# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/81 "2024-09-22T23:19:03Z")
pardon me, me but what’s a “fruity bagel”? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/82 "2024-09-22T23:20:47Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > Poutine. It doesn’t really appeal to me. Good poutine is fantastic. I am a SoCal guy, and I think I have tried everything. Not a huge fan of menudo, however. Is there anything really odd but common that is Californian, that something may suggest? ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2024, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/83 "2024-09-22T23:27:32Z")
not only can you get them at Buckhorn `Exchange` in Denver, but at Timberlane Steaks at airport ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/84 "2024-09-23T08:39:30Z")
There’s a local dish called _pens en pootjies_. In English: tripe and trotters. I love _eisbein_, but that’s as far down the pig’s leg as I’m happy to go. Trotters are a whole other thing. I’ve had them, but don’t like them. And I don’t squick at a lot of offal, and ate curried tripe as a kid, but it generally does not do it for me. So a combo of both? Naah. That’s the kind of poverty food that tells you someone with a horse and sword got the edible parts of the hog. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/85 "2024-09-23T09:03:27Z")
In the 16+ years I’ve been living in Canada, I’ve learned about Nanaimo bars, but I’ve never had one. [Classic Nanaimo Bars | Canadian Living](https://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking-and-desserts/recipe/classic-nanaimo-bars) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/86 "2024-09-23T09:30:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Is there anything really odd but common that is Californian, that something may suggest? The Monte Cristo sandwich was invented in California. Ham, turkey and Swiss on thick-sliced bread, dipped in French toast batter and deep-fried, then sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with strawberry jam. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/87 "2024-09-23T16:32:33Z")
Las Vegas is not Basque territory so it’s less commonly known there. I’ve since had picon. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/88 "2024-09-23T17:07:53Z")
I was once told that my Hungarian grandfather (jumped ship in NYC in 1911 and wound up in Milwaukee) would take the heads from the chickens he kept in his back yard, sauteed them, and then cracked the skulls open and sucked the brains out. Not at all attractive, to my way of thinking. 🤢 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/89 "2024-09-23T19:40:32Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The Monte Cristo sandwich was invented in California. Ham, turkey and Swiss on thick-sliced bread, dipped in French toast batter and deep-fried, then sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with strawberry jam. I have had that a few times at Disneyland. Now, if a friend wants one, we split it. Pretty damn tasty and worth trying once, at least. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/90 "2024-09-24T14:04:15Z")
I’m of Italian heritage and live in Minnesota amongst many Swedes and Norwegians, my husband being one of them. I have never nor will I ever try lutefisk or pickled herring. My husband loves pickled herring in wine sauce. He’s a bit skittish regarding lutefisk, but I’m sure he’d eat it. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/91 "2024-09-24T17:07:08Z")
The Romans traditionally [ate “worse” stuff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garum) so really you’d be just trying easier stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/92 "2024-09-24T17:18:01Z")
I would try anything, even [maggot cheese](https://www.foodandwine.com/news/desperate-search-casu-marzu-sardinias-illegal-maggot-cheese) and I make a point of eating local cuisine so when travelling. I believe the only thing I did not get a chance to try was Chicago thin-crust pizza while there. I did get the deep-dish and beef sandwiches and Chicago dog however. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/93 "2024-09-24T19:54:23Z")
Lots of cultures still eat fish sauce today, from Asia to England. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/94 "2024-09-24T20:00:17Z")
I’m a horribly picky eater. I also gave up pork back in the mid-90s, but have since gone back to at least eating bacon. I’m still wary of ingesting swine-based street food or anything near to it. My travelling of late has usually included Germany, and half of the food in that country seems to be pig-based, but I’m anxious about giving myself stomach issues while on holiday. Locally, not sure what the indigenous cuisine would be. Went to school in Quebec, but I’ve never tried poutine, as I don’t like gravy ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/95 "2024-09-24T20:03:52Z")
There’s more Italians in Rome, though. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/96 "2024-09-24T20:13:10Z")
They [still](https://www.seriouseats.com/italy-has-fish-sauce-too-get-to-know-colatura-di-alici) make it in Italy. Also, not remotely worse than lutefisk, so appropriate quotes there. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/97 "2024-09-24T20:18:27Z")
Yep, the production process certainly seems grosser, but I’m going to try to make some some day with zero hesitation. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/98 "2024-09-24T20:46:21Z")
Got back from Alsace a few days ago. It’s a long way from the sea, so the fish dishes you see on menus contain some interesting options. I did get to eat pike dumplings, but annoyingly I didn’t manage to try _sandre_ (sander, zander or pikeperch in English). A fish I had never even heard of, but a pretty common menu item in Alsace. It’s possible that some Dopers have eaten it without knowing. An article I read (which I can’t find now - dammit) said that it was sometimes substituted for walleye. Also on several menus - and I have never seen this before - were frogs’ legs. You do occasionally see snails, which I always took to be a bit of a dare for tourists (uh, yes I have); but frogs’ legs left me a bit mystified. j ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2024, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/99 "2024-09-24T21:07:41Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > I have never nor will I ever try lutefisk or pickled herring. I have tried pickled herring. No thanks. > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > The Romans traditionally [ate “worse” stuff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garum) so really you’d be just trying easier stuff. Worcestershire sauce has anchovies in its base. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221/100 "2024-09-25T14:08:17Z")
I guess I wouldn’t make a good Roman! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/culturally-regionally-common-foods-and-drinks-youve-never-tried/676221.md?page=6)