Irrespective of what the whole world thinks about an American’s food habits, it’s not only a pizza or a hamburger that people from the United States thrive on. America boasts of a rich blend of customs and culture and has a culinary tradition that stands apart from the rest of the planet. Even though a few special dishes are unique to particular regions and states, the lion’s share of Americans has a soft corner for some homemade food, i.e. their comfort food. Comfort food is a dish from which an individual can derive a lot of nostalgia from. Americans are quite fond of the memories attached to certain flavors or food, and here we have a list of classic American comfort food that will probably leave you craving for them.

Barbecue

Americans love meat and this particular fact is not hidden from the rest of the world. They often face criticisms for having huge farms and consuming excess meat. However, if you get a good bite of quality barbecue, there are high chances that you might get addicted to it. Though ‘barbecue’ is a small word, it covers a wide spectrum of different meats and their cooking techniques. Among all the preparations, smoked beef or pork is hailed to be the most classic form. Brisket is a cut of beef that is absolutely delicious after being seasoned with some spices and cooked slowly and smoked using specific  wood chips until the meat turns tender. A barbecue sauce added to that makes it taste heavenly.

Chicken Fried Steak

You might have never heard of the term, ‘chicken fried steak’, but rest assured that there are very few dishes around the world that can match up to its taste. It’s not anywhere remotely close to chicken though. It’s actually a form of beef cutlet that’s breaded and then pan-fried until the color turns golden brown. At this instance, you might confuse the dish with the Italian dish called breaded veal scaloppini or its closest German equivalent, wiener schnitzel. However, Americans lend a finishing touch to it by complementing the preparation with brown beef-based gravy or white country gravy. On top of that, if you add green beans or some mashed potatoes as side dishes, you are in for a treat of a lifetime.

Biscuits And Gravy

The origin of biscuits and gravy might not yet be known, but it is a staple food item on every American table or in a country restaurant that maintains American food traditions. Getting into the details, the base is all fluffy American biscuit that’s made from flour and butter. It starts with baking the biscuits until they turn golden brown and then covered with a layer of white sumptuous gravy. The gravy is generally prepared by blending flour, milk, and butter. A seasoning of black pepper and ground pork sausage gives the gravy an added layer of flavors that leaves a taste that’s hard to forget.

Fried Chicken

Fried chicken has various versions around the world, but it’s a dish that the majority of Americans are absolutely obsessed about. You can lay your hands on fried chicken at any fast-food outlet in the United States right up to some of America’s most high-profile dining spaces. Though you might find a variation in the taste and quality, the concept remains the same. Coming to the way it's prepared, the chicken pieces are first battered and then deep-fried in order to give it a crispy taste on the outside and tender on the inside. Some preparations also include leaving the chicken in buttermilk to tenderize the meat, adding on a cornmeal crust for extra crunch, or simply treating the chicken to a combination of egg and flour. Well, all the versions are equally palatable and have caught the fancy of millions across the globe.

Macaroni And Cheese

Although it’s not the Americans who have invented this delectable pasta dish baked with cheese, they have certainly come up with their own innovations. The macaroni pasta is first covered with flour and milk-based sauce and cheddar cheese, complemented with more cheese as well as dry breadcrumbs and then baked. What you get at the end of the process is an amazing dish, the taste of which will linger in your mouth for a long time. No wonder this one is the eternal favorite of all Americans, irrespective of whichever age group they belong to.

These are just a few of the comfort foods that Americans are fond of which dictate their food lifestyle, and it would be an understatement if they say they love these. Actually, these dishes are a part and parcel of their lives. They simply can’t imagine their life without them. Period.