It’s the Fourth, folks! Time for our American friends to celebrate their Declaration of Independence, and, traditionally, a time for families to get together for food and fun. In honour of the occasion, allow me to present my compendium of most popular, most beloved, most iconic 4th of July Foods!
A classic 4th of July backyard Grill: Dogs, Burgers and Chicken…
When the 4th falls on a Friday, it’s a natural long weekend. When it falls on Thursday, many businesses just call it a seek and close on Friday, as well. Many employees of those business that don’t close Thursday, many folks just stay home Friday, anyway, channeling Thanksgiving weekend. But, when the 4th falls on a Wednesday? Sorry – not my problem, much less my call. I’m Canadian.
Whatever you may choose to do with the rest of your week, I’ve got a rundown, here, of the foods that are traditionally most associated with the 4th. You may agree or disagree, or not care at all. Maybe you’ve got something on your holiday menu I’ve missed. Let me know, for next year. One way or another, here we go…
Barbecue
Not an original, as grilling didn’t become a mainstream American culinary sport until the 1960s. But today, it’s he top choice of a resounding number of folks preparing summer holiday feasts.
Hot Dogs
The single most iconic thing you can put on the grill. Hot Dogs have been associated with summer since Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker introduced them at his original Coney Island stand in 1916. And the specific tie-in with the 4th was cemented when Nathan started his famous 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. Stay glued to this space for this year’s results. The contest goes off at noon…
UPDATE: Californian pro eater Joey Chestnut smashed his own record, downing 74 Hot Dogs (with Buns) in ten minutes to retain the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Championship in Coney Island yesterday. It was his 11th win at that event. Fellow Californian Miki Sudo ate her way to her 5th victory on the women’s side, downing 37 Dogs and Buns. Each winner gets (US)$10K and custody of the championship Mustard Belt.
Hamburgers
Just behind Hot Dogs in popularity on 4th of July grills comes the Hamburger. There’s just something about a nice, juicy Burger, with all the trimmings and a Beer on a hot, sunny summer’s day…
Beer
…Which reminds me. For the grownups in he crowd, there’s no beverage more welcome on that hot, sunny summer’s day. Budweiser – which has long billed itself ‘The King of Beers’ – even tried changing its name to ‘America’, in May, 2016, calling itself ‘America in a Can’.
Lemonade
After the ubiquitous Sodas/Pops/Soft Drinks, Lemonade is the holiday beverage of choice for kids and those who prefer not to drink alcohol. Lemonade goes back way farther than the U.S.A. itself. Wikipedia says, it was first noted in Egypt around AD 1000. The first official record of the drink in Europe comes in France, in 1676. It came to the new world from there and has since become as ‘all-American’ as… Budweiser.
Corn on the Cob
Corn (known elsewhere as ‘Maise’) is an all-American food. It’s believed to have originated, as we know it, in Mexico some 10,000 years ago. Corn on the Cob is a summer grilling staple, dripping with butter and BBQ seasonings.
Apple Pie
For dessert, there’s nothing more American than Apple Pie. Brought to North America by the Dutch (and, possibly the Swedes) in the 18th century, Apple Pie has become so ingrained in U.S. culture that it’s considered an unofficial national symbol. But you already knew that!
Red, White and Blue anything…
If you can put red, white and blue stripes on it, or even combine compatible red, white and blue ingredients in the recipe, you’ve got an instant July 4th dish! Have fun!
And that’s my pick of the most iconic 4th of July foods… Whatever you choose to eat and drink today, my American friends, have a great party!
~ Maggie J.