Sauerkraut balls are the official food of Akron, Ohio, as so designated by a poll in the Akron Beacon Journal. More than 1000 people voted.
Babushka’s Kitchen site: http://www.babushkafoods.com/
Try the handmade pierogi.
For Minnesota I might recommend wild rice, perhaps in the form of wild rice soup.
I’m also partial to lefse, kind of a Scandinavian potato tortilla, with butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
You might try some freshwater fish, such as walleye.
Although lutefisk is traditionally associated with Minnesota, I do not recommend that you try it.
Minnesota doesn’t so much have a cuisine as take what other people call cuisine and serve it with white sauce …
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society.
If you get anywhere near Mackinaw City(Which is the very top of the LP) there is a restaurant called Scalliwags,which offers fresh fish caught daily.
I ain’t that big of a fish fan but this place is spectacular.A must stop for anyone travelling through the area.
Ever. On any occasion.
…in a casserole dish. Or possibly set in a jello mold.
When you go through Coeur d’Alene, ID (I-90) go to Hudson’s Hamburgers. I have mentioned it in a few threads before. Its a hundred-year-old hamburger stand that opened during the logging days, and continued to thrive as the town turned to tourism. After you enjoy your burgers, take a stroll along the world’s longest boardwalk the Coeur d’Alene Resort, and enjoy the view of one of America’s most beautiful lakes. you won’t be disappointed.
Oh, just remembered another… Pork Chop John’s in Butte, Montana, also on I-90. Deep fried pork chop patty on a bun! Delicious!
My family grew up in the area near Butte, and feasted on their pork chop sandwiches frequently, but admits that its not quite as good as it used to be… I suspect they make them with healthier ingredients. But I never had the “old” ones, and I still thought they were amazing.
The Pasty is also a favorite food from that area, so maybe you could compare the Montana pasty and the Yooper Pasty.
Having seen Feasting on Asphalt, the River Run, and a few other shows where people have tried Lutefisk for the first time, I have this horrible fascination. It can’t be that bad and people still eat it, can it???
Based on your timeline, you might hit Iowa in time for the State Fair, regarded by people other than myself as one of the must-see events in the US. It runs August 7-17, and serves up such notable classics as corn dogs, corn, deep-fried-anything on a stick, and of course, breaded pork loins the size of frisbees. Also a great place to see way too many enormous pink people wearing not enough clothing.
Otherwise, some would say a Maid-Rite sandwich is the true taste of Iowa, which I find rather depressing - gray ground meat on a white bun. If seeking an actual edible meal, you might want to spring instead for a pork loin dinner at the Iowa Machine Shed right off I-80 in Urbandale. Great apple pie as well, but plan on taking half of it with you - they serve up midwestern-sized portions.
It’s basically cod jello. It’s made with LYE!!! Is anything else we actually eat made with lye?!
Yes, it is that bad!
Yes. Yellow with bacon bits and fresh-ground pepper. Yum!
Oh, look…another food that doesn’t pass my lips…
Bagels and Pretzels, if memory serves.
I’m sure it’s something that you have to grow up on. I think I’ve even seen it on Weird USA or something. It’s just got an awful draw to it. Really, how bad can food be?
Jeez…I eat Hominy all the time,had some for supper tonight(in pozole which is mentioned in the article).Still got the leftovers on the stove … I doubt it will make it to the fridge.Good Stuff!
If you go to Columbus, Ohio…your one stop needs to be Jeni’s Ice Cream. She’s won several national awards, deservedly so. The Gravel Road is divine.
Indeed.
The best food in Minnesota is invariably served at funerals. I suggest perusing the local paper and crashing at one - look for the longer obits as more talk = more church ladies = better food. 
Alternatively, if you’re not the morbid sort, I’d recommend Pickwick in Duluth. Fresh fish, steak, burgers, that sort of thing. I’ve heard that the restaurant at the top of the Radisson is pretty good, but I’m not so sure if people liked the food or the views.
On the other end of the state, there was a steakhouse on the way to Fargo (coming in on I-94 from St. Cloud) that was simply awesome. The restaurant was attached to a slaughterhouse and the beef wasn’t frozen; it was aged - and beef was the only thing the place served. Oh, that and potatoes. Can’t remember the name of the place - something like “Joe’s Steakhouse”. Can any Fargo denizens give more information?
What’s your route back? I have other ideas for I-94E
And if you get hungry about halfway between the two, there’s the Oxford in Missoula. Admittedly, it lost a fair amount of its character when they swept up the sawdust and allowed “wimmen” to set foot inside; but if the counterman is on a roll, it’s quite entertaining to sit at the counter and listen to him sing out.
Giordanos stuffed spinach pizza in the Chicago area.
Philadelphia Cheesesteak… try the Roast Pork at Tony Luke’s or John’s… see Hollyeats.com for more details.
Lyer!
Couldn’t resist… :smack: 
*Lye is used to cure many types of food, such as: lutefisk, green olives, hominy, lye rolls, century eggs, pretzels, and Chinese noodles. *
I was amazed when my mom told me that hominy was originally a regular kernel of corn until they added lye etc. Man that sucka gets gi-normous, doesn’t it? Bursting with yummy goodness, that’s for sure!
I wondered if someone took said yums and further manipulated them to give the world Corn Nuts. Wikipedia sez no.
*Corn nuts are prepared by soaking whole corn in water for three days, then deep-frying them in oil until they are hard and brittle.[2]
[Inventor] Halloway…also learned of a giant breed of corn grown in Cusco, Peru, and began to make his product using this variety’s giant kernels. His research eventually led to a hybrid Cusco corn which could be grown in the climate conditions of the United States.[1]*
ETA I wonder how many people who would never eat hominy enjoy posole at Tex Mex eateries.