That’s interesting. My parents have lived in NC for 25 years. I’ve never really associated anything with NC when visiting charlotte and pinehurst, so it might as well be BBQ.
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What do you think your home state’s “signature” food item is?
- Thread starter Tenacious E
- Start date
hawkeyetraveler
HR Heisman
Checking in from Illinois. I would have said Chicago style pizza (although not the typical favorite of locals it is iconic)…
…but since weed is now legal I’m going with edible THC gummies. We sell a shit ton of them to Iowans and other out of state visitors.
…but since weed is now legal I’m going with edible THC gummies. We sell a shit ton of them to Iowans and other out of state visitors.
To me, a question such as this would be something that's made and not simply grown. As mentioned prior, Iowa = corn or Florida = oranges - I wouldn't think that way.
Those are crops, not strictly "food".
Someone mentioned Chicago Style Pizza for Illinois, that's how I would answer this. Something you make...you don't "make corn" necessarily, you grow it. And aside from "making sweet corn", there's about a million different things you can produce from field corn, so narrowing that down to one item is impossible.
For me, Iowa is pork tenderloins (I know Indiana would be that also). For Wisconsin, I'd say cheese. Missouri, I'd say BBQ. Minnesota, just guessing but maybe the Juicy Lucy or maybe fish frys? Ohio - that thing they do with hot dogs, chili and noodles? Nebraska, maybe the Runza or whatever that's called.
That's how I'd look at this.
Those are crops, not strictly "food".
Someone mentioned Chicago Style Pizza for Illinois, that's how I would answer this. Something you make...you don't "make corn" necessarily, you grow it. And aside from "making sweet corn", there's about a million different things you can produce from field corn, so narrowing that down to one item is impossible.
For me, Iowa is pork tenderloins (I know Indiana would be that also). For Wisconsin, I'd say cheese. Missouri, I'd say BBQ. Minnesota, just guessing but maybe the Juicy Lucy or maybe fish frys? Ohio - that thing they do with hot dogs, chili and noodles? Nebraska, maybe the Runza or whatever that's called.
That's how I'd look at this.
Oh nooo!
I remember years ago that Kay Bailey Hutchinson was catching a lot of crap because she said she put beans in her chili. She actually updated her official website - like, among all her other positions on important issues - that her famaily's chili recipe (with beans) went back generations in Texas. Funny that chili was a big enough deal that she had to address it.
Okay, then Key Lime Pie it is.
No one can live in NC for 25 years and not know eastern style versus western style NC BBQ.
Next time you're in Pinehurst, run up the road to Carthage and hit Pik n Pig.
I’m not sure what represents Iowa the best, but I just had a phenomenal meatloaf sandwich at the Blind Pig.
Iowa produces the most pork I think - so a double cut pork chop would be Iowa imo, unless someone makes a case for Maid Rite.
Marionberry pie probably here in Oregon, which I’ve never had (also insert joke about former DC Mayor/crackhead here). Plenty of good food from all over but not sure if much is truly “Oregon”
Jesus, have a spine. You double down when you are wrong and you fold when you are more correct. OP asked about food. What are the basic FOOD groups we learn bout in elementary school?
@bagdropper , I would submit corn / fruit etc is both a crop AND a food (see def below and basic table above). You have to process corn to get to the edible and then cook, but many simple foods have a protective covering. Heck, easily make the arguement pork tenderloin is in a protective covering <skin>, then simply remove and cook.
A crop is a plant or plant product that can be grown and harvested for profit or subsistence.
A food - any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth.
But OP didn't ask about "complex cooked meal items", simply food.
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Benny's in Corvo always had a really good marionberry and rosemary donut. I remember tater tots being literally everywhere as well, moreso than french fries.
Charlotte and Asheville have never really had good NC style BBQ. You find the good eastern vinegar and pepper only style in Goldsboro, Greenville and the coast and the good western style with ketchup in the Piedmont area from about Shelby (which has at least three good ones) to Winston Salem with Lexington and the Triad having some great restaurants as well.
To me, Charlotte always meant burgushi, slaw dogs with mustard, livermush with grape jelly on biscuits, slaw dogs with mustard, Cheerwine, Cherry Sundrop, softshell crabs, and country ham and yams.
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Looked it up and found Cheesy potatoes called Funeral potatoes in Iowa.
Never heard that before.
Maybe. But they still taste way better than those bland, giant, mutant, navel oranges that seem to be everywhere now.
Sadly, it's getting increasingly difficult to find local Florida oranges at grocers in Florida. Even the venerable "Florida's Natural" brand started using oranges from Mexico.
From the label:
"Unfortunately. Mother Nature has been harsh and due to a shortage of Florida oranges, all our varieties now contain juice from Florida and Mexico."
Maybe. But they still taste way better than those bland, giant, mutant, navel oranges that seem to be everywhere now.
Sadly, it's getting increasingly difficult to find local Florida oranges at grocers in Florida. Even the venerable "Florida's Natural" brand started using oranges from Mexico.
From the label:
"Unfortunately. Mother Nature has been harsh and due to a shortage of Florida oranges, all our varieties now contain juice from Florida and Mexico."
Since the usual nominees for Iowa are shitty gas station pizza and a shitty gas station sandwich, I'll nominate a shitty potato byproduct....
Nasty, vinegar saturated BBQ, except for the odd mustard based BBQ.
You should have said cole slaw.
Probably the most associated with the state would be Sugar cream pie. But I've actually never had sugar cream pie.
Been wanting to try it but I'm too lazy to make it myself and I've never really seen it sold in stores.
Part of the problem is that I live so close to Michigan that I feel like a lot of the culture here is influenced in part by Michigan.
Been wanting to try it but I'm too lazy to make it myself and I've never really seen it sold in stores.
Part of the problem is that I live so close to Michigan that I feel like a lot of the culture here is influenced in part by Michigan.
LOL...that you have no taste is no surprise. The question wasn't what food is your state known for that Finance likes.
And mustard-based is SOUTH Carolina. Also good.
When I think of my food growing up, I always think of Garrison Keillor:
“You have fed me wretched food, vegetables boiled to extinction, fistfuls of white sugar, slabs of fat, mucousy casseroles made with globs of cream of mushroom, until it’s amazing my heart still beats. Food was not fuel but ballast; we ate and then we sank like rocks.”
“You have fed me wretched food, vegetables boiled to extinction, fistfuls of white sugar, slabs of fat, mucousy casseroles made with globs of cream of mushroom, until it’s amazing my heart still beats. Food was not fuel but ballast; we ate and then we sank like rocks.”
Iowa
Corn most obvious
Iowa Chop probably 2nd
Fried Pork tenderloin sandwich larger than the bun is in the mix, but I know Indiana claims it too.
Corn most obvious
Iowa Chop probably 2nd
Fried Pork tenderloin sandwich larger than the bun is in the mix, but I know Indiana claims it too.
for we iowans yes, but nobody literally knows what the heck that sandwich is in other states. well, I've seen them on the menu in KS but I tried one and thought it sucked. heard rumors of them being in indiana. I try to explain them to people here in TX and they know not what it is. about 10-15 yrs ago this young couple from des moines area opens a food truck here in austin tx with tenderloins. the locals thought it was supposed to chicken fried steak, so they would throw the bun away and go across the street to the chicken place and get gravy and put on there.
