Philadelphia

Philadelphia is the easternmost of five distinct culinary regions in Pennsylvania. To date, there are no general published works providing an overview of the historical and more recent contributions of this important cultural center that, in American terms, has enjoyed a long-established association with the culinary arts. Laid out in a grid pattern for William Penn in 1682, Philadelphia was intended to be a visionary place where tolerance would bring together the talents of many different cultural and religious groups. That synthesis quickly shaped the character of the city, which during the colonial period, blossomed into the largest urban center in North America.