What are the choices?
When it comes to a theme evening with spicy food from the USA, there is no shortage of choice. One needs to look no further than an American barbeque. Chillies are used in barbeques in various ways, just as a matter of course. Many barbeque rubs contain Chillies, as do a wide selection of barbeque sauces, hot sauces and marinades. And this is before anyone actually decides to include Chillies as a specific ingredient to barbecue.
. Dishes like Jalapeno poppers and spicy corn on the cob are examples
Ribs and hamburgers are two classical American barbecue dishes often prepared with Chillies. Rubs are applied to ribs before barbecue, and they may also be basted with a barbecue sauce with Chillies. Similarly, Chillies might be added to Hamburger patties, or served with a spicy sauce like green Habanero sauce.
Barbeques apart, what other typical American dishes that can be considered for a USA theme evening?. There are plenty. In an article on the Stacker website, what the average American eats in a year it states that the average American eats 6.7 lbs of Chillies a year. That’s a whole lot of Chillies. It seems Americans love their Chili peppers.
So just where do all these Chillies go?
Chillies like Jalapenos, Serranos, Cayenne peppers and Habaneros are used to make dishes like
Chilli dogs. Combines two American classics - hot dogs and Chili. Chilli dogs can be topped with raw onions and cheese.
Sloppy Joes - Minced meat with various spices with Chillies, and other ingredients, served in a bun. Find a recipe here
Gumbo. A soup popular in Louisiana. Gumbo is made with prawns, chorizo sausage, onions, bell peppers, celery, onions, tomatoes, Gumbo Filé powder and a variety of spices
Jambalaya. Another Creole dish from Louisiana, Jambalaya, is a rice dish with meat, vegetables, bell peppers, celery, onions, chillies, Filé powder and other spices .
Green Chilli Stew. A stew made from Green Chillies from New Mexico. Green Chilli stew consists of pork, garlic, diced vegetables and chicken stock.
Chili Con carne. A southern Texas classic. Chilli con Carne is made with minced beef, kidney beans, stock, onions, chillies and a variety of spices.
Southern fried chicken. Chicken that is breaded and fried. This recipe adds zing to this dish with the addition of Chilli powder.
Buffalo wings. An iconic American dish from Buffalo in New York. Buffalo wings are fried chicken wings served with a special hot sauce. Carrot or celery sticks generally accompany them with a blue cheese dressing.
Spicy pizzas. While the origin of Pizza might have been Italy, they have become as American as it gets. Chillies can be added to pizzas like Margherita, Frutti di Mare. Crudo. Romana and many more. They are also fantastic in Calzones (fold-over pizzas). Nduja ( a spicy spreadable salami) is also used as a pizza topping
Spicy Mac and cheese. Another Italian dish that America has made its own. Mac and cheese, consists of pasta in cheese sauce baked in the oven. This version is made spicy by adding Chilli powder.
And the list goes on. There is a lot of choice, not even counting an American hamburger with a spicy sauce and some Mexican dishes commonly eaten in the USA, like nachos, enchiladas and burritos.
Whats for dessert?
American desserts that can be considered for your USA theme evening include chocolate and Chilli ice cream, spicy fruit and nut pies,
and chocolate chilli mousse. Mexican brownies and plain vanilla ice cream sprinkled with Chilli flakes are also options, as is grilled pineapple
Americans often start their meals with salads, so a good choice might be to start in this way. Then choose a main and a dessert. Another way of approaching it might be to choose a selection of dishes and then let everyone make their own decision – buffet style
And finally
No USA theme evening party would be complete without offering your guests a beverage or two. You will certainly need to offer cold drinks, wine and beer, but you might start the evening with some cocktails. Spicy American cocktails include alcoholic or non Alcoholic Bloody Marys, Jalapeno Margaritas ( tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur with a Jalapeno), Garden Paloma (tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice and bitters), Hawaiian Bonfires ( Prosecco, Jalopeno infused pineapple, mezcal, rum and lime juice) and many others.