The US isn't a melting pot. More of a grab bag. I read that years ago, and
wonder why the melting pot myth persists... There are many cultures here,
politics, religions, etc. They haven't melted into each other. There may
be slight cultural exchange, but mostly people cling to their family
traditions and values (and cooking styles)

Food is very specific to regions and cultures here... Personally, I don't
care for "red state cooking" and much prefer "blue state". By "red state" I
would say deep frying almost everything, and "homestyle" cooking with tons
of butter, lard, etc. (Though I do like grits which I never saw in
Pennsylvania growing up.) By "blue state" I would say open to more than
just what my parents ate. I suppose most people like what they grew up
with. Though my parents never used onions or garlic and were very much
"meat and potatoes" with most meals... I love onions and garlic and use
them all the time now.

This (article below) isn't about cooking per se, but maybe a bit
tangentially, in a way... I wonder if it's true about the famers vs herders
having different world views and so customs, etc. And that red states have
a heritage of being "herders" and blue states "farmers".
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com...-red-and-blue/