Right, I know a little while ago we had a mythbusters thread about our different nations and various stereotypes and misconceptions (and a great thread it was too!).

However, I was interested in what exactly is our local cuisine! Here in the UK it's very regional (yes, I know we are only a little island!). But there are some very marked differences. There is universally here the great roast dinner!! (Very important!). Then there is some kind of local stew dish in various regions - Lancashire Hotpot and so on. And of course Fish and Chips (with mushy peas!).

So what is your genuine local cuisine? (rather than a 'borrowed' one )

Chicago is famous for deep dish pizza.

Champaign is famous for the smell of the South farms at the University of Illiniois

In this part of Iowa, we're known for our Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches. I'm talking HUGE, breaded/battered tenderloins. about as big as a dinner plate....WAY bigger than the bread (bun)!! Deep fried, served with French Fries. I grew up in Illinois (the state right next door to the East), and Pork Tenderloins weren't even on the menus (at least where I was from!) Here in Iowa, I don't care WHERE you eat, a Pork Tenderloin is ALWAYS on the menu!!

Monterrey, Mexico

- shredded with eggs consists of shredded dry beef that is scrambled with eggs and if u want walsa

- roast goat-kid kid goat cooked on embers based on the Jewish cuisine of the founders of the city

- capirotada dessert a mix of cooked bread, cheese, raisins, peanuts, and crystallized sugarcane juice

- Grilling meat is one of the most cherished traditions in Monterrey's families or friends reunions (we had one past friday with friends )

- candies made by goat milk and caramelized milk

Not to gross you all out, but a little town, close to the little village I grew up in is 'Famous' (and I'll let you decide) for their deep fried chicken gizzards! YUMMY!! It's even nicknamed Gizzard City.

It is kind of a local thing, I guess. My in-laws cook up several pounds of boiled gizzards for family get-togethers. There is a technique - there are some that are so tough (undercooked) we won't touch them. But my MIL's are the best! Even the grandchildren love them! The other in-laws (all except for me) think we are the Clampets. We take that as a complement. We happen to love the Hillbillies too!

Of Course we are Famous for our "Philadelphia Cheesesteaks" ....YUMMY...Chopped Steak, Cheese and Fried Onions... And if you don't get the "Philadelphia Cheesesteak" in Philadelphia, its not the same as we have here!

In Cincinnati we are know for Chili Three-Ways which consist of spaghetti, chili and cheese. You man also add onions and chili beans on top if you like to make it a five way. It is really good. Also we love our cheese coney's which is a hot dog on a bun with mustard chili and cheese. You may also add onions to it if you like.
But what we really like here is Goetta which is made of pin oats, pork sausage and ground beef with onions and spices. It takes a long time to make. Once it is cooked you cool it in a loaf pan and can slice it and then fry it in a skillet and serve with your eggs for breakfast. We like to put ketchup on it in my family or syrup on it in my husbands family. It is a really good German dish.
Mary Beth

Well, we are home of the famous Buffalo Chicken Wings! And honestly, they are the best around! Yum!!

Clam Cakes!! Hot Weiners!! Del's frozen lemonade!! Autocrat coffee syrup!!

Lisa, since you are the 'true' Rhode Islander, did I leave anything out?

Every tourist who comes to Pittsburgh MUST eat a Primanti's sandwich. Basically it's your choice of meat with french fries and cole slaw on top....it's super messy and actually not that great! It's okay to eat once a year, but that's about it! There's a picture of the sandwich on the website, that's exactly how they look when you get them!

http://www.primantibros.com/

The last post reminds me of something Rochester, NY is famous for. We used to live there and are only an hour away now! But this was "good eatin" after a night of drinking, in my early days of course. A place called Nick Tahoes made it famous,and while other restaurants try and duplicate it, it just is not the same!
This is the garbage plate. You have your choice of 2 hamburgers, 2 cheeseburgers, or 2 hamburgers and on top is mac salad, homefries, chili sauce. I loved eating them! My belly never liked it though . LOL!

In northern Minnesota we are known for Potica (po-teets-ah)
It is mostly eaten during festive occasions, like Christmas, Easter and weddings. The bakery my MIL works at makes TONS of potica every year before Christmas and sends it all over the country. It is a Slovenian nut bread or apple and is VERY time consuming to make.
Let me know if you want to try some!

The rest of Minnesota ....Leutefisk (you will never ever ever ever catch me eating this) and Leftse (neither of which I can spell correctly, but Dean's family has a HUGE leftse making party every November.)

Louisiana is famous for cajun food. True cajun is spicey but not necesarily hot- although it can be. If you aren't in Louisiana and you see a Cajun restaurant don't bother to walk in. It is not the same.

If you are African american in Arkansas when you eat fried catfish you have spagetti with it as a side dish (I LOVE these two together!!!) A little church in Wynne, Ar has fish frys for fundraisers and I used to take about 5 plates home. (Oh, catfish is best fried in peanut oil)

Fried potatoes here are pretty much the staple. About half an inch of oil, a couple pounds of potatoes, and a diced onion. Fry it all up and use plenty of salt and pepper (I throw a hand full of squash in for sweetness, but I'm the only one I know that does this)

Peach cobbler is pretty awesone too. In Wynne (our hometown) we lived right down the street from the peach orchards.

Meatloaf is pretty standard too. (2 pounds of ground beef, an egg, crackers or breadcrumbs, oregano, salt, pepper, onion, tomoto paste, all mixed together and baked, I top mine with ketchup before baking)

I would say here, that it is kansas city bar-b-que. I'm not a big fan of it though.

