United States Midwest Region

Recipes

Geographic Setting and Environment

The Midwest region of the United States consists of the states in the center of the country, east of the Rocky Mountains. States considered part of the Midwest are North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. The combined population of these states is over 28 million. (Sometimes the states just east of these—Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, are also included when describing the Midwest.) The area is known for its plains, which are long stretches of grasslands. Historically, many tornados have touched down in the region, due to the flatness of the land and the area's climate. In Kansas, tornados are considered to be a fact of life. Dodge City, Kansas, is said to be the windiest city in the United States, with an average wind speed of 14 miles per hour. However, the Midwestern states are not solely made up of flatlands. Many states have natural and artificial lakes and streams. In fact, Minnesota has over 10,000 lakes.

Midwestern climate is highly changeable, according to season and state. The winters are generally snowy and cold, averaging around 10°F. Springs are mild, with temperatures around 70°F. Summers are hot, averaging around 80°F, and fall temperatures taper down to around 40°F to 50°F.

The climate and terrain of the Midwest are perfect for cultivating crops. The Midwest is commonly called the "breadbasket of America." Kansas is known as the Wheat State, Iowa's most famous crop is corn, and Nebraska is known as the Cornhusker State.

History and Food

The Midwest region of the United States has many cultural influences in its cooking. Over the decades, people including Germans, British, Italian, Hungarians, and Scandinavians immigrated to the Midwestern United States and made it their home. In the early 1700s, the Germans started to arrive and brought beer, sauerkraut, and sausages. They also introduced the tradition of serving meals family style—meats, relishes, soups, vegetables, and pies were set on the table all at one time. The British arrived in the late 1700s and brought pasties (PASS-tees), or meat pies, bread pudding, and roasts with potatoes. The Italians brought pastas and native cheeses, and the Hungarians brought goulash. Lefse (potato bread) and meatballs were introduced by the Scandinavians.

See Bread Pudding recipe.

Foods of the Midwest

Foods of the Midwest are considered to be simple and hearty. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, and eggs, are common ingredients in Midwest cooking. Main dishes may include roasts, stews, and dishes made from trout and whitefish. Rice is used in many side dishes and desserts. Wheat bread and cornbread typically accompany meals. Seasoning with spices is generally mild, and fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, and sage may be used to flavor a dish.

The Midwest is famous for its long stretches of grasslands. Corn (Iowa's most famous crop), apples, wheat, and potatoes are some examples of staple crops. Beef, pork, and poultry are produced in many Midwestern states, and trout, bass, and walleye are just a few examples of fish found in Minnesota's 10,000 lakes.

Many Midwestern foods are based on the season. In summer months (around May to August), picnic foods such as deviled eggs (Indiana is a leading state in egg production), potato and pasta salads, and fresh fruits are enjoyed. Winters once forced cooks to find methods such as smoking, pickling, and canning, to preserve food. Meatloaf (made with ground beef and breadcrumbs), chicken and noodles, and chili (a thick beef and bean stew) are hearty foods to keep people warm and full during the harsh winter weather.

See Midwestern Chili recipe.

The city of Cincinnati, Ohio, located in the southern part of the state, and bordering the Ohio River, is famous for its unique chili, which may include such ingredients as allspice, cinnamon, or cloves, and sometimes even chocolate. Cincinnati-style chili is usually served as a topping over a bowl of spaghetti.

A typical Midwestern meal is considered "all-American." It might be roast beef, grilled steak, hamburgers, or meat loaf accompanied by potatoes (mashed or baked), green beans, corn on the cob, and apple pie for dessert. Kansas City, Missouri, is a leading producer of beef cattle and famous for its steaks. Other Midwestern favorites are chicken potpie (a creamy stew of chicken and vegetables baked in a pastry crust), potato salad, wild rice soup, and corn relish. Corn relish is made from fresh yellow corn, vinegar, and sugar, and is flavored with red peppers, onion, and celery. It is usually served with grilled or roasted meat.

See Deviled Eggs recipe.

