# American Regional Foods: a menu for an imaginary food court **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 9, 2005, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257 "2005-08-09T11:38:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/41 "2005-08-09T23:40:47Z")
Can I just say, as much as I love my friends in Texas, Texas can bloody well have its own food booth. They can serve Texas-style chili, they can serve all the Texas steak they want, but Texas _cannot_ be allowed to represent the “Southwest” to the rest of the world. Nuh-uh. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2005, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/42 "2005-08-09T23:54:30Z")
Northeast: How about Boston Baked Beans? You can make up a great quantity well in advance and keep the beans hot all day long. Serve over a piece of steamed brown bread and a cold glass of milk and this will stick to your ribs all day. My mom used to make this combo when we were young and I loved it. She would heat up the beans the next day and spoon the beans onto a hamburger roll (the beans were thicker the next day) and top with creamy coleslaw. This dinner was delicious as well. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/43 "2005-08-10T00:35:53Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > No Pacific Northwest? I think there should be Pacific Northwest, even if it’s lumped into the West. They’ll serve salmon and espresso. In addition, if we’re talking seafood from the Pacific Northwest, you may want to consider some thing with Willapa Bay Oysters or geoduck. Also, you must have something with huckleberries (e.g., huckleberry ice cream, huckleberry short cake, huckleberry waffles, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/44 "2005-08-10T01:12:15Z")
The only truly Michigan food, in fact, it’s more accurately an UP food is the wonderful pasty. Full of potatoes, carrots onion, and mystery meat with a thick brown gravy on top. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/45 "2005-08-10T01:26:42Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > I’d say all of the Midwest – they’re popular in Iowa. > > It’s hard to fill in too many Midwestern foods, isn’t it? Deep fried candy bars… corn on the cob… Jell-O? Little smokies in barbeque sauce… I’ve eaten some wonderful meals at Amish restaurants in Ohio. Would some of those dishes count? I really can’t remember any of the Amish dishes offhand, just how good it was … ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/46 "2005-08-10T01:34:34Z")
From the South - peach cobbler. Warm. With home made ice cream. You can even put peaches in the ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/47 "2005-08-10T04:06:07Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > I’ve eaten some wonderful meals at Amish restaurants in Ohio. Would some of those dishes count? I really can’t remember any of the Amish dishes offhand, just how good it was … We have the Amana Colonies in Iowa, as well, but I don’t know if they should count. After all, there are sizable Amish communities elsewhere in the US. It feels like cheating… just because there’s an Indian restaurant in Des Moines, that doesn’t make it “Midwestern food”! ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/48 "2005-08-10T07:56:34Z")
New Mexico has its own version of Mexican food, based on a local variety of green chile. This cuisine also uses blue cornmeal. The sopaipilla is a type of fried bread served with honey. The Chesapeake Bay states have steamed blue crabs made with Old Bay seasoning. San Francisco sourdough bread is famous. There are also several local bread bakeries that make better breads than I’ve had anywhere else in the U.S. The seeded baguette was invented by Semifreddi’s, a S.F. Bay Area bakery. Frozen custard could represent both Milwaukee and St. Louis. The Mound City also has toasted ravioli and BBQ pig snouts. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/49 "2005-08-10T11:58:42Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > What, **acsenray** , if it doesn’t touch an ocean you don’t count it? Is the sarcasm necessary? I didn’t claim my list was comprehensive or complete. I assumed that others would offer more depth and detail, as you did. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/50 "2005-08-10T12:19:04Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > We have the Amana Colonies in Iowa, as well, but I don’t know if they should count. After all, there are sizable Amish communities elsewhere in the US. It feels like cheating… just because there’s an Indian restaurant in Des Moines, that doesn’t make it “Midwestern food”! Depends on how indigenous the Amish are in how they prepare their foods. There’s a Mennonite colony in the vicinity of Montezuma, Georgia, and they have a restaurant. I’ve eaten there, and it was a lot more southern in flavor than the ones in Iowa I’ve eaten in. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/51 "2005-08-10T13:30:51Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > We have the Amana Colonies in Iowa, as well, but I don’t know if they should count. After all, there are sizable Amish communities elsewhere in the US. It feels like cheating… just because there’s an Indian restaurant in Des Moines, that doesn’t make it “Midwestern food”! I’m not sure I understand the point, but I believe Ohio has more Amish than any other state, so I’d be perfectly happy to claim them as Midwestern. