American seafood dishes vary widely across regions, reflecting Japanese influences on the West Coast and Creole and Cajun traditions in Louisiana, alongside New England’s shellfish history. Seafood availability and consumption have changed over time due to shifts in the fishing industry and climate. In the 17th and 18th centuries, lobster was so abundant that indentured servants negotiated to eat it only three days per week, contrasting with modern prices that can reach about $75 for a single lobster. Many seafood classics stand out as must-try, including clams casino in New England and cioppino in the Bay Area. The California roll is a notable example, with contested origins involving chefs in the 1960s and 1970s who adapted sushi to local tastes by using boiled crab and hiding seaweed under rice.
"American seafood dishes are as diverse as American cuisine itself, from the Japanese influences on the West Coast and Creole and Cajun cuisine of Louisiana to the history of shellfish in New England. Our relationship to seafood has changed significantly over the years, with the constant shifts in the fishing industry and the climate. In the 17th and 18th centuries, for example, lobster was so plentiful that indentured servants began to stipulate in their contracts that they would only eat it three days per week."
"It would be impossible to make an exhaustive list of American seafood classics, but there are some that stand out as unmissable. Who could go on a trip to New England without ordering an appetizer of clams casino? And if you happen to be in the Bay Area, you wouldn't want to miss out on some local cioppino. From hidden gems like Frogmore stew to cultural icons like the California roll, here are 13 seafood dishes from around the country that you can't miss."
"Despite the name, the origins of the California roll are hotly contested. On one hand, you have Ken Seusa, a Tokyo-born chef who worked at Hollywood's Kin Jo restaurant in the 1960s. On the other hand, you have Hidekazu Tojo, an Osaka-born chef who worked in Vancouver. That's right - one version of the story (and the one most widely cited as fact) claims that the California roll is neither Californian nor American."
"Noticing that Canadians shied away from seaweed and raw fish, Tojo decided to make a sushi dish that would appeal to local tastes. Raw fish was replaced with locally-sourced boiled crab meat, and the seaweed was hidden under a layer of rice. There are other chefs who also claim to have invented the dish, including Kanai Noritoshi and his head chef Ichiro Mashita, both of whom worked in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles in the 1970s."
#american-seafood #regional-cuisines #sushi-and-california-roll #shellfish #fishing-industry-and-climate
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