What Do You Eat? Let's Share Our Regional Flavors!

[CrazyAce86]

So, as I sit here drinking a cup of Postum and eating a lebanon bologna sandwich, I started to think just how different the food we eat are, even within a country or a state. My college was only a little over six hours away and across the state of Pennsylvania, but most of the kids who went there and were from that region had never heard of lebanon bologna. They even had trouble understanding my accent on occasion.

And since we're an eclectic group of people from around the world, I thought many of you may have had similar experiences, and even if you haven't, I'm sure there's something that is a distinct "flavor" to your region. Let's share these, eh? Post recipes or descriptions or pictures or what-have-you and broaden all our horizons a little bit.

Here's a few things from my region, which is mix of Southern cuisine, Pennsylvania Dutch, randomness, and old-school fare:

Lebanon Bologna (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lebanon_bologna)
Potato Cake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato_cake) (Mine is the first 'rarely' that's followed by the [1].)
Postum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postum) (My mother can't have caffeine, which is why we have it.)
Potato Candy (http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe171.potatocandy.html)
Funnel Cake (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funnel_cake)
Amish Friendship Bread (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amish_Friendship_Bread)
Apple Butter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_butter)
Apple Dumplings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_dumplings)
Hoagies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoagie)
Hominy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hominy)
Johnnycakes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornbread)
Pecan Divinity (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pecan-Divinity/Detail.aspx)

[Mechs]

We have chicago deep dish pizza?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago-style_pizza (Chicago-style Deep Dish Pizza)

That's like the only thing I can think of that regional for me.

[Life25Karma]

If you come to Maryland, be sure to check out the different sea food resturants, or better yet - Sea King for some Crabs.

[stsparky]

We've awesome chili.

[Lea]

My region? People here in seattle love salmon. When they swim up our local streams to spawn, it's a big celebration. I personally like salmon spread! Mmm...

http://www.alaskaseafood.org/canned/images/Smoky_Salmon_Spread.jpg
Smokey salmon with crackers!

And we love Starbucks since the company started in Seattle after all. I can't really think of anything else really. *shrugs*

[Micah the Great]

TN Sunday dinner: cream corn, corn bread, pinto beans, chicken and dumplings, tenderloin, stemmed cabbage, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, onions and tomatoes(just sliced on a plate), a tiny salad, and some chess pie... ohh, and some fuck yeah.

^hmmmm... i'm gonna to Seattle in 2 weeks..

[Kfisher]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_ball#Philippines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longganisa#Philippines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobo#Filipino_Adobo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taho

[Firefly]

Though I'm allergic to seafood, the bay area (especially San Francisco) is well known for clam chowder in a bread bowl.

[Myrsilus]

Corpus Christi is a port town, so we have great seafood. Also, you're bound to find varied Mexican foods (Including pastries).

[Angelyne]

Oh shit Crazyace, you mention PA food but you didnt include the strange Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine we serve:

Like Shoofly pie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoo_fly_pie)
Or Scrapple (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple)
Whoopie Pies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whoopie_pie)
- I wanted to add a link the blood pudding and brain sandwiches I have seen at Amish markets, but I can't find any good links.
- Putting potatoes inside an omelette--I know a lot of native Pennsylvanians who do this. Also had three separate diners serve this shit to me. Have never actually seen this happen outside of PA.

Honorable mentions
Pittsburgh's obsession with putting french fries on sandwiches (http://images.google.com/images?um=1&tab=wi&client=opera&hl=en&hs=B3N&rls=en&q=primanti%27s)
Can't mention PA food without giving the Philadelphia cheesesteak a nod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheesesteak)
I've visited the original Auntie Ann's pretzel stand (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auntie_Anne's)

One of my favorite meals:

Pierogis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierogi) topped with fried onions and sour cream with a pint of Yuengling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuengling). Shit, i think I know what i'm doing for dinner tomorrow.

[Citizen]

The majority of the foods listed can be found in Wisconsin as well. Aside from Kfisher's. We get all sorts of stuff here.

Some of my favorite regional dishes that you don't usually find outside of Wisconsin (and Canada, but noone cares about Canada) are cheese curds, poutine, fried pickles, pizza fries and brats. Good, Wisconsin-style brats, not the crappy Ohio-style kind most of the nation gets.

[whispering]

More like from my place of birth (Lapland) then my current place of residence, but
Braised reindeer with mashed potatoes and lingonberry is one of my favourites :) Other finnish ones would be Karelian pie, rye bread and unleavened bread.

