Alabama
White barbecue sauce
Barbecue culture is rich in the South, and debates about the exact origins of those savory, saucy meats can stretch into the night. But one thing’s for certain, Alabaman Robert “Big Bob” Gibson created the iconic white barbecue sauce featuring mayonnaise and apple cider vinegar. First brewed in 1925, it’s still gracing Alabama dinner tables today. Learn how to make your own white barbecue sauce.
Alaska
Muktuk
Whale may not be the first thing we think of when we think of sushi, but for the native Inuits of Alaska, muktuk—bite-sized cubes of whale skin and blubber, often served raw—has been an integral part of the diet for centuries. For beginners, muktuk’s also delicious deep-fried.
Arizona
Chimichanga
The chimichanga, that burrito transformed to crispy perfection after a trip to the deep fryer, is famous for its Tucson origins. Most origin stories attribute its creation to Monica Flin, whose niece accidentally bumped a bean burrito out of her hands and into a pot of cooking oil. The fallout from that innocent encounter turned out to be a gift to us all.
Arkansas
Skippy peanut butter
It’s no wonder that all of the Skippy peanut butter in the United States has come from Little Rock, Arkansas for decades. The Natural State’s proximity to peanut production—a staple of the American South—make it the ideal location for making this iconic brand. PB lovers will savor these sweet and salty recipes.
California
French dip sandwich
Two Los Angeles restaurants claim to have invented this favorite beef sandwich served with a bowl of au jus. Interestingly, they claim to have first served a sandwich with au jus with different motives: one to mask stale bread, and the other to help a customer with sensitive teeth. Regardless, we’re happy to eat a French dip like this today.
Colorado
Root beer float
This delicious treat dates all the way back to 1893 in Cripple Creek, when a bartender gazing upon the moonlit snow-covered Rocky Mountains saw visions of vanilla ice cream scoops floating on root beer. We’re not sure what he was drinking that night, but the result of his epiphany is a true American classic. Love root beer? We taste-tested a bunch to find the best brand.
Connecticut
Subway sandwiches
The country’s most ubiquitous fast food chain has its origins in the Nutmeg State. The very first Subway opened in Bridgeport in 1965 when a 17-year-old teamed up with a family friend to offer the first footlong, for only 49 cents. Did you know that Subway is the world’s largest chain restaurant?
Delaware
Scrapple
Similar to Spam, the recipe for scrapple is made with pork and served in slices. Its origins trace back to Delaware’s early German settlers. The meat product may be due for a popularity surge, given its “nose to tail” ethos. Discover more regional foods you’ve never heard of.
Florida
The Cuban sandwich
Florida residents know that the Cuban isn’t strictly Cuban. In fact, it was invented in Tampa for the city’s early Cuban immigrant workers in the cigar industry. Today, you can make this delightful varietal of the ham, cheese and pickle sandwich in a slow cooker.
Georgia
Pimiento cheese
Pimiento cheese? Yes please! This versatile cheese spread owes its popularity to a Macon, Georgia lawyer who used his influence to strike a deal with the Spanish consulate to obtain authentic pimiento pepper seeds from Spain for Georgia’s farmers to grow. By the early 20th century, 90% of the pimiento peppers in the U.S. came from Georgia. Here are more of our favorite Southern recipes.
Hawaii
Sweet bread
Hawaii’s historical sugar plantations produced the sweetness, and Portuguese laborers arriving to work on the sugar plantations brought traditional bread baking techniques. The result was pure magic: light, fluffy and a hint of sweet.
Idaho
Huckleberry ice cream
Don’t tell anyone from Idaho that the huckleberry is a minor league berry. The state fruit of Idaho works wonders as the prime ingredient in this purple summery treat. Learn about more famous regional berries, including gooseberries and marionberries.
Illinois
Deep-dish pizza
If you’ve ever been to the Windy City, you know that the locals take their pizza seriously. It’s hard to say who invented this food for sure, but legend has it that deep-dish was first created at Pizzeria Uno. It offered the hungry hordes a super-sized pie with an extra-deep crust and plenty of cheese. Here’s how to make deep-dish pizza at home.
Indiana
Orville Redenbacher popcorn
The so-called “King of Popcorn” oversaw his empire from Valparaiso, Indiana, using the state’s plentiful corn fields as a laboratory for creating the perfect pop. A bronze statue of Orville sitting on a park bench remains today in the city’s downtown square. Here’s our favorite method for making popcorn.
Iowa
Eskimo Pie
You won’t often see an Eskimo in Iowa, but their namesake “pie” was invented in Onawa, Iowa in 1920. It’s similar to an ice cream sandwich, but not quite. The concept came about when a kid didn’t have the requisite two nickels to buy both an ice cream and a chocolate bar. The proprietor of the shop set about creating an all-inclusive ice cream and chocolate treat, and the rest is history.
