# States That "Own" a Food Item **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 27, 2014, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670 "2014-08-27T19:14:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/61 "2014-08-28T17:15:49Z")
> [@Orr\_G](#): > > Although, IMO the best cheese curds are Mozzie and not Cheddar, but you can find both claiming to be “Wisconsin”, and the latter fit my scheme better. If you’re ever in Madison you have to try [Curd Girl](https://www.facebook.com/CurdGirl?fref=nf)curds. Best I’ve ever had. They won both awards at the recent Curdfest. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/62 "2014-08-29T03:46:02Z")
Poi for Hawaii, but it tastes like library paste, so that’s probably a big reason why it’s never caught on elsewhere in the US. Actually, when I was living there, I don’t think it was very widespread at all. Seemed to be more of a tourist thing, served up at “authentic luaus.” (Although at a potluck gathering once, a lady who had lived in Tahiti brought some Tahitian poi she’d made, and that was good. Tasted like banana pudding.) Ahi is the Hawaiian name for yellowfish tuna, and I have seen “ahi” served at mainland restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/63 "2014-08-29T04:12:44Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Sometimes, it’s coincidence that puts a food in one spot. Nearly all the mint in the US is grown in the muck land around North Judson, IN. Nitpick alert; Washington, Oregon and Idaho are the top three mint producers (each over 1 million pounds of oil annually). Indiana and California are a rather distant 4th and 5th. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/64 "2014-08-29T04:36:48Z")
Georgia “owns” four, I think: peaches, peanuts, Vidalia onions, and pecans ---
**Author:** ![rock\_party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@rock\_party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rock_party)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/65 "2014-08-29T05:05:21Z")
Northwest Florida: fried mullet. Mullet is all over the gulf coast but it’s generally considered not edible. They have “mullet fries” in the northern Florida gulf coast. They love it. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/66 "2014-08-29T11:42:29Z")
Louisiana owns a LOT of foods, not just crawfish. Also jambalaya, boudin, shrimp etoufee, just to name a few. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/67 "2014-08-29T11:56:14Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Oh yes, and Ohio is [buckeyes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckeye_candy). hehe ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/68 "2014-08-29T12:14:28Z")
I don’t think most people are understanding the request of the OP. If the food you listed is made up of more than one item, it probably won’t count. Texas brisket, for example. I could make it in California and nobody would be the wiser. One could make an argument for San Francisco sourdough bread, as it’s the location that gives the taste a unique flavor. Making a sourdough in Boston wouldn’t taste quite the same. My first thought was Maine/lobsters, Maryland/crabs. Hawaiian macademia nuts. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2014, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/69 "2014-08-29T12:16:13Z")
> [@Orr\_G](#): > > Not sure how this plays out of state, but Wisconsin claims quite a few foods, and has even mastered vertical integration. > > Wisconsin Dairy > " Cheese > " Cheddar > " Cheese Curds > Although, IMO the best cheese curds are Mozzie and not Cheddar, but you can find both claiming to be “Wisconsin”, and the latter fit my scheme better. I know everyone is going to jump in to tell me they have them everywhere else, but I’m always surprised when people from out of state [Wisconsin] tell me they’ve never even heard of cheese curds. “It’s squeaky? What? Gross.” ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/70 "2014-08-29T13:42:38Z")
Iowa - loose meat sandwiches. Specifically, a Maid-Rite. Anything else is cow shit on a bun. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/71 "2014-08-29T14:33:01Z")
> [@Death\_of\_Rats](#): > > Iowa - loose meat sandwiches. Specifically, a Maid-Rite. Anything else is cow shit on a bun. Good one. I also think of pork tenderloin sandwiches, but Indiana’s got that one, too. (Then again, I think loose meat sandwiches do cross the border into Minnesota, but Iowa owns it.) Then again, the OP does not appear to be looking for completed dishes. ---
**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:** [August 29, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/72 "2014-08-29T14:39:16Z")
Let’s see. The first that came to mind was the Montmorency cherries from Door County, Wisconsin, but Michigan also comes to mind for those sour cherries. Love those things. For Illinois, I would go for Mirai sweet corn, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/73 "2014-08-29T14:43:59Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Dungeness crabs (WA) I would give that to California. Maine Lobsters Washington Apples ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/74 "2014-08-29T14:48:00Z")
Oregon truffles. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/75 "2014-08-29T15:17:30Z")
Maine also has the soft drink Moxie … because no other state is stupid enough to claim it. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2014, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/76 "2014-08-29T16:33:44Z")
Find a good Shoofly Pie outside of Pennsylvania. I dare you. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670/77 "2014-08-30T00:31:52Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Poi for Hawaii, but it tastes like library paste, so that’s probably a big reason why it’s never caught on elsewhere in the US. Actually, when I was living there, I don’t think it was very widespread at all. Seemed to be more of a tourist thing, served up at “authentic luaus.” (Although at a potluck gathering once, a lady who had lived in Tahiti brought some Tahitian poi she’d made, and that was good. Tasted like banana pudding.) > > Ahi is the Hawaiian name for yellowfish tuna, and I have seen “ahi” served at mainland restaurants. > [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](#): > > Hawaiian macademia nuts. And coffee! Very good coffee too. Isn’t Hawaii the only state that grows coffee beans? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/states-that-own-a-food-item/696670.md?page=3)