# Culturally/Regionally common foods and drinks you've never tried **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221 "2013-12-13T04:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/1 "2013-12-13T04:11:37Z")
Thanksgiving reminds me of common foods I’ve never tried, and then there’s Christmas for a beverage most people I know seem to enjoy. Most of them just seem like they’d be gross. Others are because of ethical objections. So, how about you? Just food that’s commonly eaten by people in your area. I mean, I don’t think sushi and Indian food rises to that level in most of the US, but I guess if you live where it’s dirt common you can add stuff like that to your list. I’ve never tried: clam chowder corn chowder sweet potatoes green bean casserole eggnog lobster (I have ethical objections) venison (ditto) ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/2 "2013-12-13T08:09:01Z")
Eggnog is regional? Besides large parts of US/Canada, with European versions? On the west coast, there are few regional foods. I’ve never had a Picon Punch I guess? I made [Kalimotxo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalimotxo) once with wine that was on its way out, not as bad as you’d think. Both Basque imports of a sort. Nor a local burger. I can’t think of any Northern California foods, culture gets absorbed and changed around here. San Francisco burritos (=giant), yes. Uhhh… Rice-a-Roni and It’s-It? Yes. California roll? Yes, but really doubt that counts. Re ethical: is this just vegetarian/pescetarian objections (I see clam is okay)? Meaning nothing specific about those foods except that they fall into an animal category? IMHO lobster is overrated, you’re not missing much (though up there I bet it has less of a expensive cachet), but venison is great. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/3 "2013-12-13T08:36:33Z")
I’ve lived in Cayman for more than a decade and never tried the national dish - turtle stew made from green sea turtles. I won’t eat an endangered species, even if it is farm raised. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/4 "2013-12-13T10:46:16Z")
Here in FL, I haven’t eaten 'gator. Back in East TN I never ate pig’s brains. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/5 "2013-12-13T13:13:15Z")
[Lutefisk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk). And I’m not going to ever try it. My Mom’s family is Norwegian, and she remembers when she was a kid in the 40s, all her older relatives would be eating it all the time around the holidays. I don’t think she’s ever tried it, either. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/6 "2013-12-13T13:28:02Z")
I’ve never tried the Cockney Classic; jellied eels. I’m not inclined to either since hearing someone refer to them as “like chewing on a dead man’s knuckle”. ---
**Author:** ![vontsira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/51bf81/32.png) [@vontsira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vontsira)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/7 "2013-12-13T13:40:38Z")
I like that description. I once tried jellied eels – never again. The dish struck me as extremely bony, with very little flesh to be found: I considered it to be like trying to eat numerous bits of hard, white plastic, in a mess of glutionous gelatine. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/8 "2013-12-13T13:47:57Z")
I was just on a two week road trip in Europe (Germany/Belgium/France region) and had my first experience of Christmas markets (which I didn’t know existed until we saw our first one in Frankfurt and then another in almost every city we visited). So that introduced me to the existence of glühwein. Since I don’t drink wine I never had any, though I did have a non-alcoholic glühwein in Nuremberg but that was just warm apple juice with cinnamon. I know it is just a version of mulled wine (which I’ve never seen being sold in the States) but a month ago I had no idea how pervasive it was in that part of Europe, at least this time of year. Otherwise, since I grew up reasonably poor where our meat eating was within a pretty narrow band and then gave up red meat as a freshman in college and have stayed with that for 20+ years, there are many very common beef and pork dishes I’ve never had. From the OP, if you have ethical issues with lobster, why not with clam chowder? Clams are usually cooked while still alive as well (I assume that is the ethical issue, though not sure the ethical issue with venison assuming you eat other meat). ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/9 "2013-12-13T13:51:47Z")
