# Lesser Known Local Foods **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [January 15, 2026, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704 "2026-01-15T05:43:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/41 "2026-01-15T17:43:47Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Pit beef would be my nomination for lesser known from Maryland d. I would add [Maryland style pizza](https://mocoshow.com/2025/08/17/the-origins-of-maryland-style-pizza/), [Smith Island cake](https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/symbols/html/dessert.html), [Berger cookies](https://www.bergercookies.com/), [coddies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coddies), and [stuffed ham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuffed_ham). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/42 "2026-01-15T17:47:14Z")
Oh neat! I’ve never heard of any of those things. Time to google up some recipes! ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/43 "2026-01-15T17:49:59Z")
Of course there’s [Cincinnati chili](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_chili), which isn’t really chili at all, but a completely different sauce based on Greek food. I find it delicious, but it’s definitely not chili. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/44 "2026-01-15T18:18:55Z")
[Candy Raisins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_Raisins), as far as I know, are unheard of outside of Wisconsin. People go nuts for them, but, for reasons outside the scope of the thread, they tend to show up for a few years, then disappear for a few years. Just recently someone started making them again and as soon as we had them in the building and posted them on our facebook/instagram page, the post took off and we sold out in a few hours. For a lot of people, I think, it’s about the nostalgia. Nearly everyone that sees them either remembers buying them as a kid or remembers their grandparents having them around the house. As for what they are, they’re gum drops that, from what I understand (never tried one, they don’t appeal to me) vaguely taste like soap. The ‘raisin’ part is just because of the texture/pattern they have on top. [![](https://isteam.wsimg.com/ip/ba67d590-143a-42d9-b7a9-6eee5d0948f7/ols/313_original/:/rs=w:600,h:600) ](https://isteam.wsimg.com/ip/ba67d590-143a-42d9-b7a9-6eee5d0948f7/ols/313_original/:/rs=w:600,h:600) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/45 "2026-01-15T18:19:38Z")
Not sure how widespread it is these days, but a [Fluffernutter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluffernutter) is a New England staple. Maybe wash it down with a nice cold [Moxie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxie). ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/46 "2026-01-15T18:27:38Z")
I’ll have to keep an eye out for these. We’re up in Wisconsin several times a year since I can remember, and I’ve never seen or heard of them. Now at least I know to seek them. ---
**Author:** ![theater\_in\_a\_crowded\_fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@theater\_in\_a\_crowded\_fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theater_in_a_crowded_fire)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/47 "2026-01-15T18:32:12Z")
> **[Slugburger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slugburger?wprov=sfti1)** > > A slugburger (originally Weeksburger) is a sandwich with a deep-fried patty containing beef or pork and a plant-based filler ingredient such as potato or cornmeal. It is a traditional Southern food originating in northeast Mississippi. > John Weeks brought his hamburger recipe from Chicago to Corinth, Mississippi, in 1917. Weeks had local butchers grind his hamburger meat to specification, asking them to include potato flakes and flour. These small hamburgers were originally called Weeksburgers. S... Our beloved local specialty. The key difference between a slugburger and a dough burger is that a slug is normally deep fried. It’s more like a fritter than a typical burger patty. They’re traditionally served with only onion, pickle and yellow mustard. You will get looked at funny if you ask for cheese. We love to mess with newcomers about how many slugs you have to catch to make one. They’re total gut bombs but I have to have a couple once or twice a year. A good one is a thing of trashy culinary beauty. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/48 "2026-01-15T18:49:00Z")
Around Baltimore specifically, pit beef is a thing but is fairly well known, but “lake trout” probably isn’t. Mentioned a couple of times in The Wire. It’s not trout and it didn’t come from a lake; it’s actually Atlantic whiting fillets, breaded and deep-fried, typically served in a take-out tray lined with 4 slices of white bread and topped with hot sauce. The fillets are generally not deboned. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/49 "2026-01-15T18:57:50Z")
It’s much harder to find now, but at one time in Southern California at any diner/coffee shop you could expect to see [chili size](https://thelosangelesbeat.com/2015/01/the-chili-size-a-los-angeles-original/) on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/50 "2026-01-15T19:02:06Z")
DC has the half smoke, a half beef, half pork sausage. They were so ubiquitous in my youth I had no idea that they were regional.DC also has mumbo/mambo sauce, kind of a cross between sweet and sour sauce and bbq sauce; Chicago has a similarly named condiment, but different taste. > **[Half-smoke](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-smoke)** > > A half-smoke is a type of hot dog found in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding region. Larger, spicier, and with more coarsely-ground meat than a regular hot dog, the sausage is often half-pork and half-beef, smoked, and served with herbs, onion, and chili sauce. > The etymology of "half-smoke" possibly comes from the original half-pork, half-beef composition, the ingredients and smoked method of preparation. Another possible explanation is that the texture and flavor is halfway between smoked... > **[Mumbo sauce](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbo_sauce)** > > Mumbo sauce or mambo sauce is a takeout condiment specialty of Washington, D.C. It is similar to barbecue sauce, but somewhat sweeter, and also somewhat spicier or more sour. (There is some variation in flavor and consistency.) It is put onto fried chicken wings, french fries, fried jumbo shrimp, and fried rice. The origin and ingredients of Mumbo sauce are subject to great dispute. It is often compared to Chicago mild sauce, also a takeout sauce of the city's Black neighborhoods. > The tradem... ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/51 "2026-01-15T19:28:00Z")
