. You will be lynched lol
Toasted Raviolis… those are my favorite “Italian” food. They’re a staple where i live in the Midwest
I add a half pound of browned ground seasoned hamburger to Traditional Prego over Barilla spaghetti cooked al dente. The pasta will stick to the wall if you toss it at it. 😋 🍕
I was kind of shocked when my parents came back from a trip to Italy, and I asked them 'was the food amazing?' and they said, 'yes, it was good. But what we have here already is actually pretty incredible.' I was not expecting that at all. But they've travelled to like twenty countries now in retirement, and they pretty much always express newfound appreciation for the food we have here. Foreign prices for things is what they seem to love the most. The dollar just stretches further in many places. They absolutely loved the Italian coast.
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Ethnic foods in America can be a bit confusing. many of them were not made in their country of origin but by the immigrants of those countries when they moved here and adapted to American life.
We are not usually strick on traditional foods here. It varies and we are creative. We rather embrace new delicious varients in addition to the fantastic classics.
If you ever get the chance, you should try clam chowder New England clam chowder is white and there’s also a red one referred to as Manhattan clam chowder. New England cream base with potatoes, onions, small chunks of clam and bacon bits Manhattan, tomato based various vegetables, potatoes bacon bits, tomato paste onions make sure to get them at sitdown, restaurants, or look up recipes for each to make them yourself. Don’t get the cans of clam chowder on convenience store shelves.
I have a question for you. In Italy. do Sicilians take it badly when you call them Italian. Because over here, it's like a racial slur.
Availability of ingredients and differences in palate preferences created 'Americanized' versions of traditional foods… especially Italian, Mexican and Chinese. It's actually more difficult to find authentic food even if some say 'real Italian'!! PS: Some Italian restaurants do serve actual bread sticks while you order and wait for the food.
A lot of Italian American immigrants were very poor. When they came and when they got enough money to make 'good', robust food…. they made recipes of things they THOUGHT that the rich Italians in Italy made and ate. They imagined expensive ingredients like tons of heavy meat and cheese and cream.
A lot of the Italian foods here in America developed from the "Great Depression". Italian immigrants would take cheaper scraps of meat or cheaper plentiful dry ingredients and create meals for their family. Two dishes come to mind, Sufrite (made with chicken gizzards) and Polenta (cornmeal w/red sauce & sausage). My mother would tell us kids, "don't say we eat this to your friends, this is depression food", like she was embarrassed. I'd pay anything to have one of her meals, God bless her soul. She'd also say, "when you go to your friends homes, don't eat like a "morto di fame" dying of starvation, "because I feed you kids". Only an Italian mother would say that! 😂
My favorite Italian pizza is Hawaiian pizza 🍕 😋 😍 🙌 😅
My family is from Palermo and after coming to America, like other Italian families, new dishes were made.
We owned a few restaurants from Chicago to California over 4 generations. We came through Ellis Island a long time ago. We are settled mainly in California now. Thank God. It's the best. Reminded my great grandpa of Sicily…the weather, the fertile soil, and rolling hills
American Italian food is amazing. And it differs all over the country, too. Try all Italian areas in America if you get a chance.
Lol @ olive garden. We scoff at people that go there if you're from Italian heritage
My favorite is chicken parmesan. I make it so good. Serve it with your favorite pasta. Mm mmmm
Here's something I'm sure we do different here, too, I like to put meatball meat inside my Manicotti noodles and put a bunch of cheese on top, almost like lasagna. Try it. It's so good.
I also like to put meatball meat inside Briaciole instead of the herbs, garlic, and breadcrumbs. Try it! It's great. Serve it with pasta.
You should try toasted ravioli.
It is popular in St Louis Missouri.
The best representation of it is at a Greek Italian restaurant Anthonino's Taverna in St Louis, Missouri.
Guy Fieri on his Diners, Dive-Ins, and Dives show went there.
There are videos of his experience there on YouTube.
They are very tasty.