Food and the American Road Trip

One of the great joys of summer is the great American road trip. This is the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when the vast majority of the U.S. population hits the road with family or friends to visit familiar sites or frequent new ones. There is often a bit of nostalgia connected to such trips. American car culture began around the turn of the twentieth century, but it really came into its own with the establishment of the Interstate Highway System, which was ushered into law with the Federal-Aid Highway Act in 1956. Since then, Americans have hopped in their cars every summer to explore the nation. This love of the road, open-horizons and new adventures has been passed down from generation to generation and continues today.

United States Interstate Highway Plan, 1957

As a child, I can remember loading up the family car to go camping or vacationing in New York, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia and other places. Crucially important to these trips, in my mind at least, were three questions: What foods were we going to put in the cooler, what foods were we going to eat along the way, and what foods would we eat when we got there? Perishable foods that we carried with us or ate along the way included: cold cuts, hot dogs, hamburgers, SPAM and cheese. Snacks to fuel our progress included: corn chips, cheese puffs, cookies, and crackers. Restaurant visits while traveling might have included stops at McDonald’s, Burger King, Arby’s, or more expensive meals at Friendly’s or Denny’s. As a budding food historian, what, how and when we ate were all questions that were top of mind throughout my trip.

Fast forward 30 years and the summer road trip is still very much an annual event for me. So too are questions surrounding the food that will accompany me on these trips. However, questions now take on a slightly different hue as viewed through the lens of a researcher. What food is this area known for? What are the local dishes? Is there a food museum here? Is there a food trail? What food industries and companies are in the area? My summer road trips now focus on creating food experiences by engaging in the local and regional food cultures of the places that I visit.

Although not immediately obvious or necessarily top destinations advertised in travel literature, food museums, food events, food sites and food companies provide unique and engaging spots to peek into the history of a particular place. Doing so allows me to put a culinary spin on my vacation, going beyond the glitz and often crowded major attractions to engage with local culture in new and sometimes surprising ways. The rise of the “foodie”, food networks, and cooking programs have added to and accelerated such food tourism. In every U.S. state, and in many parts of the world, there are food history museums. These museums cover ingredients such as the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, Idaho, condiments such as the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, and branded foods such as the Jell-O Gallery in LeRoy, New York. To envelop myself in current food trends, while sampling and learning about crafted consumables, I also try to take advantage of many states’ self-directed driving food tours. These tours are themed, ranging from cheese and chocolate to wine and beer, enabling one to visit farms and local producers to see, smell, taste and purchase locally made products. 

For this year’s food adventure, I travelled with my Mom around the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York. Here, we explored the Salt Museum at Onondaga Lake Park near Syracuse. Once known as “The Salt Capital”, salt processing sheds were set up along the lake to take advantage of the salt deposits that permeated the local springs. The salt was first harvested by the Onondaga tribe. Then in 1789, a commercial salt industry was set up and ran until 1926, becoming a major source of salt for the entire country. In the 19th century, much of the local labor force consisted of Irish immigrants. The laborers worked long hours in often sweltering conditions over boiling cauldrons to evaporate water from the local springs and harvest the salt crystals that remained. Today, the Salt Museum is housed in a former salt shed. Visitors can take a free, self-guided tour of the building and learn about the industry’s history. 

Adjacent to the building is a plaque detailing a traditional food, which stems from the confluence of salt and Irish immigrants in the area, the salt potato. To make salt potatoes, you add salt to a pan of water, bring the water to a boil, add the potatoes and cook until done. This food served as an inexpensive meal for workers and the local population to make and eat, using local ingredients.

Driving further west, we stopped outside Waterloo at the Murando Cheese Company. Here, we entered a classic country barn and took part in a cheese tasting. Afterwards, we bought our favorite cheeses and enjoyed eating these lactose laden purchases on the company’s outdoor deck, while overlooking the idyllic countryside and their herd of dairy cows. Visiting small, food-focused businesses such as this one helps support local farms and contributes to the area’s economy. It also enabled one to learn about cheese production, while also gaining a finer appreciation for how to taste and enjoy cheese.