[wtf.pirate]

not sure about any specifically Sydney dishes... I tend to eat multicultural most days anyway. Love my Chinese, Vietnamese food =3

Only things I can think of specific to Australia are sweets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_(food)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Tam

Mmm tim tam.

[Roxie]

REAL Sweet Tea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_tea)...sweet tea and Chittlins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitterlings)(winters only) or Catfish (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish#Catfish_as_food)with mustard and hotsuace. Sweet Potato Pie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Potato_Pie)

[PopCulturePooka]

not sure about any specifically Sydney dishes... I tend to eat multicultural most days anyway. Love my Chinese, Vietnamese food =3

Only things I can think of specific to Australia are sweets.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlova_(food)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Tam

Mmm tim tam.
You'll find meat pies as well are VERY Australian.

At least the style taht we eat here.

[MNJetter]

Hey, we have great brats in Minnesota. :P The Germans infiltrated the whole midwest, not just Wisconsin (except maybe North Dakota, which is still fanatically Norwegian).

And cheese curds.

Wisconsin has awesome syrup. Forget Vermont and Canada. I'll take a Hayward maple any day. :)

.....For me, I guess right now, Japanese food? My region is particularly well known for coming up with corn sushi (my friends in Tokyo don't believe it was invented by a Japanese person :D), and local specialties are shiso pickles and cod testicles.

But growing up, it was Minnesota food. Lefse and lutefisk are probably the most well known, coming from Norway. Lefse is like a tortilla, only made with mashed potatoes instead of just flour and water. And lutefisk is like.....buttered fish jello? Done well, it's amazing, flaky, and savory. Done poorly, it's just vagualy fish-flavored pudding.

[RandomPasserby]

We don't eat brats here in Finland (I'm assuming you are talking about children as you didn't give a clarifying link).
Regional flavors here in Finland include McNuggets, BigMac, pizza and microwave lasagna and microwave meatballs :|

[Roxie]

Oh, of course! Pecan Pie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pecan_pie)!
Georgia has the most Pecan Pie consumers.

[mamba]

Hmmm,

Well I suppose we have a few staples.

Haggis -which is awesome no matter how bad it sounds, its melt in the mouth stuff.

Stovies and oatcakes -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stovies

White pudding - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_pudding

Anything deep fried in batter served with chips

and clootie dumpling (my grandad used to make awesome clootie dumpling) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clootie_dumpling

All good hearty heart attack inducing meals

[Soli]

Candy Buckeyes (http://www.culinary.net/images/columns/mixitupwithjenny/nes0017at.jpg)

I can't think of anything else for Ohio. My knowledge of food doesn't really extend beyond candies and sweet things.

[wtf.pirate]

You'll find meat pies as well are VERY Australian.

At least the style taht we eat here.
.-. I always saw them as more universal or british if anything. =P

[Roxie]

Oh, Grits (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits)(I love mine with cheese) and Banana Pudding (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_pudding)..

South Carolina declared grits its state food in 1973, writing, "Whereas, throughout its history, the South has relished its grits, making them a symbol of its diet, its customs, its humor, and its hospitality, and whereas, every community in the State of South Carolina used to be the site of a grist mill and every local economy in the State used to be dependent on its product; and whereas, grits has been a part of the life of every South Carolinian of whatever race, background, gender, and income; and whereas, grits could very well play a vital role in the future of not only this State, but also the world, if as The Charleston News and Courier proclaimed in 1952: 'An inexpensive, simple, and thoroughly digestible food, [grits] should be made popular throughout the world. Given enough of it, the inhabitants of planet Earth would have nothing to fight about. A man full of [grits] is a man of peace.'"

[japanat]

Akashiyaki - takoyaki (octopus dumplings) in dashi soup instead of the usual sauce.

Colorado - can't think of anything, other than Rattlesnake Stew (any southwestern state) and Rocky Mountain Oysters

[Anders]

Citizen is from Wisconsin?!?!

He hit it on the head with Bratwurst and Cheese Curds. I think every Wisconsinite loves those. As for alcohol, Wisconsin is home to Miller Brewing Co. and Leinenkugel's, and don't forget Brandy.

"Wisconsin is our number one state," says Margie Healy, director of public relations for the California-based Korbel. "We export 385,000 cases a year, and 139,000 go directly to Wisconsin. That's one-third of our total production."

Source
(http://www.onmilwaukee.com/bars/articles/brandy.html)
Apparently Minnesota also shares our affinity with Brandy.

