People Shared The Meals They Believe Best Represents Their State And It's Time To Debate If They're Right
A while ago, Reddit user emilou99 asked people what meal they thought accurately represented their entire state. Her goal was to cook each food from each state (she even documented it here!). Here are the foods that locals believe best represent their state as a whole:
1.Alabama: Smoked chicken with white sauce
Runner-up: "BBQ pulled pork sandwiches." —u/cm1358CM
2.Alaska: Basically, anything made from wild salmon
"You can make salmon chowder, smoked salmon, salmon dip, salmon cakes (like fish cakes), etc."
Runner-ups: "Halibut chowder. Rhubarb is another essential dessert additive." —u/olive_blondie
3.Arizona: Carne asada tacos
"Prickly pear jam or jelly is also pretty unique for Arizona."
Runner-ups: "Navajo tacos or Sopaipillas." —u/Layfon_Alseif
4.Arkansas: Chocolate gravy and biscuits
5.California: Street tacos
"I would say street tacos or Mission-style burritos."
Runner-ups: "Definitely burritos and French dip sandwiches if you're in Los Angeles or San Diego."
6.Colorado: Lamb chops with roasted red San Luis Valley potatoes
"Add some Olathe Sweet corn on the cob and Rocky Ford cantaloupes for dessert. I also love green chile, but that's New Mexico's dish."
Runner-up: "The Fort has delicious Rocky Mountain oysters."
7.Connecticut: New Haven–style pizza
Runner-up: "Connecticut-style lobster rolls." —u/pieandtacos
8.Delaware: Scrapple, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on a toasted pretzel bun
9.Florida: Publix subs
Runner-up: "Cuban sandwiches." —u/doubleo6
10.Georgia: Shrimp and grits
"Or Brunswick stew with either pecan pie or peach cobbler for dessert."
Runner-ups: "Biscuits and gravy or pecan pie." —u/ilovemymom4118
11.Hawaii: Pan-fried slices of Spam, two scoops of white rice, and scrambled eggs
12.Idaho: Finger steaks with fry sauce
Runner-up: "If you're going to eat like Idaho, you need to make elk steak with huckleberry compote, sauteéd morel mushrooms, and roasted potatoes."
13.Illinois: Deep dish pizza
"The right way!"
Runner-up: "An Italian beef/sausage combo sandwich dipped with hot giardiniera, mozzarella, sautéed sweet peppers, and some thin slices of fresh basil on the top." —u/Chrispychilla
14.Indiana: Hoosier breaded pork tenderloin sandwich
15.Iowa: Pork tenderloin
"A huge fried pork tenderloin on a regular bun with scotcheroos for dessert."
Runner-ups: "I'd suggest a Maid-Rite (properly seasoned), taco pizza, or Quad City–style pizza. Sweet corn on the cob, of course, and a Busch latte." —u/Diet-CokeWhore
16.Kansas: Chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes covered in white gravy
Runner-up: "Bierock with spicy mustard."—u/notclevergirl
17.Kentucky: Hot brown
18.Louisiana: Gumbo
19.Maine: Lobster boil
20.Maryland: Crab feast with Old Bay seasoning
21.Massachusetts: Clam chowder
"I would really say that clam chowder is more of a Massachusetts thing. Or steamed clams."
—u/antilogyRunner-up: "Clam boil with clams, corn on the cob, potatoes, onions, and chorizo."—u/PhotographyIsMyLife
22.Michigan: Coney dogs
"Northern MI/U.P. = Pasties, Metro Detroit area = Coney dogs, and Detroit = Detriot-style pizza."
Runner-ups: "Pasties or smoked fish would be Michigan's meal." —u/telefunkenU-47
23.Minnesota: Jucy Lucy (a cheeseburger with cheese inside the meat instead of on top of it)
"Jucy Lucy in my opinion. Or a walleye sandwich." —u/Kippismn
Runner-up: "Tator tot hotdish." —u/Wally_Tee
24.Mississippi: Fried catfish with fries, hush puppies, collard greens, and black-eyed peas
25.Missouri: BBQ burnt ends
"These are a Kansas City, Missouri, classic! Also, everyone loves something called pork steaks and cashew chicken from Springfield."