Kansas
Pizza Hut
The first ever Pizza Hut opened in Wichita in 1958. It’s now a museum on the campus of Wichita State University. From its humble beginnings, Pizza Hut became the largest pizza chain in the world.
Kentucky
Bourbon
Known as “America’s Native Spirit,” bourbon is a special kind of whiskey. 95% of the world’s supply comes from the Bluegrass State. The secret is the aging process, which can only occur in new charred white oak barrels to produce that dark and rich flavor. Kentuckians even use it in their cake!
Louisiana
Jambalaya
Louisiana’s rich Cajun, Creole and French roots have yielded a unique cuisine, and it’s hard to pick just one dish. We’ve got to go with classic jambalaya, the rice and meat-based stew that’s been made in New Orleans’ French Quarter since at least the late 1800s.
Maine
Potato candy
Maine was (and, depending who you ask, still is) the top potato producer of the nation. What to do with all those extra spuds? Make candy, of course! With mashed potato and coconut in the center and a dark chocolate topper, potato candy has been a Maine delicacy since the late 19th century.
Maryland
Berger cookies
Similar to New York’s “black and white” cookie, this Baltimore delight combines a simple shortbread cookie with a rich fudge topping. A tried and true recipe, Berger cookies have been made the same for nearly 175 years. Here’s a way to copycat ’em at home.
Massachusetts
Boston baked beans
Molasses is the secret to a great Boston baked beans dish, which dates from colonial days when molasses played a large role in New England trade. The Puritans of Massachusetts, whose religion prevented them from cooking on Sundays, would make a large bean pot on Saturday and leave it to sit overnight, soaking up all those delicious flavors and juices.
Michigan
Vernors ginger ale
James Vernor’s drugstore in Detroit started selling the “original ginger ale” back in 1866, and the sweet and spicy soda has been soothing stomachs and adding pep to cocktails ever since. Some even consider Vernors to be the world’s oldest soft drink. The original recipe was aged for four years in wood to provide fizzy fermentation. Have you tried any of these regional sodas?
Minnesota
Cheerios
Minnesota is home to General Mills, which created “CheeriOats” in 1941. The iconic “o” shape comes from a “puffing gun” used to puff grains into cereal shapes. This classic soon became Cheerios and remains the top selling cereal brand today.
Mississippi
Comeback sauce
Known as Mississippi’s “house dressing,” this tangy dipping sauce is made from a combination of mayonnaise, ketchup and chili sauce. Described as a mix between remoulade sauce and Thousand Island dressing, you can use it on meats, french fries and even salads.
Missouri
Toasted ravioli
This St. Louis specialty comes from The Hill neighborhood, where the city’s Italian immigrants first took root and opened a bevy of traditional Italian restaurants that remain to this day. Classic toasted ravioli should have meat in the middle, not cheese, and should be served dipped in a rich marinara sauce. Here’s an easy recipe to try at home.
Montana
Bison burgers
Big Sky country is truly where the buffalo still roam, and Montana continues to be one of the nation’s top producers of bison. Healthier than beef but with much of the flavor, Montanans have been enjoying the benefits of their native meat for centuries.
Nebraska
Reuben sandwich
Omaha’s Blackstone Hotel was the site of the world’s first ever Reuben sandwich, created by Reuben Kulakofsky during a poker game in the 1920s. Soon after, the sandwich was featured on the hotel’s lunch menu, and word spread about the corned beef, Thousand Island and sauerkraut stack.
Nevada
The Chateaubriand
The original Chateaubriand was invented in France in the 1800s, but surged in popularity in the 1950s in Las Vegas. This famous tenderloin “for two” is carved at your table and often served with mushrooms and a white wine sauce. Try this easy version for date night.
New Hampshire
Apple cider doughnuts
Nothing evokes autumn like apple cider sipped while taking in the colored foliage of New England. Perhaps it’s not surprising that apple cider donuts were invented here. Their delicious aromas fill the air near New Hampshire’s cafes and farmers markets every autumn.
New Jersey
Salt water taffy
This salty-sweet treat comes from the boardwalk of Atlantic City. Legend has it that the phrase originated when the ocean jumped the boardwalk during a storm in 1883 and soaked a candy store’s inventory. Fortunately, making saltwater taffy today requires significantly less drastic measures.
New Mexico
Red and green chile sauce
Chiles are ubiquitous in New Mexican cuisine. Ordering red and green chiles together is called “Christmas” in the Land of Enchantment, where the locals order this delectable combo to accompany their burritos or enchiladas.
New York
Waldorf salad
One of the world’s most famous hotels gave its name to this salad made with chopped apples, celery, lettuce and mayonnaise. This simple yet brilliant mix is credited to the Waldorf’s maitre d, who created it for the hotel’s first ever charity ball in 1893. Variations abound: Try walnuts to add a savory crunch to the mix.