When you think of the Southeastern US, you probably think of pulled-pork barbecue, perhaps the vinegar based variety from Eastern North Carolina. But that region is also home to [Brunswick stew](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunswick_stew), a tomato based stew that usually contains poultry, corn, lima beans, and sometimes okra and other vegetables. Both Virginia and Georgia claim to be the origin, but it’s also common in the Carolinas. Also in the Carolinas you will find [Calabash-style seafood](https://www.ncseafood.com/blog/a-look-back-at-calabash-style-seafood/). This is deep fried seafood, but with a much lighter breading than the beer-battered stuff typical of British-style fish and chips. Lastly, North Carolina is the home of [livermush](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livermush). It’s thought to be related to Pennsylvania’s [scrapple](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple), and, well, it’s pretty much what it sounds like. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/52 "2026-01-15T19:32:35Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Cashews on pizza. It’s an Olympia, WA original. > > (Well, technically it’s a Redlands, CA original, but the guy whose pizzeria started it moved here in the ‘70s and brought the restaurant with him.) Which restaurant? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/53 "2026-01-15T20:00:26Z")
That reminds me that Kentucky and some areas in the general region are home to burgoo, another hearty stew. Western Kentucky (like Owensboro) is also somewhat, but perhaps not commonly, known for its mutton barbecue. > **[Burgoo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgoo)** > > Burgoo is a stew, similar to Irish or Mulligan stew, often served with cornbread or corn muffins, that originated in Kentucky. It is often prepared communally as a social gathering. It is popular as the basis for civic fundraisers in the Upland South. > The term is of uncertain origin, possibly from the combination of the Welsh words for "yeast" and "cabbage".\[citation needed\] The Oxford English Dictionary lists the origin as "Arabic: būrgu̇l cooked, parched, and crushed wheat, ultimately \[fro... > **[A Year Of Barbecue: Kentucky Mutton - Food Republic](https://www.foodrepublic.com/2012/03/13/a-year-of-barbecue-kentucky-mutton/)** > > Time and time again you hear the story about how a particular style of barbecue originates with an abundant supply of a particular type of meat that is too tough or gamey to succeed with normal cooking methods. The solution is usually to slow cook... ---
**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:** [January 15, 2026, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/54 "2026-01-15T20:08:46Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Which restaurant? The original in Redlands was called the Gay ‘90s, and I believe it was more of a dive bar that also served pizza. When Dave Wilson moved to Olympia in the ‘70s he reopened it here as Dirty Dave’s Gay ‘90s, though it eventually dropped the latter half of the name and now it’s just Dirty Dave’s and it’s more of a family restaurant (aside from the painting of a topless Daisy Duck behind the bar). IIRC, the original Gay ‘90s was the inspiration for the eponymous bar on _Cheers_. ---
**Author:** ![ricepad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@ricepad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ricepad)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/55 "2026-01-15T20:12:57Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > aside from the painting of a topless Daisy Duck behind the bar So…..a duck? ---
**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:** [January 15, 2026, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/56 "2026-01-15T20:15:38Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > AFAIK, he also originated the Orts Special at Gay 90’s. I don’t know if that one traveled north as well. If that’s an oven-toasted sub with pepperoni, salami, ham, pizza cheese, lettuce, tomato, and Caesar dressing, then we call it “the Jake”. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/57 "2026-01-15T20:21:31Z")
Not “lesser known”, but the po’boy sandwich in New Orleans isn’t really found elsewhere; or at least not a proper one. Same for etouffee and jambalaya. The Oklahoma onion burger, or fried onion burger originated in that state. Deep fried halibut sandwiches are popular in Alaska. Most fish and chip joints use cod. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/58 "2026-01-15T20:22:34Z")
> [@superwombat](#): > > Philly Cheesesteak I’ll nominate a roast pork sandwich from the Philly area. I love a good Philly cheesesteak, but I now also make sure to get a roast pork when I’m visiting my brother. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/59 "2026-01-15T20:23:46Z")
Nope. The Orts Special (short for “ortega”) was a sausage, pepperoni, onions and Ortega chilis. It’s still served various places as a “Gay 90’s” pizza. ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2026, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704/60 "2026-01-15T20:26:37Z")
Chicago has mild sauce. A combination of ketchup, bbq sauce and hot sauce. Proportions vary by restaurant, started in BBQ and Fried chicken joints on the South Side. Indiana has the pork tenderloin sandwich. Tenderloin pounded out to the size of a plate, breaded and fried. Then you put this on a standard hamburger bun with way more meat outside the bun then within. It can be found throughout the Midwest but supposedly started in Indiana. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lesser-known-local-foods/1026704.md?page=4)