Runner-up: "Toasted ravioli from St. Louis." —u/Gorkymalorki
26.Montana: Bison burgers
27.Nebraska: Runza
28.Nevada: Shrimp cocktail and prime rib
Runner-up: "Nevada's meal is definitely Basque. Garlic soup, salad, french fries, sweetbreads, oxtails, and lamb chops, served with picon punch and even more picon punch for dessert."
29.New Hampshire: Blueberry pancakes with fresh maple syrup
"Then some poutine, which we've stolen from our friends up north."
Runner-ups: "I would say lobster tails or other seafood." —u/unseenwaters
30.New Jersey: Taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a bagel with salt, pepper, and ketchup
"Depending on where you live, you might find Taylor ham as a pork roll in your stores, if at all."
Runner-up: "A big plate of disco fries; which are cheese and brown gravy on top of french fries." —u/peachplastic
31.New Mexico: Green chile enchiladas
"Also, carne adovada or stuffed sopaipilla smothered in red chile."
Runner-up: "A green chile cheeseburger." —u/mewbusi
32.New York: NY-style pizza
"Or NY-style cheesecake."
Runner-up: "A bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll is something every single person here has eaten at least once." —u/Evileye2k17
33.North Carolina: Pulled pork sandwich with a vinegar-based sauce
"Be sure to have some hush puppies and coleslaw on the side!"
Runner-up: "Tomato sandwich with Duke's mayonnaise and lots of salt and pepper." —u/kittybanditti
34.North Dakota: Knoephla soup
35.Ohio: Kielbasa and sauerkraut
"To me, Ohio food means kielbasa and sauerkraut and pierogies."
—u/StacyChadBeckyRunner-up: "Ohio has to be some Cincinnati-style chili. Placed atop a hot dog or spaghetti and topped with cheese!" —u/NotABadBelayer
36.Oklahoma: Fried catfish
"Fry up some catfish and feel like you're in the great state of Oklahoma."
Runner-up: "Probably a good chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, green beans, and sweet tea." —u/zombie_overlord
37.Oregon: Marionberries
"Anything with marionberries!"
Runner-up: "I'd say cedar-plank grilled salmon with a marionberry or huckleberry glaze." —u/NotASlaveToHelvetica
38.Pennsylvania: PA Dutch food
"How about some PA Dutch?! Chicken pot pie, chicken corn soup, shoofly pie, scrapple, and pork and sauerkraut."
Runner-ups: "Dutch apple pie. The state is really split down the middle; the West might be pierogi while the East would be Philly cheesesteak. No wrong answers!" —u/angerpants
39.Rhode Island: Clam cakes
40.South Carolina: She-crab soup
41.South Dakota: Chislic
"South Dakota is definitely chislic."
Runner-up: "A really good Buffalo burger from Al's Oasis." —u/armlessfarmboy
42.Tennessee: Nashville hot chicken
"Or Memphis-style BBQ."
Runner-up: "Catfish! I've never been to a Southern-style restaurant here in Tennessee that didn't serve catfish somewhere on the menu. Heck, where I'm from, they pride themselves on catfish." —u/Dokidokipunch
43.Texas: Smoked brisket with white bread, white onions, and pickled jalapeños
"And spicy BBQ sauce for the love of God."
Runner-up: "I agree 100%, but Tex-Mex gotta be a close second." —u/FwampFwamp88
44.Utah: Funeral potatoes
"Funeral potatoes are cooked by many people here. You could also just make anything with fry sauce."
Runner-up: "Beef stroganoff is a good choice, but any old-school casserole works." —u/artstechnophile
45.Vermont: Apple grilled cheese
46.Virginia: Virginia country ham with red-eye gravy
"If you're doing Virginia country ham, then you have to have red-eye gravy with it."
Runner-up: "If I were picking a Virginian dish, I'd probably go with Brunswick stew. Especially because I believe it originated in Virginia." —u/jackdoug90
47.Washington: Salmon with dill and butter, asparagus, and Yukon Gold potatoes on the side
"Huckleberry ice cream and/or apple pie for dessert."
Runner-up: "Oysters. Some of the best oysters come from Washington." —u/twoforjuan
