Local Foods

[Bibliophile]

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.

I've been in Atlanta almost 10 years & I've yet to have either boiled peanuts or shrimp & grits (or any grits for that matter).  But I'm from Kansas City & Atlanta doesn't have REAL BBQ...  I don't know what they do to the poor sauce...

[lady_disdain]

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.

There is a local restaurant that makes burgers with plenty of pepper in the patty and filled with gorgonzola (blue cheese). To die for.

[Giggity]

Minneapolis. That's a little far even for me, for a burger.

BUT IT HAS CHEESE INSIDE IT.

[blue2000]

I'm from Southern Oregon, and we don't have any really distinctive local dishes. However, if you visit the area, you will not leave without eating something with pears in it. Pretty much guaranteed.

I currently live in Quebec, and although I cannot lay any claim to being "from" here, I feel I must mention the most famous local dish: poutine, which is french fries covered in gravy and topped with cheese curds. People tend to have strong feelings about where to get the best poutine in town. Personally I feel that the best time to eat poutine is in the dead of winter, after having been outside skating, skiing or snowshoeing, when you are beginning to worry about frostbite and are so hungry you may collapse. However, I've also been reliably informed that poutine tastes best when eaten while drunk at 3 AM. You may wish to conduct your own studies on this matter.

There are lots of different variations on the traditional poutine, some of which are good, some of which sound...scary. Today I saw a sign in a restaurant window advertising poutine curry. Now, I'm all for the melting pot, but it seems to me that some cuisines were never meant to be fused .

I've never had curry poutine, but I've had curry gravy on potatoes before - it is sooo yummy!

Not sure about foods local to this specific area, but if we are talking southern Ontario in general - farmer's sausage. Totally different from the stuff you get in the store.

[Syfygeek]

For some reason beignets and king cake just don't taste as good anywhere besides Louisiana.  It must be the water or something.

Hmmm....beignets....

Mmmmmmmmm I haven't had a beignet in years. I foresee a visit to Mom's as soon as I can.

Here it is Eastern or Western Carolina BBQ.  I won't post which I prefer but the battle over it is fierce.


Don't mess with the scrapple or grits either.

I love Eastern NC bbq. We have had several heated arguments over it because my husband is from Memphis. He got stationed on Camp Lejeune. His main argument is a claim that Eastern NC bbq 'isn't bbq.'  Probably a good thing we live in Memphis now and not Jacksonville....

I'm with your DH, I grew up 8 miles from the main gate of Lejeune, and I cannot stand Eastern BBQ (please don't tell my family), I am all about the Lexington NC Style. My favorite BBQ place locally has both Eastern and Lexington style, so my family can get both.

[Wonderflonium]

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.

Martin's Kettle-Cooked Chips are the be-all, end-all of potato chips. (Don't tell my cousin, who works for Herr's, that I said that!)

And to whoever mentioned Tastycakes: Peanut butter kandy cakes are the best things that have ever been invented.

[Nibsey]

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.

Martin's Kettle-Cooked Chips are the be-all, end-all of potato chips. (Don't tell my cousin, who works for Herr's, that I said that!)

And to whoever mentioned Tastycakes: Peanut butter kandy cakes are the best things that have ever been invented.

Oh that reminds me for 'local' food in Ireland, the original cheese and onion and salt and vinegar flavoured crisps, Tayto. (Even though I prefer Smiths myself even though you can't get them over here.  )

[Mazdoy]

Oh that reminds me for 'local' food in Ireland, the original cheese and onion and salt and vinegar flavoured crisps, Tayto. (Even though I prefer Smiths myself even though you can't get them over here.  )

I'm sorry but Tayto aren't nearly as nice as King.  Especially on a sandwich.  I remember reading years ago that the Irish are the biggest crisp consumers in the world and I well believe it.  I think we have the best variety here too.

[Nibsey]

Oh that reminds me for 'local' food in Ireland, the original cheese and onion and salt and vinegar flavoured crisps, Tayto. (Even though I prefer Smiths myself even though you can't get them over here.  )

I'm sorry but Tayto aren't nearly as nice as King.  Especially on a sandwich.  I remember reading years ago that the Irish are the biggest crisp consumers in the world and I well believe it.  I think we have the best variety here too.

I use to be a kings fan myself but a few years ago I treated myself to a crisp sandwich and it wasn't great. They were all greasy and burnt looking. I mentioned Tayto because they were the inventers of cheese & onion and salt & vinegar crisps. Before that all crisps were just salted.

[567Kate]

The best of San Diego drunk food:

Carne Asada Fries: Like nachos, but with French fries instead of tortilla chips

California Burrito: Steak burrito containing french fries. It's like carne asada fries wrapped up in a tortilla

Hey, they're both on wikipedia:

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

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_burrito#San_Diego

[MamaMootz]

Nobody's mentioned it yet, so here I go:

New Jersey: TAYLOR HAM.

