Local Foods

[lady_disdain]

There are so many! And many that are just every day food that we don't even realize foreigners would consider it an unusual local food.

I just roasted a large pan of arracacha roots. It is so delicious! It is bright yellow, but it has an almost creamy texture and a nutty, slightly sweet flavour. You can boil them, puree them, fry them, roast them, make pasta, etc.



Now, on a much less healthy direction, brigadeiros. They are small sweets, very traditional in children's parties, made with condensed milk, cocoa and butter. Creamy, chocolatey and delicious. There is no way that I wait for a party to have them, so I make them at home sometimes. If they had a good deal fewer calories, I would make them a lot more often.

There are also a lot of variants: coconut and clove, coconut and prune, walnuts or a plain variety coated with sugar.

[mandycorn]

I'm from Utah, USA and we have a state specialty: Fry sauce. It's always mayonnaise and ketchup mixed together, although depending on where you go, sometimes there's a little pickle relish too. You dip your french fried potatoes, onion rings, tater tots, etc into it before enjoying them.

I thought that was Thousand Island dressing in its most basic form. Huh.

People around here don't seem to eat much Thousand Island, maybe because it reminds them too much of fry sauce

[SamiHami]

Charleston SC
Shrimp & Grits
She crab Soup
Crab Cakes (Sorry, Maryland-I know I'm biased but the ones here are the best!)
Boiled Peanuts
Beaufort Stew (aka Frogmore Stew)
Pig Roasts
Any fresh, locally caught seafood (especially shrimp or crawfish) cooked in someones' backyard with a whole bunch of friends!

We really like our food in the south!

[SamiHami]

OP: First off, howdy neighbor! Second, you forgot the crabs with loads of Old Bay! Please tell me you aren't one of those freak Marylanders who don't eat crabs. (I say that with love; my best friend is one of those "freaks."  )

Oh, no. I *love* crabs. But steamed crabs can be so expensive -- plus I really don't like claw meat -- that I haven't had them in a couple years. But I do have crabcakes, made with jumbo lump backfin crabmeat, on a regular basis. Well, whenever I can splurge and afford the good stuff.

Don't like claw meat?!?!!? The horror!! 

seriously! That's the best part!

[Wonderflonium]

Crab Cakes (Sorry, Maryland-I know I'm biased but the ones here are the best!)

Wrong! You're WRONG!!!! 

[cattlekid]

I grew up in York County, PA where the world's best potato chips are made.   

http://www.martinschips.biz/potatochips.aspx

If you plan on ordering some, I'll give you my address so you can send me a box as a tip.   

Definitely go with the kettle cooked, they're way better than the ruffled.

[Shea]

Crab Cakes (Sorry, Maryland-I know I'm biased but the ones here are the best!)

Wrong! You're WRONG!!!! 

Weirdly enough, the best crab cakes I ever had were in Middlebury, Vermont. I have no idea what was up with that, but they were the food of the gods, I tell you!

[Diane AKA Traska]

Hmm.  I don't think Philadelphia has any local foods.

Okay, now that I've surgically removed my tongue from my cheek...   

The Cheesesteak.  Description found here:  http://www.etiquettehell.com/smf/index.php?topic=90832.msg2403785#msg2403785
The soft pretzel.  Jury's out on whether Philly did it first, but they do it best (and most... a common job for preteens used to be hawking pretzels.  You'd load a box/basket/milk crate up with pretzels, 11 for $1.  Then you'd sell them for $0.25.  On a typical weekend, or any day in the summer, you could hear the kids calling out "Fresh pretzels... all ready... fresh pretzels.  On a decent day, you could make $5 or $10.  My personal best was $25 at a streetside flea market.  I just circled the block and the money poured in.)
The hoagie.  It's got its roots in Philly as much as anywhere.  You might also know it as a po' boy, a sub, or a hero, but a hoagie is a long Italian roll, upon which is lettuce, tomato, onions, oil, meats, and cheese.
The Tastykake.  This is a company, but around Philly, you'd be hard pressed to find much int he way of Hostess goods, Tastykake rules supreme.  Pies, cupcakes, angel food cakes... all soft and delicious.  A Philly lunch might consist of a hoagie, a Tastykake, and a Frank's soda to drink.  Yes, it's fattening, but we don't eat like that every day.   

(Edited to format for easier reading)

[Anyanka]

Quebec's staple dish  poutine fries with cheese curd and gravy.

My friends who have roots here tell me that eggs poached in maple syrup is the regional dish. I have never tried it.

[PrincessInPink]

Charleston SC
Shrimp & Grits
She crab Soup
Crab Cakes (Sorry, Maryland-I know I'm biased but the ones here are the best!)
Boiled Peanuts
Beaufort Stew (aka Frogmore Stew)
Pig Roasts
Any fresh, locally caught seafood (especially shrimp or crawfish) cooked in someones' backyard with a whole bunch of friends!

We really like our food in the south!

I think I need to go there. I've never been to the South, but I'm tempted to go just for the food.

[Cyradis]

I'm from Trinidad and Tobago and we have an unofficial national breakfast food: doubles. Doubles (which is singular) is made of bara (flour, baking powder, salt and tumeric) filled with curried channa (chick peas/garbanzo beans) It's usually topped with chutney and lots of pepper sauce. It's probably our most popular street food.

Here is a link to a recipe and photo: http://www.trinigourmet.com/index.php/trinidad-doubles-recipe/

That looks amazing.  I'm definitely going to give it a try.  I can almost imagine the taste of it already.

It really is amazing! My advice is to eat it within minutes of making, it's best then.

[SamiHami]

Charleston SC
Shrimp & Grits
She crab Soup
Crab Cakes (Sorry, Maryland-I know I'm biased but the ones here are the best!)
Boiled Peanuts
Beaufort Stew (aka Frogmore Stew)
Pig Roasts
Any fresh, locally caught seafood (especially shrimp or crawfish) cooked in someones' backyard with a whole bunch of friends!

We really like our food in the south!

I think I need to go there. I've never been to the South, but I'm tempted to go just for the food.

If you do, let me know! I'll make sure you get the good stuff!

[Giggity]

Hmm.  I don't think Philadelphia has any local foods.

Is Philly where the Juicy Lucy is from?

For y'all who do not watch Man vs. Food, the Juicy Lucy is a burger with the cheese inside the patty. It's molten and looks ZOMG great.

[Diane AKA Traska]

Hmm.  I don't think Philadelphia has any local foods.

Is Philly where the Juicy Lucy is from?

For y'all who do not watch Man vs. Food, the Juicy Lucy is a burger with the cheese inside the patty. It's molten and looks ZOMG great.

No, and I wish I could remember from the article I read...

[PrincessInPink]

Hmm.  I don't think Philadelphia has any local foods.

Is Philly where the Juicy Lucy is from?

For y'all who do not watch Man vs. Food, the Juicy Lucy is a burger with the cheese inside the patty. It's molten and looks ZOMG great.

Minneapolis.

I've seen that episode a couple of times. It looked divine. Man vs. Food is a great show.