[PopCulturePooka]

.-. I always saw them as more universal or british if anything. =P
Nah, the brits have something SOMEWHAT similar, but full blown, 4n20, at the footy or during the lunch break meat pies are very very Australian.

[Roxie]

.-. I always saw them as more universal or british if anything. =P
We don't eat them here.

[manrush]

We have clam chowder here in Massachusetts. But it is more common for us to subsist on Dunkin D's (mmm I luvs me a frap with some jimmies)

[Knife-Fingered Sue Sanderson]

Citizen is from Wisconsin?!?!

He hit it on the head with Bratwurst and Cheese Curds. I think every Wisconsinite loves those. As for alcohol, Wisconsin is home to Miller Brewing Co. and Leinenkugel's, and don't forget Brandy.



Mmmm....cheese curds and bratwurst....

We also have a lot of cranberries, and some damn good ice cream. Ever heard of Blue Moon from Cedar Crest?

[Duke Luke of Juke]

not the crappy Ohio-style kind most of the nation gets.
>=[

____________

These aren't really "Ohio" foods, but if anyone here can make
Sausage Biscuits with Gravy
http://www.browniepointsblog.com/wordpress/wp-images/2006/01/BiscuitsandGravy.jpg
or

Chicken Parmesan
https://www.diabeticsupply.com/newsletter/2005/august/images/Chicken_Parmesan_with_Lingu.gif
I will marry you. O_O

[Roxie]

I prefer my biscuits and gravy with sawmill gravy..you know, the white kind with bits of meat...yum.

[h2orowe]

What the hell do Californians eat? >_>; Well, we have great Mexican food. Where I'm from we have authentic authentic Vietnamese food :P either in restaurants or at the homes of friends. We also have some Korean food, although I've never had any yet. Um.. other Asian foods. We have this placed called Old World in my town that has a German restaurant >_>; not sure if you'd consider that regional.

I have no idea if my family makes anything regional. Most of the time we eat like roast, steak, etc if we have money at the time, but when we don't have the money we eat a lot of pasta stuff like spaghetti or chicken tetrazini. And when we REALLY don't have any money, my mom makes hamburger pie. YUCK. It's disgusting. It's like groundbeef, and corn and some other crap that would seem good together, with a really thick biscuit-ish type covering over it. It's so blah. Usually I just eat leftovers if we have 'em when we eat hamburger pie, or I eat top ramen.

[IShootYou]

Soupie[=

i cant find it online but its good spicy food in in the shape of a long oval [=

[cama]

Donair (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donair#Canada)
http://www.northernlightinn.com/images/donair.jpg

Spicy meat, with sweet sauce, diced tomatoes and onions, all wrapped in a pita.
Like the Wikipedia article says, it's often the food of choice after stumbling home from the bars. I can only usually handle an average of one donair per year, and I've already filled my quota.

I guess we're also famous for our lobsters, and I'm sure there are tons of other regional foods I don't really know about because my parents are immigrants. :innocent:

[ParryDat]

^^^

Gyro Meat??



Chicago Style deep dish pizza(Bar none the best pizza in the world)
Chicago Style Italian Beef

Errrr,we also got the tast of Chicago,and they have all types of weird contraptions there.They had some Alligator Pizza there last year.

[Roxie]

When I was in Chicago, we got a medium deep dish pizza that we had to eat with a fork. It was $30.

[ParryDat]

You pay for quality :D

[andrewt]

in the words of bowling for soup -
the Mexican food sucks north of here anyway ;)

So for me - fajitas, decent bbq (tho i only do that rarely)... and then stuff that's not so tx specific, but i like anyhow - such as pitas/greek places, sandwich places, and places on the lake. (scenery is half the game!)

[4letterwords]

My mom makes the BEST corn pudding in the world. It's kindof like baked corn bread thanks mushier and tangier... put sour cream on the top and its sexcellent.

[MEGA SATAN 3000]

I come from the same state as wings, aka Buffalo Wings. Although I'm on the other side of the state from their place of origin.

[Digital Masta]

^^^

Gyro Meat??



Chicago Style deep dish pizza(Bar none the best pizza in the world)



If by Chicago Style pizza you mean New York Style Pizza then you are correct. :P

[ParryDat]

If by Chicago Style pizza you mean New York Style Pizza then you are correct. :P

It's been proven that we have the best pizza...