Now, you must have the taylor ham with egg and cheese on nothing less than a Kaiser roll. Some people call it Taylor Pork Roll, but those are the folks from South Jersey and Pork Roll tastes slightly different.

I miss it because it is something that is only served in NJ and I cannot buy it (that and TastyKakes) unless I visit a website in South Jersey called njporkroll.com.

A picture of the most succulent breakfast sandwich:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=213200058716959&set=pu.109560659080900&type=1

And please note the sandwich pictured is on a hoagie roll, and not the proper flaky, crispy, Kaiser roll that has the soft doughy inside that the salty hammy goodness of the Taylor Ham requires.

I miss NJ.

[Ligeia]

Nobody's mentioned it yet, so here I go:

New Jersey: TAYLOR HAM.

Now, you must have the taylor ham with egg and cheese on nothing less than a Kaiser roll. Some people call it Taylor Pork Roll, but those are the folks from South Jersey and Pork Roll tastes slightly different.

I miss it because it is something that is only served in NJ and I cannot buy it (that and TastyKakes) unless I visit a website in South Jersey called njporkroll.com

A picture of the most succulent breakfast sandwich:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=213200058716959&set=pu.109560659080900&type=1

And please note the sandwich pictured is on a hoagie roll, and not the proper flaky, crispy, Kaiser roll that has the soft doughy inside that the salty hammy goodness of the Taylor Ham requires.

I miss NJ.

My NJ-native husband introduced me to Taylor Ham years ago! You can finally buy it here (in the South) at Publix.  My husband is very good at making Taylor Ham sammiches, although the diner he frequented in NJ used . . . English muffins.

I've been in Atlanta almost 10 years & I've yet to have either boiled peanuts or shrimp & grits (or any grits for that matter).  But I'm from Kansas City & Atlanta doesn't have REAL BBQ...  I don't know what they do to the poor sauce...

Re: Boiled peanuts.  I'm in another Southern city (and have always lived here), and I had actually never heard of boiled peanuts until I started noticing roadside stands a few years ago. (Maybe they were always there--I might not be too observant).  People told us they were great.  So my husband and I bought some  once, and--we Did.Not.Like.Them.  They reminded me of mushy slugs.  So while I don't doubt people love 'em--I've heard tons of testimonials to that fact--you're not necessarily missing anything, Bibliophile.

[MamaMootz]

Nobody's mentioned it yet, so here I go:

New Jersey: TAYLOR HAM.

Now, you must have the taylor ham with egg and cheese on nothing less than a Kaiser roll. Some people call it Taylor Pork Roll, but those are the folks from South Jersey and Pork Roll tastes slightly different.

I miss it because it is something that is only served in NJ and I cannot buy it (that and TastyKakes) unless I visit a website in South Jersey called njporkroll.com

A picture of the most succulent breakfast sandwich:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=213200058716959&set=pu.109560659080900&type=1

And please note the sandwich pictured is on a hoagie roll, and not the proper flaky, crispy, Kaiser roll that has the soft doughy inside that the salty hammy goodness of the Taylor Ham requires.

I miss NJ.

My NJ-native husband introduced me to Taylor Ham years ago! You can finally buy it here (in the South) at Publix.  My husband is very good at making Taylor Ham sammiches, although the diner he frequented in NJ used . . . English muffins.

English muffins.... thud..... that was the sound of me fainting in disbelief that an NJ diner would despoil the Taylor Ham that way. Madness!

[AmethystAnne]

Local home cooking in southcentral Kentucky is yummy and calorie-laden.
==>For breakfast, Chocolate gravy over a split homemade biscuit OR sausage, biscuit, and gravy with a couple slices of fresh tomatoes.
==>For lunch, fried bologna sandwich ( I add a slice of cheese) 
==>For supper, fresh homemade cornbread, freshly cooked pinto beans (after it's been soaked in water to re-hydrate), with finely chopped fresh onion and some pickle relish.

I miss being able to eaily buy Lebanon Bologna, Taylor ham, and scrapple like I was able to do when we lived in New Jersey. I especially miss the Lebanon Bologna. I ask for it in the deli at the different stores I've tried out here in s.c.KY, and all I get is a blank stare and then a polite "No, we don't carry it."

[Diane AKA Traska]

Local home cooking in southcentral Kentucky is yummy and calorie-laden.
==>For breakfast, Chocolate gravy over a split homemade biscuit OR sausage, biscuit, and gravy with a couple slices of fresh tomatoes.
==>For lunch, fried bologna sandwich ( I add a slice of cheese) 
==>For supper, fresh homemade cornbread, freshly cooked pinto beans (after it's been soaked in water to re-hydrate), with finely chopped fresh onion and some pickle relish.

I miss being able to eaily buy Lebanon Bologna, Taylor ham, and scrapple like I was able to do when we lived in New Jersey. I especially miss the Lebanon Bologna. I ask for it in the deli at the different stores I've tried out here in s.c.KY, and all I get is a blank stare and then a polite "No, we don't carry it."

For the record, scrapple is an invention of the Pennsylvania Dutch.