My job has taken me to various parts of the United States, and it's always interesting to visit a new city. One thing I've found is that many cities and counties have their own regional cuisines that do not exist outside of a relatively small geographic area. I always enjoy seeking out and trying these regional cuisines, because you simply can't get them anywhere else. I have had Spiedes in Binghamton, NY, Cochinita Pibil and BBQ in Austin, TX, a Lowcountry Boil in Charleston, SC, Bistec de Pollo Empanizado in Florida, and Yankee Cuisine of various sorts in Boston, MA. I think my favorite has been the Lowcountry Boil. It's like a New Orleans-style crab boil, but with different ingredients. The problem is that making it "right" generally requires huge pots, special burners, and huge quantities of both food and people. But damn is it good. FOCUS: What are your favorite regional cuisines? What are the delicacies that exist only where you live?
Cincinnati: 1 The rest of the world:0 Spoiler And don't even give me that Goldstar/Dixie/Empress/Price Hill chili bullshit. Skyline is the tits. My brother had me bring 10 cans when I came over here. I had it three or four times leading up to leaving. I like the hearty chilis of the south but give me the spaghetti/chili/cheese combination any day of the week. Add a couple of cheese coneys and you're done son! If you don't know, now you know, niggah.
I live near Utica, NY. We Central New Yorkers consider a few items to be local delicacies. Half-Moons - NOT black and whites (no fondant here, just delicious icing). Made famous (locally) by Hemstrought's Bakery. Unfortunately, they don't have any retail locations anymore, and their half moons are only available from Wal*Mart and BJ's (thinks Sam's Club or Costco, but with a better name). Tomato Pie - It looks like it's just pizza without the cheese, but it's so much more. The pure simplicity is part of the beauty. An airier crust than regular pizza, the tomato pie relies on a good sauce for it's taste. Served and eaten cold. If you eat it warm, you're a commie. Chicken-motherfucking-Riggies - A creamy red sauce, cherry peppers, black olives, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, chunks of chicken, all tossed over rigatoni. The basic sauce is the key, add or subtract veggies as you wish, there are as many different combinations as there are crackheads in the city. Utica even has a festival dedicated to riggies. We take them very seriously, and everyone has their favorite place. Riggie snobs abound in CNY.
One of the coolest local things that I've ever cooked was a chaudin/ponce: Basically, it is a sausage stuffed pig stomach that you cook like a roast. You throw it into a large black pot with some diced onions and bell peppers, poke a couple of holes into it to allow the juices to drain for the gravy, and put it in the oven for a couple of hours. You have to pull it back out every 30 minutes of so to re-puncture it (the juices REALLY start to build up and spray everywhere if there is too much pressure) and turn it so it will brown evenly. Once done, you remove the ponce and set it on a cutting board to cool, then slice like you would a roast. The juices work with the onions to make a delicious gravy that you can serve over rice, and the ponce very closely resembles something like a spicy pork meatloaf with a crispy skin. If you can get past the fact that you are eating a stomach, it is a really cool and delicious meal. They are not sold everywhere around here, but I try to pick one up at least once a year if I'm in a area that sells them- usually from here.
Look at this friggin' pie: I'd say my top 3 pizza places in Chicago are Lou Malnati's, Gino's East, and Pequod's. Also Hot Doug's is the epitome of gourmet hot dogs. It's even called the The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium. Feast your eyes on their daily specials menu: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.hotdougs.com/specials.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.hotdougs.com/specials.htm</a> They also cook their fries in duck fat. I'd go there right now if I wasn't so sure that there is a 2 hour wait already, and they don't even open for another hour.
I never had couscous until I went to Morocco. Now I eat it once a week. Regional cuisine that I didn't realize wasn't everywhere is Krystal. And by regional cuisine, I mean the little square cheeseburgers, not anything else on the menu. (Although, the Scramblers are awesome, I think you can get similar food elsewhere.) And don't fucking tell me that White Castles are equal or better. They are not.