North Carolina
Pepsi
Small-town pharmacist Caleb Bradham created the formula for this popular soda, sold then as “Brad’s drink” and made with nutmeg, lemon oil and kola nuts. Seizing on its early popularity among the drugstore kid crowd, Bradham soon changed the name to Pepsi-Cola, an homage to the stomach enzyme pepsin, to advertise the drink’s qualities as a digestive aid.
North Dakota
Knoephla
This simple yet sumptuous potato and dumpling soup is just what’s needed to get through those long North Dakota winters. Brought to the northern plains by German immigrants, the name knoephla translates roughly to little knob, or button.
Ohio
Quaker Oats
The original Quaker Oats Company began milling in Akron, Ohio over a hundred years ago. By the late 1800s, the company produced up to 360,000 pounds of oats each day. See the inspiration for the real Quaker Oats man.
Oklahoma
Chicken fried steak
Oklahoma is one of just two states with an official “state meal,” meant to highlight the Sooner State’s agricultural production. The hearty and crowd-pleasing chicken fried steak is the main course of this meal, which also includes fried okra, cornbread and pecan pie for dessert.
Oregon
Tillamook cheese
A farmer-owner co-op called the Tillamook County Creamery Association makes renowned cheeses, ice cream and butter. The Oregon co-op been collectively producing for over a century along the Pacific coast, just to the west of Portland.
Pennsylvania
Philly cheesesteak
This classic sandwich from the City of Brotherly Love combines ribeye steak slices with melted cheese on a crusty Italian roll. Just make sure you know the “right” way to order if you go to Pat’s King of Steaks, the Philadelphia spot where it all started back in the 1940s.
Rhode Island
Glee Gum
This popular all-natural gum was invented in Providence. Instead of artificial sweeteners, Glee is based on chicle, a type of tree sap harvested in Mexico and Guatemala that’s a natural alternative to mainstream gums.
South Carolina
Sweet tea
Sweet tea, that wonderful Southern refresher, comes to us from the fittingly named town of Summerville, South Carolina. Most certainly not the stuff of British “high tea,” sweet tea is best enjoyed in a tall glass while lounging under a sun umbrella.
South Dakota
Chislic
You’ve likely never heard of this South Dakota dish made of salted, cubed lamb or beef served with crackers. The area surrounding Sioux Falls is known as the “chislic circle” for its love of the dish, first popularized by German and Russian immigrants.
Tennessee
Hot chicken
A Nashville favorite, hot chicken is increasingly popular around the nation. As simple and delicious as its name implies, the fried chicken is served with a cloud of cayenne pepper. Enjoy it atop white bread with pickles for an authentic Nashville experience.
Texas
Frozen margarita
Nothing beats a frozen margarita on a hot day, and Texans know all about both of those. The cocktail was first made by hand in blenders, and Dallas restauranteur Mariano Martinez made it possible to serve frozen margs en masse when he converted a soft-serve ice cream machine into a drink blender. Learn more about the origins of your favorite cocktails.
Utah
Fry sauce
This delicious combo of mayonnaise and ketchup was first invented at the Arctic Circle fast food chain, and remains Utah’s unofficial state condiment today. Try it yourself!
Vermont
Maple syrup
Vermont produces nearly half of all the maple syrup in the U.S., about 2 million gallons annually. The tradition dates back centuries in Vermont, where farmers used the sap from their trees in late winter to provide an added income source during the slow season. Here’s what to know about tricky syrup labeling.
Virginia
Brunswick stew
There’s hot debate between Virginia and Georgia for who can claim the origins of this meat and veggie stew. Virginians believe the stew was first made in Brunswick County and included squirrel as the protein, not a surprising addition for the frontier days. Today, chicken’s the star of this savory classic.
Washington
Cinnabon
The first Cinnabon opened in 1985 in the SeaTac Mall, and their cinnamon rolls have appeared in shopping malls around the world ever since. Like many recipes, this one didn’t come easily: It took the creators months to perfect. Try our copycat version.
West Virginia
Pepperoni rolls
These hot and delicious bites are the West Virginia snack of choice, and date back to the days when Italian immigrants came to the state to work in the coal mines. Made simply from Italian bread with pepperoni baked in, they’re part “pizza roll” and part calzone. These days, they’re perfect for lunch boxes and cocktail parties alike.
Wisconsin
Cheese curds
A visit to America’s Dairyland is not complete without a stop at a roadside cheese stand or farmers market to grab a bag of fresh cheese curds. The squeak you hear when you bite into a curd is the air escaping from tiny pockets, which is how you know it’s fresh. Try them aside a bratwurst and German beer for a true Wisconsin meal.
Wyoming
Taco John’s
This fast food mainstay started as a humble taco stand run by a chef named John in 1968. Then, two entrepreneurs bought the rights to the stand and took the franchise national. They’ve even trademarked the phrase Taco Tuesday!
The post Which Famous Food Was Invented in Your State? appeared first on Taste of Home.
Kelsey Rae Dimberg