Theme: American foods

Macaroni and cheese

We have the third president of the U.S. Thomas Jefferson to thank for this cheesy treat.
Monica Schipper/Getty Images North America/Getty Images for NYCWFF
The ultimate comfort food, macaroni and cheese is also the salvation of many a mom placating a finicky toddler.
Nothing particularly American about pasta and cheese -- except for the fact that on a European trip, Thomas Jefferson liked a certain noodle dish so much he took notes and had it served back home at a state dinner as "macaroni pie."
Jefferson's cousin Mary Randolph included a recipe for "macaroni and cheese" in her 1824 cookbook "The Virginia Housewife."
So whether you're eating a gourmet version by one of the countless chefs who've put their own spin on it, or just digging like a desperado in the pantry for that box of Kraft, give mac and cheese its patriotic props.

Maryland crabcakes

An American classic, best served with a view across the Atlantic.
Courtesy ocean yamaha/Creative Commons/Flickr
The Chesapeake Bay yields more than just the regatta-loving suntanned class in their sock-free topsiders.
It's the home habitat of the blue crab, which both Maryland and Virginia claim as their own.
Boardwalk style (mixed with fillers and served on a bun) or restaurant/gourmet style; fried, broiled, or baked, crab cakes can be made with any kind of crab, but the blue crabs of Chesapeake Bay are preferred for both tradition and taste.
When Baltimore magazine rounded up the best places to get the city's signature food, editors declared simplicity the key, while lamenting the fact that most crabmeat doesn't even come from home turf these days. Kind of makes you crabby, doesn't it?