Hawai’i is not located on the North American continent, so it doesn’t count as “American.” I often describe Hawai’i to people as “it might be the United States, but it isn’t America.” The Chinese and Japanese cultural influence here is quite strong (particularly on O’ahu, where I live) and has deeply established ties. Chinese were invited here by King Kamehameha I to harvest sandalwood. Japanese came at the invitation of King Kalakaua, who actually went to Japan and met with the Emperor Meiji to try and establish economic connections to temper the over-influence of American and European influences during his reign. So when one talks about, say, the cuisine of Hawai’i, one is dealing with a fairly unique culture–one that was later annexed into the United States. So, yes, Hawai’i had long been a state by the time Panda Express operated here (which was started in California by Chinese Americans), but the culinary influence that resulted in orange chicken was rooted in something that goes back a long way. If that makes sense.
Is Hawaii not in the U.S.? Or was it not in the U.S. at the time of the early Panda Express?
Hawai’i is not located on the North American continent, so it doesn’t count as “American.” I often describe Hawai’i to people as “it might be the United States, but it isn’t America.” The Chinese and Japanese cultural influence here is quite strong (particularly on O’ahu, where I live) and has deeply established ties. Chinese were invited here by King Kamehameha I to harvest sandalwood. Japanese came at the invitation of King Kalakaua, who actually went to Japan and met with the Emperor Meiji to try and establish economic connections to temper the over-influence of American and European influences during his reign. So when one talks about, say, the cuisine of Hawai’i, one is dealing with a fairly unique culture–one that was later annexed into the United States. So, yes, Hawai’i had long been a state by the time Panda Express operated here (which was started in California by Chinese Americans), but the culinary influence that resulted in orange chicken was rooted in something that goes back a long way. If that makes sense.