See Corn on the Cob recipe.

Food for Religious and Holiday Celebrations

Christian religions dominate in the Midwest, with Christmas and Easter being the main holidays. These holidays are celebrated in generally the same way as the rest of the United States; it is a time for families to get together and visit and eat. Roasted ham or turkey is a common main course. A variety of vegetables may be served, such as potatoes, carrots, green beans, or corn. Depending on family traditions, gifts are exchanged Christmas Eve or Christmas day. Children may hunt for colored Easter eggs on Easter, go to church, and eat candy from baskets given to them by the Easter Bunny.

There are many non-religious holidays and festivals celebrated in the Midwest. Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday, commemorates the feast held between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians in 1621. Midwesterners, as most Americans, celebrate Thanksgiving with a menu that typically includes turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, green bean casserole, rolls, and a variety of pies, such as pumpkin pie. Television sets are usually tuned to Thanksgiving parades in the morning and football in the afternoon.

See Green Bean Casserole recipe.

Mealtime Customs

Midwestern people, like many other people in the United States, usually eat three meals a day and snacks throughout.

Breakfast may be hearty, with bacon, sausage, eggs, toast or biscuits, grits or oatmeal, and coffee, or a simple doughnut or cinnamon roll with coffee.

Lunch is usually a light meal, with dinner being the main meal of the day. Lunch may be a sandwich (such as a reuben), a salad, or soup. A hamburger and french fries may be a quick lunch picked up at a fast food restaurant. Students may buy lunch at the school cafeteria, or carry a lunch, made at home, in a brown bag. Barbequed pork sandwiches, chicken nuggets, and hamburgers may be on a typical school cafeteria menu, while a sandwich, potato chips, and fruit may be brought from home.

Snacks eaten in the Midwest are similar to the rest of the United States, and may include potato chips, crackers, carmel corn, and candy.

See Reuben Sandwich recipe.

See Caramel Corn recipe.

See Cornhusker's Casserole recipe.

Dinner is most often eaten at home, but may also be eaten at a "sit-down" restaurant, where diners are waited on, or at a fast food restaurant. The list of fast food restaurants is endless, offering a wide variety of foods. McDonald's offers its regular fare of sandwiches and fries, along with some regional dishes. In the Midwest, for example, grits are on the breakfast menu. Kansas City, Missouri, is known for its beef cattle and its streets are lined with steak restaurants. Chicago is famous for its deep-dish pizza, which was first made there in 1943. It is baked in a deep dish, so the sides of the crust hold in more cheese and toppings than a thin-crust pizza.

See Midwestern Pork Chop Dinner recipe.

Politics, Economics, and Nutrition

In general, people of the Midwest receive adequate nutrition. The foods they eat come from the land and are plentiful. A variety of crops, such as corn, potatoes, and wheat are grown, and cattle and poultry are raised in abundance. These foods supply not only the Midwest, but also the rest of the United States and abroad. These natural resources contribute to the United States being among the world's leading exporters of wheat and corn. For those who cannot afford it, the United States government provides money to pay for school lunches and nutrition programs.

Further Study

Books

Adams, Marcia. Heartland: The Best of the Old and the New from Midwest Kitchens. New York, NY: C.N. Potter, 1991.

Andrews, Glenn. Food from the Heartland: TheCooking of America's Midwest. New York, NY: Prentice Hall Press, 1991.

D'Amico, Joan. The United States Cookbook: Fabulous Foods and Fascinating Facts from all 50 States. New York, NY: John Wiley, 2000.

Ginderson, Mary. Pioneer Farm Cooking. Mankato, MN. Blue Earth Books, 2000.

Mandel, Abby. Celebrating the Midwestern Table:Real Food for Real Times. New York, NY: Doubleday, 1996.

Web Sites

Cuisinenet.com. [Online] Available http://www.cuisinenet.com/glossary/midwest.html (accessed April 22, 2001).

Culinary History Timeline. [Online] Available http://www.connerprairie.org/diet.html (accessed April 22, 2001).