Corn did not suffer the same indignities as did tomatoes and potatoes in being adopted by European cuisine. As soon as Columbus brought the grain back with him to Spain, it found its way into kitchens and farmlands, and was on it's way to the rest of the world. By 1555, it was being written about in the Hunan province of China. Portugal soon exported it to Africa, where it became a key component of the diet.

Unable to supplement their diet, the reliance on corn led to disease among the poor of Europe--pellagra. As a result, corn lost its favor with the Europeans. In Africa and America, however, choices were fewer, and pellagra seemed a better option than starvation. (Pellagra causes skin and mouth rashes, and can eventually lead to mental deterioration similar to that of syphilis) The disease was nearly unknown in Central and South America, due to inclusions of tomatoes, beans, and avocadoes in the diet. Only when the diet is primarily made up of the grain do problems occur.

The Indians showed the Pilgrims how best to grow this staple--a fish planted alongside the kernals in a mound, providing a ready source of fertilizer. And the Pilgrims quickly became dependent on the dish, adopting it into familiar dishes. Cornbread, also known as hoecake, ashcake, spidercake, or johnnycake was a staple of any traveler during this period, since cornbread didn't spoil as easily as other breads. Topped with molasses, it gave cooks the idea for Indian pudding, still a favorite in New England.

Dishes that were distinctly American were hominy, grits, and succotash, all of which still mark Southern American cuisine.