The other day, the site My Food Looks Funny posted a pictorial representing what food each American state is known for. When I first glanced at the map, I couldn't even make out South Carolina's food. 
Luckily the legend informed me that it was a benne wafer. For those of you who have never heard of them, a benne wafer is a thin cookie made with toasted sesame. Benne (the Bantu-word for sesame) was brought from East Africa and planted extensively throughout the South. The seed has a nutty, sweet aroma with a milk-like, buttery taste. When toasted, its flavor intensifies, yielding an almost almond- or peanut butter-like flavor.Having lived in both Massachusetts and (briefly) Hawaii, I agree with their associated foods: clam chowder and pineapple, respectively.
My little cousin Maddie, enjoying her clam chowder last summer:
States that made me jealous were Maine (lobster), Vermont (Ben & Jerry's ice cream), and New York (pizza). Should I move back North?
I had absolutely no idea what North and South Dakota's were: knoeplah and chislic. Apparently knoeplah is a dumpling and chislic is cubed red meat. Anyone heard of either of these two?
What is your state's quintessential food? Do you agree that your state should be known for it? And do you regularly eat it? I don’t think benne wafers should have been South Carolina’s food. I was expecting it to be grits!
I’m really hoping that one of my Utah friends can explain the green jello thing…
Crawfish for Louisiana is fitting and yes I love a good crawfish boil, just not all of the sodium bloat that comes after it.
ReplyDeletehahaha. I thought it would have been candied pecans ;) Grits would make more sense too.
ReplyDeleteof course ours is steak, sheesh! I need to move back to hawaii so I can get my pineapple fix. Or maybe Cali....hello grapes and wine! :)
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I was not surprised that NY was pizza lol. No wonder it's one of my favorites :)
ReplyDeleteI'm from Georgia and now live in NC and totally agree... peaches and BBQ. Right on target! I'd love to be associated with lobster though... mmm!
ReplyDeleteA lot of these seem really fitting. I'm in TN right now and I have to admit... I don't eat just a ton of tomatoes. However, my grandfather, who was born and raised in TN (and lives here still) eats tomato sandwiches. Bread, mayo and tomato with a little salt and pepper. So maybe that's more widespread that I know and tomatoes are popular here? Who knows!
ReplyDeleteAnd my husband would high contest that IL should be known for corn and not deep dish pizza. For 2 reasons: 1. He isn't a huge fan of Chi-Town and 2. he grew up in a corn field (really, it's true). However, I love deep dish pizza so I'll take it any day! ;)
Pennsylvania's is the Philly Cheesestake, but I think it should be a Hersheys bar. And I don't think you could use anything else for Virginia other than Ham. But I prefer a nice bottle of VA vino.
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ReplyDeleteDon't think Illinois should be the Chicago Deep Dish.
ReplyDeleteI might have grown up near thisitalianfamily's husband, as I too was raised in corn fields and soy bean fields.
I would have to say the food of Illinois should be The Horseshoe! it's a lovely, artery-clogging burger set stop texas toast and adorned with steak fries and beer cheese sauce! There are entire restaurants DEVOTED to the horseshoe (Darcy's Pint was featured in a wierd Springfield, Illinois episode of Man vs. Food), as there are now many different incarnations....For instance, you can now make it with ham, shrimp, crab, buffalo chicken, etc., etc.
Fried Chicken, fabulous. Ha, I hate that everyone associates Kentucky with fried chicken. Just cause KFC is from there doesn't mean that we have one on every corner. I probably haven't eaten at KFC in 10 years.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to switch loyalty on this one and pretend I'm from Ohio (I was technically born in Ohio and have worked there). I'll claim Cincinnati Chili any day. So amazing!
Well... I guess in Illinois we're known for deep dish. Not a surprise. Totally cliche, but I'll take it.
ReplyDeleteMy home state is supposedly known for toasted ravioli? I mean, I loved that stuff, but had no idea it was Missouri's "thing".
I am clam chowder and coffee milk and that makes a lot of sense. I've had Maine lobster; damn it's good.
