Buffalo Wings – One of very few foods in the world that was conceived, created, and perfected in the United States, Buffalo wings are a godsend to the world of food. They were spawned near midnight (as most awesome creations are) on October 3rd, 1964 at the Anchor Bar and Grille in Buffalo, New York as a quick snack for Frank Belissimo’s son and his friends. After a night of Roxbury-esque partying and clubbing, they came in hungry at midnight. Frank and Theresa Belissimo threw together chicken wings and legs (usually discarded as junk or saved for stock), deep fried them, and mixed them with Frank’s own hot sauce and butter. Now, they are served at eating competitions world wide, there are restaurants devoted to them, 99% of pizza places serve them, and we absolutely love them, just like the rest of the world.

Dear World,
You’re welcome.
Love, America.

Fried Chicken - We didn’t invent the process of frying as a means of cooking. If we did, we would’ve had deep fried Oreos, Snickers, and Beer a long, long time ago. No, the experts at Wikipedia put the first deep-fryings in ancient Rome, Egypt, or China. After they realized people were a little too chewy, they started frying other things, like chicken. Leap forward in time several thousand years and move to the deep south. During times of slavery. In what was probably (unwittingly) the first joint effort between black and white Americans for the betterment of the world, the plantation owners deep fried their chicken, and the black slaves added spices they knew from Africa. The two came together, and the modern fried chicken was born, and is now enjoyed the world over by peasants and presidents alike.

Peanut Butter - The next item on our list is one you may remember from years of packed lunches as a child. We’re not talking about the knuckle-sandwiches for your lunch money, we’re talking about Peanut Butter.

Originally thought to have originated in Quebec by Marcellus Edson who milled hot peanuts, it was J. H. Kellogg, creator of the cereal conglomerate, who added oils and salts to create what we know today as peanut butter in 1897. Since that day, peanut butter has been given out as a food supplement, mixed with jelly on bread for sandwiches, and making speech unrecognizable after eating it. Partnered with a cup of milk, it is iconic American ‘cuisine’.

Temequila – We Americans certainly did not invent tequila. That fine amnesia-inducing poison is of Mexican fruition. No, what we did, or should we say what HE did, was make it better. J. B. Wagoner, a California man with an idea, created Temequila.

Hailed by many critics as the first American tequila, he distills this fine product in his distillery, organic right down to the hay bale and lime plaster walls. In a world that’s moving toward green, with green cars, green businesses, green fuel, J. B. Wagoner had his head on his shoulders and realized what Americans really wanted: green booze. Not literally of course, that’s only on St. Patrick’s day. But if you want the most carbon neutral alcohol you can get, J. B. Wagoner’s Temequila is the way to go.

Wine - In no way are we trying to suggest America invented wine or, frankly, any other alcohol. However, what we did do was revolutionize it. Prior to us, wine was primarily an Italian and French thing. Then along came the Napa Valley. Strangely near silicon valley, the Napa Valley, located in Napa County, California, is a prestigious county valued all across the world for it’s vineyards and wineries. Any wine bar or fancy restaurant worth it’s salt, any where in the world, has at least one brand of wine from California’s Napa Valley. Our wines win awards across the world at all the biggest wine tasting events, and gives us a certain prestige and opulence when talking about wine. Well, not all of us…

Cornbread – Cornbread finishes up this list. Why? Well because corn and corn-based foods were in America long before America was in America, we went ahead and did what makes us America: took it. Changed a couple things, made it ours. Those things were what foods were made from corn. Cornbread, in particular, is an American favorite. Why? Because it is simply amazing. It’s cheap, easy to make, American as an unregistered handgun, and I know a great way to prepare it. After it’s cooked, take a slice, fry both sides in butter, then add strawberry topping. Almost like a strawberry shortcake, only more American, and thus more awesome. (No seriously, it’s feckin’ delicious)

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