W4 "American Food"

If I were to design a menu for a “quintessential American restaurant” in another country, there are a few different foods that I would be sure not leave off the list. Aside from hot dogs, which falls into the same category as fries, hamburgers, and pizza, I would be sure to incorporate steak, chicken noodle soup, chicken wings, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

For starters, it is hard pressed to find a meal in the United States more notorious and customary than steak and potatoes, especially in mid- and southwestern food culture. In addition, I would probably serve the steak, of which I would have a variety of cuts, with some sort of potato, whether it be mashed, baked, or (sorry) French fries. Steak and potatoes is simply one of America’s typical meals.

Furthermore, it would be an outrage to leave chicken noodle soup off of the menu. To say that chicken noodle soup is a staple in American households is an understatement. Everyone eats chicken noodle soup in America. Even people who are vegetarians or vegan, in our society, eat the chicken-less cans of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. In addition, it is the number one food for sick kids in our society, and has been ever since I’ve been here. My restaurant would serve a mean bowl of chicken noodle soup, complete with saltine crackers on the side.

In addition to steak and chicken noodle soup, I would be sure to add chicken wings to the menu. Chicken wings are one of the most common foods in our society. When I think of chicken wings, I associate them with parties, good times, and sports, usually football. Everyone loves chicken wings, and they would definitely be on my menu, with a plethora of flavor options.

Last, but not least, I would be hard to be considered an American if I forgot to include a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on my menu. Just like chicken noodle soup, is beyond the status of being a “staple” in our American culture and society, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich is a time-honored American tradition. It is the meal that your parents made for you a thousand times when you were a kid, and that you still eat sometimes today. My restaurant’s P&J would be rather extravagant, a time-less classic with a new twist, if you may. I would be one of the featured items, consisting of some type of gourmet bread, the finest jellies in multiple flavors, and, of course, the option to choose between regular or chunky peanut butter.