ReplyDeleteIt says my state is know for loose meat sandwiches...you wouldn't hear them called by that name by locals however....they are Maid-Rites to us. The term is coined after the frandchise that popularized them. Think sloppy joe style crumbled beef sans the sauce, served with pickles on a bun. I am in the minority because they're not really my thing. I would've thought we'd be pegged for our pork. Now that's more my style!
ReplyDeletei'll have to switch it to Province instead since im from Canada. So B.C. is known for everything healthy (unfortunately hehe)... basically known for its fresh caught wild salmon, potatoes, and WINE WINE WINE WINE WINE lol. and apples too id say. hmm but Nanaimo B.C. which is a couple hours north from Victoria, is where the creation of the dessert, Nanaimo Bars originated from :)
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I agree with Alex on wine from Virginia. It's no Napa Valley but I've enjoyed many a glass of wonderful Virginia wine since I've been living here. The blue crab they have for Maryland is spot on. Growing up in Baltimore meant a tradition of eating steamed crabs at least once every summer. Not to mention the crab cakes are best in Maryland. You just can't find them made as well anywhere else in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteOk, I am loving that pic of you! Love the punkin' belly! Our state food is peaches and I can totally live with that. It's kinda funny how these things work though. How in the world did they come up with the state foods? Strange!
ReplyDeleteHa, I thought that was a picture of fried chicken on our state! Very interesting. I am with you, NYC all the way, I love pizza!
ReplyDeleteI was born and raised in SC and definitely disagree with the Benne Wafers. I'm not sure I've ever eaten one in my life. Grits for sure... maybe even shrimp and grits.
ReplyDeleteAnd the person from TN - my grandparents got me hooked on tomato sandwiches just like you described when I was a kid at the lake. Still eat them every summer! They're only really good with super fresh juicy ones that run down your arms when you eat them. AND I'm highly partial to Duke's mayonnaise too :)
Also, it irritates me that GA is the peach state since SC grows more peaches than GA every year. Still I think CA grows the most but then again they grow everything!
Our state is know as the birthplace of the hamburger and some of the world'd best thin crust pizza. It's a fatkid's dream!
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Mindy
Mmm I am very lucky to live in Maine (sometimes). I had a lobster roll the other day and it was delicious!
ReplyDeletethis is freakin awesome! for sure on the clam chowder for mass! no disputing that. If you find out what is up with the green jello let us know!
ReplyDeleteThat is so fun!! I want to see something like that for the Canadian provinces and territories... I know Quebec is famous for poutine and maple syrup but I don't know about any of the others!
ReplyDeleteNew York's is pizza- but I feel like that mainly goes for NYC. What about the rest of the state? :)
ReplyDeletePhilly restaurants serve this nasty meat block thing and call it "scrapple". My boyfriend is into it, but I'm pretty sure it's basically any leftover body parts on the slaughterhouse floor. Like a sophisticated version of SPAM. McNasty:)
ReplyDeleteI live in Michigan and ours is pasties? Really? I mean I have seen them around, but nobody I know regularly eats them or anything. I was thinking cherry for us, guess not!
ReplyDeleteUgh, mine is too easy- oranges. FL== Oranges..of course :) I do agree..and I do like them, thank goodness.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree about grits & SC- it only seems right! I've never even heard of benne wafers.
I was born in the clam chowder state, raised in the orange state and now live in the dry bbq state. ahahaha! love it!
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Jenn @ Peas & Crayons
I love Florida because we are known for ORANGES! We go to this farmer's market that makes the BEST homemade orange juice. It. is. so. dang. good! LOVE IT
ReplyDeleteWe live in Illinois now and I proudly stand by our state food being pizza! Deep dish is amazing in Chicago, and I feel like I eat pizza every chance I get :)
ReplyDeleteTexas and Steak - they nailed that sucker on the head! lol
ReplyDeleteI don't see how Ohio is known for anything really. BUt chili? definitely not. I dont know what I would have thought it would be...but not chili
ReplyDeleteWe're not on there, but I'd say Ontario is known for maple syrup!
ReplyDeletePA is known for cheesesteaks, but I think soft pretzels should hold the title. Cheesesteaks can be kinda gross for several reasons (they're either bad or good, there's no in between), but who doesn't love a huge, carby, salty, hot pretzel??
ReplyDeleteHUSK serves amazing benne seed rolls with pork butter. Yes you read that correctly.