I'm not even going to go into that,because it's not even close :hat:

[Duke Luke of Juke]

I had Chicago-style deep dish pizza once (my dad's from Chicago, and his whole side of the family still lives there, so we go a lot, just eat other stuff for the most part), and it was like an orgasm in my mouth. A morgasm.

[Digital Masta]

It's been proven that we have the best pizza...

I'm not even going to go into that,because it's not even close :hat:


Who proved this? In all honesty, how do you really prove something like that? Because it's all relative.

[4letterwords]

Chicago pizza is the shit.

Seriously.

New York pizza is built for speed. Chicago pizza is built for savoring.

[Digital Masta]

Chicago pizza is the shit.

Seriously.

New York pizza is built for speed. Chicago pizza is built for savoring.

I'm not denying it's not good.

Seriously though, for something like Pizza it's kinda hard to determine a particular style is the best because it really is relative to people's personal preference. For instance I don't like Deep Dish or incredibly thin slices of Pizza. I like long, foldable, aka NY style pizza.

[cama]

^^^

Gyro Meat??



I think it's very similar to gyro meat. From what I can gather, the only real difference between a gyro and a donair is the sauce.

[ParryDat]

I'm not denying it's not good.

Seriously though, for something like Pizza it's kinda hard to determine a particular style is the best because it really is relative to people's personal preference. For instance I don't like Deep Dish or incredibly thin slices of Pizza. I like long, foldable, aka NY style pizza.

Great point.

The only way to determine that would be to poll the rest of the 48 states,and I don't think we have that kind of time.

[Knife-Fingered Sue Sanderson]

It's been proven that we have the best pizza...

I'm not even going to go into that,because it's not even close :hat:


Meh...Chicago-style is more pie than pizza. Sure, it's good, but I want to eat my pizza with my hands and not have to worry about staining my clothes. I like thin crust best because you can fill yourself more on the pizza and toppings rather than the crust.

[amg]

Baaaaarbecue. You can draw a clear correlation between the quality of a bbq joint and the sketch of its neighborhood. The best place I've been to shares its floor space with a gas station.

[mochyan]

where i am, we eat a lot of vietnamese, chinese, italian and japanese. well i do at least. at home i eat cambodian food. occasionally we're go eat korean because we all crave korean bbq. when we're lazy, we eat pizza, that's about it

[stsparky]

What the hell do Californians eat? ...
www.chilimysoul.com - chili
http://www.barneysbeanery.com/ - lesser chili & great steaks

[xtine]

At least what I eat since I'm a Socal girl...

* fresh/authentic mexican food
* Variety of authentic Asian food of any kind. So many immigrants mean lots of good stuff.
Chinese (I'm Chinese, so I know all about this) - Shanghai/mainland, Hong Kong seafood, Taiwanese (small snack shops and dinner cafes), Dim Sum, varieties of Boba and Asian slushes, blahblah.
Korean - bibimbap, bbq.
Japanese of all kind, ramen, kaiten sushi, okonomiyaki, teppanyaki, blahblah.
Vietnamese - I don't know much else other than Pho and bani mi and etc. But it's delicious.
Thai - all sorts besides Pad Thai/tom ka kai/pad see ew/thai iced tea/etc.
* Regional Socal flavors of BBQ, Chili, and burgers.
* In N Out
* Pizza, there's California Pizza Kitchen interestingness, but you can also find the regular flavors, Chicago pie, or New York Style (harder to find this though)

Fusion foods, Seafood (since we are right next to the Ocean), crepes, weird food, light Californian style pacific grill, etc.

[erbiumfiber]

Long Island (originally)

Greek diners ftw.

Spinach pie, spinach and feta cheese omlette, Greek salad, pastichio, mousaka, gyro, anything.

Other ethnic foods- Jewish: chopped chicken liver on a REAL NY BAGEL, pastrami, corned beef

Pizza. NY owns, end of discussion. And remember, nothing goes better with pizza than heroin as NY-area pizza parlors were used to smuggle heroin throughout the 70's in cans of tomatoes and other "ingredients" from Sicily.

[Life25Karma]

Though I'm allergic to seafood, the bay area (especially San Francisco) is well known for clam chowder in a bread bowl.

Crazy enough, I'm allergic to shellfish...

whats LA known for since I might be moving there the end of this year?

I was San Diego for two yrs..but the one thing that stood out to me was this pizza spot at Seaport Village.

[manrush]

There's the Maine lobster. That's the only other New England food that I can think of.

[Random]

Fish and chips.
Fuck yes.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Fish_and_chips.jpg/800px-Fish_and_chips.jpg