Has anyone else seen this map? Do you agree with its findings for your own state? Have you enjoyed any of those delicacies while traveling to other states? And what is strange about the map to you?
I was not really surprised by the pierogies for my state, although it seems more of a local thing than statewide. I guess we surpassed Cincinnati chili and Tony Packo's hot dogs. Nobody comes here for a healthy meal, for sure.
I've enjoyed conch fritters in Florida (ok, maybe 'enjoyed' is a stretch), huckleberry pie in Montana (awesome!), prickly pears in Arizona (not all that impressive), sopapillas in New Mexico (seriously good stuff), chili verde in Utah, and I think I've had perch in Michigan, but it's hard to remember specifically.
I have no idea what the following foods even are: Juicy Lucy burgers, lemon rice soup, Brunswick stew (heard of it at least), pork rolls (maybe it's the same as a pork tenderloin?), and avocado toast (though I'm sure I'd love it). Shocked New York wasn't pizza.
Weird? How about cherry limeade in Kansas!?! And toasted ravioli in Missouri doesn't really fit with my image of the state, but maybe there are more foodies there than I thought.
I guess I need to get to the East Coast for some seafood one of these days. And next time I return to Vegas, it's going to be bottle service, baby!
I was not really surprised by the pierogies for my state, although it seems more of a local thing than statewide. I guess we surpassed Cincinnati chili and Tony Packo's hot dogs. Nobody comes here for a healthy meal, for sure.
I've enjoyed conch fritters in Florida (ok, maybe 'enjoyed' is a stretch), huckleberry pie in Montana (awesome!), prickly pears in Arizona (not all that impressive), sopapillas in New Mexico (seriously good stuff), chili verde in Utah, and I think I've had perch in Michigan, but it's hard to remember specifically.
I have no idea what the following foods even are: Juicy Lucy burgers, lemon rice soup, Brunswick stew (heard of it at least), pork rolls (maybe it's the same as a pork tenderloin?), and avocado toast (though I'm sure I'd love it). Shocked New York wasn't pizza.
Weird? How about cherry limeade in Kansas!?! And toasted ravioli in Missouri doesn't really fit with my image of the state, but maybe there are more foodies there than I thought.
I guess I need to get to the East Coast for some seafood one of these days. And next time I return to Vegas, it's going to be bottle service, baby!
Perch is big in Michigan. There is a gyros kind of restaurant nearby that serves lemon rice soup. Yummy. I thought it was a Greek thing.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's interesting. I would not have thought it was Greek.
DeleteAvocado toast? I'm a New Yorker and I've never heard of the stuff. But then I don't always hit the high end places. When I was in Arizona I had lunch at a restaurant that served fired rattlesnake. My friends and I ordered some, but they were fresh out. Bummer...
ReplyDeleteYeah, the avocado toast thing seems bogus. Rattlesnake? Ewwwww
DeleteWOW...what an INTERESTING map! I found it odd that PA was notorious for its CHICKEN cheesesteaks because the only cheesesteaks I've seen here are made with beef. And NY, AVOCADO TOAST!?! That just seems way too healthy for NY. I would think they were notorious for their hot dogs, or perhaps as you said, pizza. And yes, Florida (conch fritters), no doubt.
ReplyDelete"And next time I return to Vegas, it's going to be bottle service, baby!"
AMEN!
FUN post, my friend! Enjoyed!
X
I've never heard of a chicken cheesesteak, but maybe we would both like it better than the traditional Philly cheesesteak! LOL......waiting for a Mark comment now!
DeleteNever even heard of half those foods, not that I eat much anyway. Only ever been to one state too, so this Canadian is outta luck lol
ReplyDeletePoutine has made it to my neck of the woods. I think it looks awful, but I haven't tried it. What say you?
DeleteFun list! I am sure pierogies were high on our state's list as well, but I can understand why cheesesteaks won... I did like that AR finished with catfish #1--we sure ate our share as kids visiting relatives there.
ReplyDeleteInteresting! I've never been to Arkansas, nor eaten catfish. I thought the list was fun as well.
DeleteOh my gosh, you are right, the sopapillas in New Mexico are so delicious along with the green and red chili if one's tummy can take it :)
ReplyDeleteNever had prickly pear here yet nor a huckleberry pie in Montana.
It is interesting how they come up with these foods for the states. could be fun to go to all 50 and try their specialties (provided one walked from state to state to burn off all the calories)
betty
They came up with the foods based on people who use the foursquare app. I can't believe you haven't had a prickly pear! Watch out for the tiny seeds though. My orthodontist banned them after I brought my daughter in with one stuck in her braces.
DeleteI like perch (and fresh fish in general) as much as anyone, and I guess it just makes sense that a state surrounded by as much water as Michigan is, would register something sea-food-y. But it just seems sort of, I dunno, pedestrian for an 'emblematic' Michigan food. How 'bout those UP pasties, or even Vernor's ginger ale?
ReplyDeleteI had cactus jelly from Arizona once. Tasted really good, but I had an allergic reaction to it, and had to run to the emergency room to keep my throat from swelling shut. . .
I think the map is just a 'most searched for food by state' from the foursquare app. I guess Michiganers look for good perch places?
DeleteYes, stay away from the prickly pears!
