American cuisine is so much more than burgers and fries! The United States is a culinary continent — a vast melting pot of influences from every corner of the world. Explore rich Cajun flavours from Louisiana, the comforting warmth of a classic banana bread, a creamy New York cheesecake, or a steaming bowl of New England chowder. From coast to coast, American food surprises and delights at every turn.
Cottage Cheese Cake – Cheesecake
I first encountered this cake in English-speaking Canada. My best friend — who was then just my pen pal — asked me one day if I’d like a slice of cheesecake. I looked at her in absolute horror: “You mean… a cake made with Camembert or Roquefort?!” She burst out laughing: “No, cream cheese!” I wasn’t convinced. But I very quickly became a convert!
From Slavic dessert to American classic
Cheesecake is believed to be derived from the Vatrushka, a traditional Eastern European dessert. This soft, creamy cake — made with cream cheese, eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla — was originally prepared on a thin shortcrust pastry base. Over the centuries it travelled west, and New York gave it its iconic status.
Ingredients
- 250 g crushed biscuits (shortbread, digestive or tea biscuits)
- 130 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 250 g cream cheese (Philadelphia or similar)
- 250 g caster sugar
- 5 eggs
- 150 ml single cream (crème fraîche)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lime
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 250°C (480°F). Place a large, deep baking dish half-filled with water in the bottom of the oven (this bain-marie will prevent the cheesecake from cracking). Butter a round springform tin.
- Mix the crushed biscuits, cinnamon and melted butter together. Press this mixture firmly into the base of the tin. Refrigerate to set.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a whisk until smooth. Add the sugar, then the eggs one by one, the cream, lime zest and vanilla extract, mixing continuously until you have a silky, lump-free batter.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the biscuit base.
- Place the tin in the oven (above the water bath) and bake at 250°C for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and continue baking for approximately 50 minutes, until set around the edges but still with a slight wobble in the centre.
- Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight) before serving.
Enjoy! 🍰
Tip: The cheesecake is ready when it’s set around the edges but still has a gentle jiggle in the middle — it will firm up as it cools. Avoid opening the oven door during baking to prevent it from sinking.
Caesar Salad
If you ever travel to the United States, you’ll find Caesar Salad on almost every restaurant menu. This classic dish is attributed to Caesar Cardini, an Italian-born restaurateur who owned two restaurants — one in San Diego and one in Tijuana, Mexico. On the 4th of July 1924, during the national holiday rush, Caesar reportedly ran low on ingredients and improvised a salad dressing with whatever he had left. It was an instant hit, and he went on to make his fortune selling it bottled in American grocery stores under the name Cardini’s Original Caesar’s Dressing.
Originally, it was simply a dressed green salad — but today it’s often elevated into a main course with grilled chicken. Feel free to personalise it with tomatoes, crispy bacon, roasted cashews or anchovies.
Homemade Worcestershire Sauce (if you can’t find it)
If Worcestershire sauce isn’t available in your local supermarket, here’s a quick substitute: blend together 120 ml apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp fish sauce (or anchovy paste), 2 tbsp liquid honey, the juice of 1 lime, ½ tsp crushed cloves, ½ tsp onion powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp chilli powder. It won’t be exactly the same (the real sauce requires long fermentation), but it’s a very good stand-in!
Ingredients (serves 2 as a main, 4 as a starter)
- 1 large head of Romaine lettuce
- 2 chicken breasts
- Parmesan shavings
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dijon mustard (or Colman’s if you can find it)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 egg yolk
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ½ tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Day-old bread, cubed (for croutons)
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
Make the croutons
- Toss bread cubes in olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes until golden and crispy. Set aside.
Make the Caesar dressing
- Crush the garlic and combine with the egg yolk, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt and pepper.
- Gradually whisk in olive oil until you get a creamy, emulsified dressing.
Cook the chicken
- Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Grill or pan-fry for 5–6 minutes each side until cooked through. Slice into strips.
Assemble the salad
- Tear or chop the Romaine lettuce and place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle generously with the Caesar dressing and toss well.
- Top with chicken strips, croutons and Parmesan shavings.
- Add a final grind of black pepper and serve immediately.
Enjoy your meal! 🥗
Tip: For the creamiest dressing, make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature before whisking. A raw egg yolk gives the classic Caesar its silky texture — but if you prefer, use a pasteurised egg or a good-quality ready-made Caesar dressing.
Banana Cake – Banana Bread
Got overripe bananas going black on the counter? Don’t throw them out! The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavourful your cake will be. This is the traditional American Banana Bread recipe — a wonderfully moist, tender loaf that’s perfect for afternoon tea, breakfast, or dessert. It couldn’t be easier to make!
Ingredients
- 4 very ripe bananas
- 160 g salted butter
- 250 g plain flour
- 200 g soft brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 sachet baking powder
- 1 vanilla pod (or 1 sachet of vanilla sugar)
- A splash of rum (optional)
Substitutions
- Lighter version: Replace the butter with plain yogurt or fromage blanc to reduce calories.
- Gluten-free: Swap the plain flour for a mix of 125 g buckwheat flour + 125 g rice flour.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) and butter a rectangular loaf tin.
- Melt the butter, then mix it with the brown sugar in a large bowl.
- Gradually add the eggs, flour, vanilla and rum, mixing well between each addition.
- Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork in a separate bowl until smooth.
- Fold the mashed bananas into the batter until fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin. If using a vanilla pod, you can leave it in for extra fragrance (just remove it when slicing).
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer — it should come out clean.
- Allow to cool before slicing and enjoying!
Enjoy! 🍌
Optional: For an indulgent finish, drizzle the cooled loaf with melted chocolate and butter icing, then decorate with banana slices.
Love bananas? Also try our Alloco — Fried Plantain recipe from West Africa!
Chocolate Caramel Fudge
Ingredients
- 175 g dark chocolate
- 200 g sweetened condensed milk
- 15 g salted butter
- 1 pinch of salt
- 75 g mixed nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.), roughly chopped
Instructions
- Start by toasting the nuts: spread them on a baking tray and toast in the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie (double boiler), stirring gently.
- Remove from heat and stir in the condensed milk, butter, salt and toasted nuts until fully combined.
- Pour the mixture onto a lightly oiled baking tray or one lined with parchment paper, smoothing the surface evenly.
- Leave to cool and set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
- Once firm, cut into small squares with a sharp knife and enjoy!
Enjoy! 🍫
Tip: For a salted caramel variation, add an extra pinch of fleur de sel on top just before refrigerating. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.