If any regional cuisine is the most emblematic of American cuisine as a whole, it very well may be southern food. This cuisine is characterized by hearty dishes that have origins from the culinary traditions of early English and Scottish settlers, West African slaves and the original Native American inhabitants of the region. Some common staples of southern cuisine include pork and smoked meats, biscuits, seasoned greens and stews. As with other regions in the US, there is plenty of variation of cuisines across the south, although there are some common elements that are present throughout all of these subsets. Some notable regional cuisines that exist under the umbrella of southern cuisine include Louisiana Creole, Lowcountry, Appalachian and Floribbean.