Well. Brunswick Stew is a low country thing, not across-the-board n Georgia. I hate it. And of course I don't eat ham even though I live in TN. I love the lobster rolls and fried clams of the first two states I lived in, but never encountered "Chinese chicken salad" when I lived in California. Never even heard of it. And I don't remember "Po Boys" being a thing in Mississippi, but we lived on the coast near Louisiana so we definitely had crawdads. And in Virginia, crab sandwiches would be coastal. I love them, but they also weren't thing where I lived. It looks to me like they often take one regional favorite and say it's for the whole state.
ReplyDeleteI think it was just the number one searched for food from the foursquare app by state. That's why I was shocked by cherry limeade. Why would so many people be looking for that in one state? Weird!
DeleteOkay, New Jersey, yes famous for pork roll or Taylor ham. It’s kind of hard to describe, but it is strictly a Jersey thing. I would liken it to Canadian bacon. The recipe has never been revealed by it’s creator.
ReplyDeleteUsual order is Pork Roll and cheese on a hard roll! delish! When we Jersey people move out of state it’s one of the things we miss.
I know what Canadian bacon is, so thank you so much for the explanation!
DeleteDungeness crab is definitely a Washington "thing," but salad rolls in Oregon? I would strongly disagree. Marionberries or hazelnuts would make far more sense. As for pork roll, it's a Jersey delicacy similar to ham. My parents grew up on it, and will bring some back home whenever they visit. It's not bad if you liberally douse it with mustard.
ReplyDeleteI don't even know what a salad roll is! Marionberries is a berry I'd like to try.
DeleteDidn't Marionberry used to be the mayor of Washington, DC?
DeleteYes, but he is dead. I guess this fruit is a tribute to the crackhead! Ha!
DeleteWell, as a Brit, this list means nothing to me. I'm living in the land of shepherd's pie, toad in the hole, bread pudding and the ploughman's lunch. Go figure!
ReplyDeleteIf your bread pudding is the same as ours, that would be the only thing on your list I've eaten. I do hope you'll share any foods you had in your travels here in a post some time soon!
DeleteAnd that is to say nothing of Spotted Dick (the very idea of which gives me the willies). . .
DeleteI find it funny that Las Vegas is Bottle service. I don't drink alcohol at all so this isn't true for me. lol I've had a lot of the different foods listed.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's just the millions of people in the casinos on their phones looking for it!
DeleteHaving lived all over the states, I would have to say I was shocked that either Wisconsin or Michigan didn't have walleye and North Carolina should have had pork barbecue (nobody eats hush puppies by themselves. Utah should have dutch oven cooking-maybe cowboy potatoes. And country ham in Tennessee? Most country ham comes from Smithfield VA. I was introduced to pierogies in Pittsburgh I suppose it is kind of hard to get everything right, but this is a map that creates conversation! And from my year in Nevada, bottle service seems appropriate!
ReplyDeleteYes, I definitely associate pork bbq with the Carolina's. If you enlarge the map, you'll see that KY is actually the country ham and TN is banana pudding. LOL on Nevada. We have relatives there, so it's a frequent stop for us when we are out west. Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteA Juicy Lucy is essentially a cheeseburger where the cheese is inside the patty, so when one bites in, the cheese oozes out. It's definitely a MN thing!
ReplyDeleteAs someone from MT, I have to admit: huckleberries do have a spot in my heart...
Thank you for the explanation. We do have those here, but no name for them.
DeleteI find "banana pudding" strange for Tennessee. The most popular foods here seem to be Mexican food (we have a huge Hispanic population and great Mexican restaurants on every corner) and barbecue. Lots and lots of barbecue places. I'm not a fan of barbecue or sweet tea, which is also huge here--but I can't eat bananas. I'm not sure why but if I bit into one right now, I'd feel nauseous. Maybe too much potassium or something?
ReplyDeleteLOL....I hate bananas, although I'm fine with the flavor, so I get it. They make me gag, literally. I wrote one of my first posts about the weird looks I got asking what sweet tea was in South Carolina. I did not know there were that many Hispanics near you. I love Mexican food!
DeleteSince I'm HUNGRY now… thank.you.very.much… I'm going to go make breakfast and come back later and check out some of the other states. lol
ReplyDeleteNJ is pork roll. Yup, Taylor is our famous brand. I think it comes thin or thick sliced and tangy or regular. I don't make it a lot, but most of my family likes it.
Being the Garden State, I'm surprised it wasn't tomatoes or blueberries for us.
It's funny how popular some foods are, but then aren't found anywhere else!
DeleteSorry, but the NYS entry, Avocado toast?, is actually more jackassery New York City based. Upstate we aren't into all their nasty stuff ;-) Upstate we're all Spiedies, Stuffed french toast with maple syrup, and Buffalo wings. The City don't know good!
ReplyDeleteAnd I can tell you that Pennsylvania (outside the demented cities) does REAL cheese steaks, not some chicken substitute. :-)
We think buffalo wings are nasty here. And don't get me started on vile cheesesteaks! I'd gladly eat avocado toast over any of it! Then again, I'm a bit of a health nut.
DeleteHow does that happen? Properly made buffalo wings are awesome as are garlic and thai peanut butter wings ..... and a cheesesteak can be vile unless made well.
DeleteAvocados, on the other hand, are kinda like eating gruel ..... to each their own I guess