Yeah, I consider myself an omnivore, but the look of them sitting in that oozy jelly gives me the willies. That other East End favourite; pie, mash and parsley liqour, followed by a dish of spotted dick and custard on a cold winter’s day is another matter though. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/10 "2013-12-13T13:57:57Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > Here in FL, I haven’t eaten 'gator. > > Back in East TN I never ate pig’s brains. I had alligator–at a hospital cafeteria, in fact. They were endangered once but have bounced back so well that controlled hunting is allowed. Although the gators sold commercially are probably farm-raised… Never had pig brains, but they aren’t often on the menu. There are some taco trucks with bold options! ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/11 "2013-12-13T14:01:45Z")
Never even heard of eating pig brains! I haven’t had chitlins (chitterlings) or turnip greens because the smell of both make me feel ill. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/12 "2013-12-13T14:22:40Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > lobster (I have ethical objections) > venison (ditto) What are your ethical objections to venison? In many parts of the country there’s a strong need for hunters to actually cull the herds due to excellent wildlife management, and the possibility of mass starvation. It’s hardly like there are hordes of mad-eyed rednecks shooting deer to extinction; in reality it’s quite the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![jrsone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jrsone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrsone)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/13 "2013-12-13T14:38:45Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Thanksgiving reminds me of common foods I’ve never tried, and then there’s Christmas for a beverage most people I know seem to enjoy. Most of them just seem like they’d be gross. Others are because of ethical objections. So, how about you? > > Just food that’s commonly eaten by people in your area. I mean, I don’t think sushi and Indian food rises to that level in most of the US, but I guess if you live where it’s dirt common you can add stuff like that to your list. > > I’ve never tried: > clam chowder > corn chowder > sweet potatoes > green bean casserole > eggnog > lobster (I have ethical objections) > venison (ditto) That sounds like a fantastic dinner! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/14 "2013-12-13T15:26:41Z")
I grew up in Green Bay, where “chicken booyah” (a sort of chicken stew, traditionally made with a lot of the chicken parts that wouldn’t normally be eaten) is a huge tradition, particularly at church picnics. I’ve never had it – it always looked really nasty. I now live in Chicago, where a Lent tradition (based on abstaining from meat on Fridays) is the “pepper and egg sandwich”. Have never had it, as I’m no fan of green peppers. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/15 "2013-12-13T15:32:40Z")
I grew up in a heavily Greek neighborhood, Astoria (Queens), New York, and yet I never ate any of the common Greek dishes. I’ve never had souvlaki, baklava, moussaka… none of it. I passed by places that served Greek food every day for half my life, but it never appealed to me in the least. Here in Texas, there are all kinds of common Mexican dishes I’ve never tried, from cabrito (goat) to menudo (soup made from tripe). ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/16 "2013-12-13T16:36:49Z")
… Huh, I think I’ve just realized that I may never have actually eaten egg salad. (But I have eaten other mayonnaise-based salads and hard-boiled eggs on occasion, and I think they are both gross, so I don’t think I really _need_ to try a food that combines the two to know that I won’t like it.) ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/17 "2013-12-13T16:51:55Z")
Ooh, here’s one I’ve missed. A Jewish/Mexican bakery/restaurant in town has [Guacamole Bobe](http://www.rustikacafe.com/pdf/RustikaSpecialtiesMenu.pdf) on the menu–a mix of egg salad & guacamole. Need to make it by to try it! (A Houston food writer approximated [the recipe](http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2010/02/mexican_avocado_and_egg_salad.php).) Local foods? I’ve only had a few bites of menudo–not a favorite. Haven’t had chitlins, although they’re rare even at our soul food establishments. Otherwise, I’ve sampled most of our common specialties. Boudain? Dirty rice? Great stuff… ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/18 "2013-12-13T17:00:42Z")
I have lived in the south my entire adult life and have never even been tempted to try grits. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/19 "2013-12-13T17:05:43Z")
Never had a root beer float. Never had fried chicken & waffles, which is apparently a big thing now ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/20 "2013-12-13T19:57:45Z")
I’ve never tried a couple of Mexican specialties that are popular here in San Diego. First there’s menudo, which is apparently tripe soup and which is featured on weekends as a hangover cure. The other is the California burrito, which contains carne asada and french fries. I’m not a big fan of carbs on carbs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221.md?page=2)