{"id":60223,"date":"2020-07-21T09:34:47","date_gmt":"2020-07-21T13:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=60223"},"modified":"2023-10-26T13:52:03","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T17:52:03","slug":"regional-food-the-mysterious-case-of-soupy-macaroni","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/regional-food-the-mysterious-case-of-soupy-macaroni.html","title":{"rendered":"Regional Food: The Mysterious Case of Soupy Macaroni"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega searches old newspapers for American Chop Suey recipes \u2013 and to find the various names Americans call this dish. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Recently I gave a presentation on food history and family history. On my presentation\u2019s title slide I had a photo that looked like this:<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: Soupy Macaroni. Credit: Gena Philibert-Ortega.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One of the participants asked me what my name for that dish was. I answered by asking him what he called that dish. Why? Depending on where you grew up or where your family is from, you may have a different recipe name for this combination of ground beef, elbow macaroni, and tomato sauce then I do.<\/p>\n

Anyone for American Chop Suey?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Growing up, my mom made a dish called Soupy Macaroni. I thought that no one else ate this dish and that it was something that my mom invented. But I was wrong. This dish is very familiar to lots of people, but we don\u2019t all call it by the same name. In fact, it seems \u2013 despite some of the foreign names it\u2019s called \u2013 it\u2019s actually more American than apple pie.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s probably obvious to you that there are regional food differences. But in some cases, those food differences may not be so much about a different type of food than a variation on a theme. You may go to a restaurant in a different state and that restaurant could serve dishes you are familiar with, but call them something completely different.<\/p>\n

A good example of this was the time I was visiting my grandmother in Arizona and my cousin asked me if I wanted to have a burro for dinner. The thought of eating a small horse-like creature resulted in my becoming extremely anxious, only to later relax when I realized she was serving the very familiar-to-me meal of burritos.<\/p>\n

Consider a pasta dish that combines macaroni, tomato sauce, and ground beef. In some cases, there might be additional ingredients such as onions, garlic, cheese or green bell peppers. What did your family call this dish?<\/p>\n

Depending on where you live, your name for this common recipe might be different than my mom\u2019s \u201cSoupy Macaroni.\u201d People from the New England states call it American Chop Suey. Those from the Midwest call it Goulash or American Goulash.<\/p>\n

Other names include:<\/p>\n