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/52 "2005-08-10T13:44:13Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > I’m not sure I understand the point, but I believe Ohio has more Amish than any other state, so I’d be perfectly happy to claim them as Midwestern. Well, there are Amish colonies all over the US – note the Mennonites I mentioned in middle Georgia – so the question is, can one region claim their cuisine. I would agree that if any region could, it would be the Midwest – the traditional crops and foods there are “in synch” with the Amish traditions to a greater extent than other parts of the country. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/53 "2005-08-10T14:16:54Z")
I nominate [Runzas](http://www.runza.com/whatzarunza.htm) from Nebraska, [Bing Bars](http://216.40.233.218/palmercandy.com/index.php/whsleretail/products/candy_bars/) from Iowa, and [chislic](http://www.meetmyattorney.com/archives/2003/05/14/chislic-how-to/) and [lefse](http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/8823/lefse.html) from South Dakota. And ya’ gotta wash it all down with Mello Yello. None of that Mountain Dew crap. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/54 "2005-08-10T15:11:37Z")
> [@niblet\_head](#): > > I nominate [Runzas](http://www.runza.com/whatzarunza.htm) from Nebraska, [Bing Bars](http://216.40.233.218/palmercandy.com/index.php/whsleretail/products/candy_bars/) from Iowa, and [chislic](http://www.meetmyattorney.com/archives/2003/05/14/chislic-how-to/) and [lefse](http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Acres/8823/lefse.html) from South Dakota. > > And ya’ gotta wash it all down with Mello Yello. None of that Mountain Dew crap. > > 🙂 Sure, but chislic and lefse sound like Norwegian foods. What’s next, [lutefisk?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk) ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/55 "2005-08-10T20:56:38Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Sure, but chislic and lefse sound like Norwegian foods. What’s next, [lutefisk?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk) Yeah, northern Minnesota could almost get its own food booth. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/56 "2005-08-10T21:18:47Z")
Please make room for cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, water ice. Also, anything made with mushrooms, this section of Pennsylvania is known for the quality, quantity and variety of good-eatin’ fungi. For the _piscivores_ out there, you can have shad, and it’s roe. Please notice I said YOU can have shad, all those bones ain’t worth it. I prefer food that’s a bit more toothsome, and less tedious. But ya’ never know what the punters will try. Is this place open for breakfast, if so, toss some scrapple on that griddle. Philadelphia sticky buns and Moravian spice cookies for the dessert concession. Better throw in some shoofly pies as well, both kinds. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/57 "2005-08-10T22:44:16Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Can I just say, as much as I love my friends in Texas, Texas can bloody well have its own food booth. They can serve Texas-style chili, they can serve all the Texas steak they want, but Texas _cannot_ be allowed to represent the “Southwest” to the rest of the world. Nuh-uh. True. The real definition of the Southwest is anyplace that when you ask for chili, it comes green and contains no beef or beans. Southwest: Chile verde w/ tortillas Huevos Rancheros Buffalo burgers Margaritas Fat Tire beer ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/58 "2005-08-10T23:04:13Z")
**quiltguy154** - water ice? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/59 "2005-08-10T23:24:30Z")
Not from around these parts, are ya’? They call it Italian water ice or even sorbet sometimes. Fruit juices or other flavorings, water and sugar. Churned and chilled to a semi-solid consistency so it can be easily scooped into individual, disposable serving cups. Back in my youth, lemon was the premier flavor, at some places you could get cherry. Nowadays, anything goes: blueberry, pina colada, watermelon. All of them and all of their ilk are bogus, as lemon is still the best. A most refreshing comestible. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257/60 "2005-08-10T23:41:16Z")
For truly local regional fare, you need _Spiedies_ from Binghamton/Ithaca (and almost nowhere else). A Grape Pie for dessert wouldn’t be bad. For further north, you need the Smitty’s/Country Sweet/Sal’s Birdland’Boss Sauce-style chicken (maybe with a Garbage Plate from Nick Tahou’s) for Rochester. For Boston you need: Lobster or Cod Baked Beans Indian Pudding Sam Adams (or local microbrewery) beer For New Jersey: Corn on the Cob Jersey Tomatoes (raw) Steamed Clams or Crabs [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-regional-foods-a-menu-for-an-imaginary-food-court/316257.md?page=4)