Mmmmmm Skyline. I too love me some Cincinnati chili, but it should be noted that people that aren't from Cincinnati tend not to like it... unless you get em liquored up first. I quess it's an acquired taste. Also, don't try to make cheese coneys from the cans. The chili is way to runny.
Your city revolves around canned chili? I'd demand a recount- Cincinnati: 0, Anywhere else: 1 BBQ pulled pork isn't a meal here in ATL, it's a rite of passage. Once you go pork, you won't need a fork.
I know that poutine is technically a Quebec creation, but good god damn if Smoke's Poutinerie in Toronto hasn't perfected it. Imagine the best chunky fries, perfectly salty, perfectly crisp, piping hot. Now slather them in thick homemade beef gravy, and top them with squeaky cheese curds. Delicious? Now top THAT with double-smoked bacon, italian sausage, sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions. Sweet baby jesus, it's the best thing ever.
Georgia has had some pretty famous peanut farmers. On that note: Boiled peanuts off road side stands. Amazing. The dirtier it looks, the better. Throw a handful of dry roasted salted peanuts in an RC Cola and enjoy. You're welcome. If you are ever unfortunate enough to end up in Rochester, NY look up Mark's Texas Hots. Their cheeseburger special plate is still only $5, and the greatest burger (although McDunough's in Savannah held that crown for a little while) ever. Best fries, best mac salad, best burger, best deal ever. And if anyone put's Garbage Plates up there in Rochester, Mark's wins EVERY time.
I've had Skyline chili, and it can't hold a spoon to Milwaukee's "Real Chili." Focus: The regionality of hot dogs. Whether it's a Vienna RedHot in Chicago with all the fixins on a poppy seed bun, a Lucky Dog in New Orleans, that University place in Atlanta, or "the umbrella clubs" in NY serving Sabretts (and a kinish, with spicy brown mustard). And sandwiches. Italian beef in Chicago, a cheesesteak in Philly from Geno's, prosciutto and fresh mozzarella with roasted red peppers on an Italian roll from any salumeria in an Italian neighborhood in the northeast, tongue and turkey slathered with mustard on seeded rye from a Kosher deli, a gyro in Astoria, Queens NY, po' boy from Mother's in New Orleans, and pulled pork with slaw on a bun in the Carolinas.
That's right, we make our barbecue sauce from mayonnaise. How the hell is Mississippi still fatter than us?
Your life is incomplete if you have never had Hatch Green Chile. Spoiler The cuisine in New Mexico wouldn't be the same without it. It is growing more common outside of New Mexico, but having it freshly roasted is amazing. You can find it used on pretty much everything, but a trip to New Mexico isn't complete without having a Green Chile Cheeseburger.
You haole mainlanders don't know nuthin'. It's all about the L&L in Hawaii. Kalua pig (smoked and salted), spam musubi, with rice and Mac salad. Cheehoo...
Understandably, this delicacy has a tendency to be off-putting to many people who have not grown up with it, but I cant get enough of pickled herring and aquavit. The sheer amount of possible combinations of flavour and spices in both the herring and aquavit means it never gets old. Behold, "sill" and "snaps": Courtesy of Sweden.
This "delicacy" is a famous bologna sandwich from the G&R Tavern in Waldo, Ohio, about 15 minutes south of where I'm from. It's been featured on travel shows and what not. Growing up, I played baseball around the corner and this would be the stop after about every game. It's a pretty good sandwich, but it's still just bologna.
I live in Toronto so all our best food is just good restauraunts of other cultures... except at the St Laurence Market where you can get these: These pictures doesn't do it justice but it's the best I could find St Laurence Market Peameal Bacon sandwiches are... something else. The picture doesn't do it justice, but picture what Americans call "Canadian bacon", except thick, juicy, coated in cornmeal, and not shitty.
Below is a roast beef poor boy. It is served "dressed" with lettuce tomatoes, pickles, and mayo. New Orleanians all have a place they think serves the best roast beef poor boy and, as long as they say Parasol's in the Irish Channel, they are correct.
Your hometown is the food court? BBQ burnt ends are little nuggets of smoked brisket heaven in the south.