Wednesday, Dec. 07, 2011
Regional Food
The U.S. is a big country, so it shouldn't surprise anyone that there are regions in it besides the Deep South, Texas and New England. Thanks to various foodways initiatives, the culinary heritage and local produce of a number of previously unheralded regions are coming to light — the New Pennsylvania Dutch cooking of Andrew Little's Sheppard Mansion, the "modern Midwestern" stylings of restaurants like Revolver in Findlay, Ohio, and North Pond in Chicago — and destination restaurants are emerging in places like Smithville, Mo. (Justus Drugstore), and Chilhowie, Va. (Town House). Rather than simply replicating generic bistro fare, more restaurants are forging new traditions and vocabularies.