This is a little weird, because I’m pining for a regional item that I’ve only had outside the region where it’s made. It’s a kind of corned beef made in Montreal that’s just called “smoked meat.” The only place I’ve ever had it was Zingerman’s deli, in Ann Arbor. The stuff is fantastic. I’m told that the brand Zingerman’s sells (Ben’s) is considered one of the lower quality ones, so I’ve got to get to Montreal and try them all.
The only other regional food I miss is Spaulding Krullers, from Elmira, NY. Actually I think they were made in Binghamton. I used to eat practically nothing else when I visited my grandparents. I don’t have any idea what they put in the dough, but they were unlike any doughnut I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, they no longer exist. When I was last in that area, the brand still existed, but had been bought by Sunshine or some other crap bakery. I bought some, but they just tasted like any other mass-produced doughnut. Damn shame.
Texans keep raving about Blue Bell, but I’ve never been able to understand why. It’s available here in Atlanta, and frankly, it’s just ice cream. Now Yarnell’s Ice Cream– that’s what I miss about Arkansas. It’s so much better than any other commercial ice cream I’ve ever tried that it’s not even worth talking about. Unfortunately, it’s only available in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and the immediate border areas of Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and even a small bit of Texas.
Old Bay? I lived in Georgia almost my entire life - until last year when I moved to Charlotte - and I’ve never seen a grocery store that didn’t sell Old Bay. If you can buy it in Flowery Branch, GA or Lake Wylie, SC I’m sure it’s a “national” thing.
Tastykakes? They sell them at Super Wal Marts in Atlanta and Charlotte. You sure it’s not national? Or at least “super-regional”?
Boiled peanuts? If you think that they’re sold only in “a few select country stores in BFE, South Carolina” you don’t get out much (in the South anyway). Even these are decent, provided you heat the brine for a few minutes before eating.
Though I’m not from the UK, I sure do miss Crunchie bars and Cheap, delicious, readily-available Indian food!
We have both Blue Bell and Yarnell’s here in Oklahoma and I think that Breyer’s is better than either of them. Breyer’s Strawberry is the next best thing to homemade. Then there’s Braums. mmmmmmmmm Braum’s. I think they’re regional.
Depending on how you define ‘super-regional’, then sure - they can be that. They’re headquartered out of Philly and have been expanding their distrubution area along the east coast. There might be some west coast distribution, too. I’m in Minnesota (not exactly coastal) and the closest store that carries them is, according to their website, 581 miles away. I sure love tastykakes, but that’s a bit of a hike.
My wife and I used to drive to Scarborough to the Humpty Dumpty Factory Store at least three times a year to stock up on potato chips back when they were made right there (a three-hour drive - we live in Connecticut.) Since they were “acquired” the quality has nosedived. We never buy Humpty Dumpty anymore. We buy Utz now.
We still drive three hours to Maine just for food, though. To Flo’s Hot Dogs on Route 1 in Cape Neddick. Best dogs anywhere.
BTW, TommyTutone, next time you need New England hot dog rolls, if it’s a long drive, just send me some email & I’ll put some in Priority Mail for you.
Amen to that. The store here have french bread they put out at 4 o’clock and it’s good, being fresh baked and all, but it just can’t compare to SF sourdough. When I was on Okinawa a buddy and I were poking around in the Army equivalent of a Seven-Eleven looking for something to snack on when in the freezer I spotted a red-white-and-blue wrapper. I pulled it out and it was a round loaf of Parisian. I literally started bouncing around clutching it to my chest.
“What?” my buddy asked.
“Buy a couple sticks of butter–unsalted if they got it–and I’ll show you what.”
We devoured that loaf in about a half hour.
Oh, and to name something I miss from the opposite coast: Original Trenton Crackers. They make those crummy little hexagonal chowder crackers weep and hang their heads. I could get them in Claifornia, but not around here.
angelicate, seriously consider a trip to Carl’s. The line moves really quickly, even when it’s long as all get out. I never stood there for more than half an hour, and that was when it was wrapped all the way around. Most items are $3 and under too.
I sort of have a substitute Carl’s in my neighborhood, the Del Ray Dreamery, but it’s just not the same.
I need to find me some fried clams. I miss Kelly’s and the Clambox and the Kream N Kone and Captain Frosty’s. Sigh. I have found lots of clam dishes around here but none are fried. Sooo good.
Eh, I’ve had Zapp’s. (Texan boyfriend with family in Louisiana.) I still maintain the Cape Cod superiority but I will admit the Jalepeno Zapp’s are mighty tasty. Can’t get those in VA either.
Oh yeah, I’ve looked before, trying to see if there was a place nearby that sold it. My mom still lives in TX and I visit quite often, so I just get some when I’m down.
I don’t know what it is about Blue Bell, unless it’s just the fact that since I moved, I haven’t been able to go to the grocery store and stand in the frozen section for 5 minutes, looking over 30 different flavors before finally deciding (As almost always) on a carton of Peaches & Homemade Vanilla. I like the new Tres Leches a lot too, and they had German Chocolate once that was divine, but I think it was a limited batch.
LOL! A friend of mine owns a house not 100 yards from the Kream n Kone (unless there’s more than one, in which case “100 yards from A Kream n Kone” - I’m not a native, so don’t know if there’s more than one of these).
Best fried clams ever! And their fried scallops are amazing too.
As for Cape Cod chips - have you tried the new(?) Nantucket Spice flavor? Really yummy.
Chicago
Jay’s BBQ Chips
Hot Dog w/everything from Devil Dogs
White Castle cheeseburgers (Og help me)
Greek Town Gyros
Salerno Almond Crescents
Ricobene’s Breaded Steak Sandwich
Mario’s Pina Colada italian ice
German/Kosher delis
Wandering around the Hyde Park Co-op or Treasure Island to get stuff to eat at the beach
U.K. and Ireland
Cheese & Onion, Prawn, Curry crisps
GOOD BEER
Salad Sandwiches
Vodka & Lime
Tesco’s Hazelnut yoghurt
Cadbury chocolate
Real Curry
Fish and Chips w/onion extract at Portobello Market
New Zealand
Mussels as big as your fist
Pineapple Lumps a.k.a. Candy Coated Crack (chocolate covered pineapple taffy)
Canada
Tim Horton’s
Wimpy
Coffee Crisp
France
Sugar Crepes from a street stall washed down with Heineken
Calvados
Mont Saint Michel omelettes
Hmmm. Maybe if I had had eaten lunch instead of assing around installing a CD-RW, this list wouldn’t be as long.
Big Shot root beer from New Orleans. It comes in two-liter bottles and is one of the smoothest, creamiest root beers I’ve ever had. I’m almost positive it is unique to Louisiana, if not just New Orleans, and I haven’t had it in years.
That said, I’d kill for a muffaletta sandwich from the Central Grocery Store on Decatur Street in the French Quarter, but what are you gonna do?
I whine about this every time one of these threads comes up- I want real poutine, preferably from the Elgin Street Diner in Ottawa, although I’m sure there are better types. There is no good poutine in Toronto. I am dying for real poutine-crisp fries dripping melty cheese curds and gravy.
I agree with N. Sane about the Buffalo beef on weck. Big chunks of salt on a hard role. Horseradish. Thin sliced roast beef. <–this is my tongue hanging out. Salivating.
Oh, and two more words for those from the Buffalo area: Might Taco.
I’ve said it before and I say it again. Mighty Taco. So bad, but oh so good. And cheap too!
<–this is my tongue hanging out. Salivating.