ReplyDeleteHahaha great. I'm from ohio, which is famous for chili, and now I live in VA which is known for ham. That's awesome considering I don't eat meat! haha
ReplyDeleteMass is definitely known for chowder. YUM. Love my chowdahhhh!!!
ReplyDeleteI learned the hard way not to order a cheese steak when out of town. They are so good being from Philly! I am jealous of Maine's food something terrible. I LOVE lobster! Looovee the bikini as a pup!
ReplyDeleteGRITS hahaha!! I laughed out loud at that!! I'm in FL... oranges - BORING! I agree, pizza would be nice. I had no idea you lived in Hawaii!! that's freakin awesome!! LOVE the baby pic of you, you were SOOOOO CUTE! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm from Iowa....I totally thought it would be corn! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you lived in Hawaii!! Why did your family move there? WHy did they move back?! Have you been back since?
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily agree with Kentucky's chicken. Yeah, it's the namesake for KFC... but I'd think a Derby Pie is more our style!
ReplyDeleteI agree...SC should be known for grits or shrimp! I grew up in Virginia and I actually did know the ham. Although in 20+ years I don't think I ever actually had a VA ham!
ReplyDeleteI saw this on another blog and I thought it was funny that TN and AL tomatoes and cornbread. I've honestly eaten more tomotoes in AL and cornbread in TN lol..but whatever. :P I can see how cornbread could be "Alabama"..but maybe in the more southern parts..not exactly around here or in northern AL.
ReplyDeleteCheesesteaks. And I am not proud to be associated with it. In my 29 years I have never had a REAL Philly Cheesesteak. I went veg at 12 for a ling time. When I did eat meat again it was ONLY grass fed fillet. So, no. I disagree with my states food. I THINK that is what that pic in PA is of? I live near Philly so that is what I assume we are known for. Yuck.
ReplyDeleteUm yeah, I thought your cousin was you!
ReplyDeleteI think the picture for NC is ribs? I am blind so cant make it out but that seems about right. When I think SC I would think boiled peanuts or shrimp n grits!
Ohio's wasn't a surprise!
ReplyDeleteSpaghetti topped with chili, cheese, and onions! Yum!
Alright alright as the only UTAH resident from here I will explain green jello..
ReplyDelete1- Salt Lake City has traditionally been No. 1 in per capita Jell-O gelatin consumption in the nation.
2- During the time Des Moines sat on top of the Jell-O gelatin charts, Blackerby, Kraft Foods (the makers of Jell-O gelatin), and a handful of Brigham Young University students began grassroots efforts to get Jell-O gelatin named the official snack of Utah. Approximately 15,000 Utahns signed petitions in support of the effort during various events throughout the year.
3- Mormons love Jello...
omg, sick - ohio CANNOT be known for skyline chili (based in cincinnati). they must have been hard up for something to list for my state, but that is disgusting.
ReplyDeletewe should be known for ice cream (graeter's and jeni's!!) or maybe burgers (there are at least 3 famous burger places here that i can think of). but skyline/cincy chili? GROSS.
I also agree with MA clam chowdah :) I've been eating it since I could have solid foods, so delicious, and no one makes it quite like MA!
ReplyDeleteI live in Florida and I totally agree with the oranges. They are in season right now too and they're sooooooo good. Yum!
ReplyDeleteSad that my state has a big hunk of meat on it. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI actually remember the benne wafers from when I went to Charlestown a few years ago. So good! You've got to get your hands on some!
Indiana is popcorn. And actually there is a town here called Popcorn, Indiana. Guess what they make there? Yep, popcorn, some of the best flavor combos around. There's also a kiosk in the mall called Popcornopolis (like Indianapolis)!
ReplyDeleteAnd I do often eat microwave light popcorn sprinkled with cheddar cheese powder!
Greeeat..MN is fried food on a stick..bleh. :-/ This is so neat though--thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy State is peaches, hence the name Georgia Peach. Also, GRITS- Girls Raised in the South, lol :D
ReplyDeleteBtw, check out my new blog- http://fitandfabulouslife.wordpress.com/
Looks like KY is fried chicken, that is totally fitting. Benne wafers are so random! Shrimp and grits would be better!
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