This is totally disgusting but everyone that comes to Colorado askes me if I've eaten Rocky Mountain Oysters. Which are Bull's testicles deep fried...YUCK!!!!! Never would I ever eat those!!!!!!!!!!!!

In San Antonio, it's our margaritas and our Mexican food!

Being from the South, what can I say but GRITS and boiled peanuts.

Okay, I am from Wisconsin, and we LOVE brats. With sauer kraut. YUM!!! And cheese, lots of cheese. However, we have since been transplanted to the southern parts of the United States, and their food is amazing, and we now have adopted their appetite. YUM YUM. Of course we still love our cheese curds, but gumbo, creole, and peirlo, are now a family favorite, and part of who we are!! Oh yes, and a piece of Mississippi needs to come too, crawfish!!! YUM.

Oh I saw someone else mentioned crawfish and no no no, they are not crayfish. We like to have crawfish boils for entertainment here. The crawfish is farmed here and is not the bait or things in your ditch. They are lots larger and resemble baby lobsters. For large groups of people you throw in about 3 or 4 pounds of crawfish per person in a large pot on a fish cooker outside. You pile in the spices including lots of red pepper and cook the crawfish. You also throw in mushrooms, onions, corn, and little potatoes. All of this gets piled in the middle of the table and people stand around eating and talking and having a good time. It is very messy but lots of fun. There are people that suck the stuff out of the head - that would not be me. I throw the heads away.

Kayla

In Lancaster County, PA, you've got the Dutch influence - we are a 'meat and potatoes' kind of county! Two Lancaster County specialties that first come to my mind are Chicken Pot Pie ( this is NOT the pie shell kind - it rolled dough and boiled in a chicken broth with chicken and potatoes until it thickens up - YUM! The other is Shoe Fly Pie - gooey bottom similar to pecan pie, but without the pecans, and a cakey middle layer and topped with crumbs - very good eaten warm with vanilla ice cream!

Being an Italian from Chicago... I have to have all of my authentic Italian food when I travel home. If you ever go to Chicago, you have to try:

Lou Malnati's Deep Dish Pizza
Portillo's Chicago Style Hot Dogs & Italian Beefs

I'm in Houston, TX now, and I think the food is very average here. But like McKenna said they do have great Mexican and boy those Margarita's can knock you on your butt.

In Maryland it is definatley Chesapeake Bay Steamed Crabs or Crab Cakes with tons of Old Bay! YUMMY!

Lisa,

How could I forget Doughboys. I am no longer allowed to refer to them as fried dough!!!!!

Gee, I know we are a heavily Italian populated area (I included) but I guess I don't think of Italian food as being native to the state. Now, Italian restaurants. That's a whole new pot of sauce!! Where do you guys go? Our favorites are Marchetti's and Antonios and occasionallywill we go to the West Valley Inn when the mood strikes!

In Maine it has got to be Lobstah.

Barbie already mentioned tenderloins from Iowa, and I would add maidrites (loose hamburger meat on a bun); sweet corn on the cob every summer, and lots of pork chops and steaks on the grill. I think it would be hard to be a vegetarian in this state

GRAVY!!!!

Um, oh, but you're wrong!! I know all about the Sunday GRAVY with the meatballs sizzling in the frying pan and the macaroni and how you have dinner in the middle of the afternoon when others are having lunch, and Nono always sits at the head of the table and he gets a cloth napkin to tuck in his shirt!!!!!! And the salad comes at the end of the meal, except when it's a holiday, then it's antipasto, and then it comes at the beginning, because there is a roast at the end of the holdiay meal!!!! (can anyone else related to what we're talking about?!?!?)

Massachusetts is not that far from the RI border!

When we were dating, Marchetti's was the first birthday dinner my husband took me to. Nope, haven't been to Angelo's (Federal Hill??), I think he has mentioned that place.

ok, I'm thoroughly hungry and wish we were having Italian tonight!!

You got it Judy, ...you are one of us!!!!!!!!!!


It's funny, when my parents come for dinner (and yes, that's in the middle of the day on a Sunday) my father sits at the head of the table. Just kind of the way it's always been!! LOL...You'd think my husband would be at the head, but it's my father. My husband knows his place and doesn't mess with Big D (that's my dad)!! LOL!!!

Nicol--I am not a big Fan of either but if I had to choose it would be Geno's! I really like Steve's ! They are fairly new and located thoughout the city! YUM! ! ! Too bad I am on a diet! I would be eating one now!

Wow what a question. The south is famous for.. Fried Chicken, Fried Green Tomatos, Fried Okra, Fried Fish and Hush Puppies....are you getting the picture. LOL

Biscuits (which is a type of roll not cookies to you UKers.)
Corn Bread

Peach Cobbler

Lots of vegies..we have a long growing season. We have at least 3 kinds of vegies with every meal. Black eyed peas, butter beans, green beans, squach....now I'm hungry.

amy

WOW! I'm starting to worry.

If me, Andy and the kids are coming over to visit you all in the US next year, how are we going to cope!!!

We are all vegetarians - and with the exception of Andy - don't eat fish either. Is there anything you lot eat that hasn't got meat in it?!!!

Sounds like we'll be living on pizza and fries all the time we're there - unless we come to Amy's. Those veggies sound wonderful.

I've lost 30lbs this year, and want to lose another 14 or so - I don't want our US visit to be my downfall!!!

Lisa,

In NJ doughboys are zeppoles. I think that's the right spelling.

New Jersey has something called pork roll or Taylor ham. It's good with egg on a sandwich. We never see it anywhere but here.