Local Food Specialties

[fcgamer | 4,730]

So I met up with an expat friend a few weeks back at a local restaurant / bar, as he had generously offered me a pair of escrima sticks that he no longer wanted. So amongst other things, the conversation ultimately turned towards our hometowns and being from Cincinnati, of course the notorious three-way came up. So it got me wondering, what local specialties are in your area, either foods or perhaps just a cooking method / spice?

A few from my area are as follows:

Shoofly Pie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoofly_pie

This is a Pennsylvania Dutch treat as far as I know, occasionally as a child my parents would spring for one for dessert some evening when we made our supermarket trips.

 

Lebanon Bologna:

Lebanon bologna - Wikipedia

My father's family grew up in this area, so this has always been a staple for us at lunch during summers off from school or when going on picnics or whatnot. Throw it in a sandwich with some cheese or anything else you like and bam, it was a satisfying lunch.

 

Philly Cheesesteak

Cheesesteak - Wikipedia

Getting further away from where I grew up by a few hours, but still a common food where I come from, the Philly Cheesesteak. There's a guy here in Taiwan who runs an Irish Pub near me. He has a kind heart but he's a drunk - he makes a mean Philly Cheesesteak though when he can be assed to cook food for his patrons.

 

Altoona-style Pizza:

Altoona-style pizza - Wikipedia

Okay so I never actually had this, and never even heard of it until after I left Pennsylvania, as Altoona is just too far from where I grew up. Next time I make it back home though, I want to try it as it looks interesting.

 

Yuengling - Wikipedia

The beer of choice for many Pennsylvanians, at least fifteen years ago before the whole craft movement. My brother, friend and I drove up there once to take a tour, and we almost missed it as my friend was taking too long to eat his fucking KFC lunch. We literally had to sprint to the brewery (with KFC meals swishing around in our stomachs) so that we didn't miss the tour.

 

Weyerbacher Brewing Company - Wikipedia

No idea how the beer is now after the change in hands, but my brother and I really loved the barleywine and other offerings from this brewery.

 

I could post a few other breweries, but as I'd like to see some non-beer entries in this thread, I'll refrain.

 

[Richardhead | 2,813]

Colorado doesn’t have a specialty. That’s always annoyed me. Rocky Mountain oysters don’t count.

[fcgamer | 4,730]

5 hours ago, Richardhead said:

Colorado doesn’t have a specialty. That’s always annoyed me. Rocky Mountain oysters don’t count.

I'm interested in trying those. I've had chicken balls before though.

[G-type | 2,483]

Here is the DC area, our most famous foods:

• Half-smokes: a smoked sausage chili-dog served at Ben's Chili Bowl or Beanie-Weenie.
• Mumbo sauce: to me it tastes like a spicy ketchup crossed with sweet and sour.
• Jumbo Slice: pIzza for the late the night drunk crowd... each slice weighs about a pound and they had to custom-build oversized ovens to cook them.

We're also a very multicultural area, so we've imported a lot of foods. Papusas a very big here. Pollo a la brasa, Ethiopian cuisine, Thai,...

[Mega Tank | 967]

4 minutes ago, G-type said:

Papusas

Pupusas

[Mega Tank | 967]

Too much to list. It's a blessing and a curse of living in South FL. The downside is it's either too expensive since it's fancy or cheap because who knows where they get their meats from. I find a lot of mom and pop restaurants are popular for a burst and then disappear or change into something else. Chains are usually meh and are hit or miss.

A very popular chain down here is La Carreta. Over rated.

https://www.lacarreta.com/

Also, just because @G-type mentioned them, good pupusas can be found at El Atlakat. Prices have crept up though.

https://www.elatlakat.com/

I know, this is probably not very indicative of the delicious food around here, but I'm always down for some Big Cheese Pizza.

https://www.bigcheesemiami.com/menu
 

[Gloves | 11,800]

Fuck all back in Toronto, but I live in Nova Scotia now so I'm gonna claim Donair as my entry into this thread.

The Delicious History Of The Halifax Donair | Food Network Canada

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

Goetta is another Cincinnati staple besides our famous chili. I personally never really cared for it, but it's a pretty big deal around here.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goetta

Here is a list of some other local Cincy specialties that are less well known outside of the area.

https://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/25-essential-foods-every-cincinnati-visitor-should-try/Slideshow/12233133/11963978

We also have a fairly diverse selection of local breweries.

https://365cincinnati.com/ultimate-cincinnati-breweries-guide/

Edited October 30, 2023 by Bearcat-Doug

[doner24 | 1,197]

I’d say the closest thing we have in Minnesota would be hotdish (tatertot hotdish is a good example) or walleye for food. 
 

For beer, we have the second oldest brewery in the US, Schell’s still pumping out quality lagers, and our craft brewery scene is probably top 3 in the US. I would only trade for the scenes in San Diego and Portland, Maine if given the choice. 

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

46 minutes ago, doner24 said:

I’d say the closest thing we have in Minnesota would be hotdish (tatertot hotdish is a good example) or walleye for food. 
 

For beer, we have the second oldest brewery in the US, Schell’s still pumping out quality lagers, and our craft brewery scene is probably top 3 in the US. I would only trade for the scenes in San Diego and Portland, Maine if given the choice. 

Isn't the Jucy Lucy burger like the Minneapolis version of the Philly Cheesesteak where it's so popular that two different bars swear they invented it?

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

19 hours ago, Richardhead said:

Colorado doesn’t have a specialty. That’s always annoyed me. Rocky Mountain oysters don’t count.

You left out the Denver/Western omelet.

[doner24 | 1,197]

3 hours ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

Isn't the Jucy Lucy burger like the Minneapolis version of the Philly Cheesesteak where it's so popular that two different bars swear they invented it?

Actually you’re absolutely right, yep the Jucy Lucy is ours and Matt’s Bar and the 5/8 Club claim they invented it. (Matt’s is better). 

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

2 minutes ago, doner24 said:

Actually you’re absolutely right, yep the Jucy Lucy is ours and Matt’s Bar and the 5/8 Club claim they invented it. (Matt’s is better). 

It seems like Matt's bar actually has a story to explain the creation, where the 5/8 club just claims to have invented it.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

13 hours ago, Gloves said:

Fuck all back in Toronto, but I live in Nova Scotia now so I'm gonna claim Donair as my entry into this thread.

The Delicious History Of The Halifax Donair | Food Network Canada

So that's like a Canadian gyro? It looks pretty good.

[Gloves | 11,800]

4 minutes ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

So that's like a Canadian gyro? It looks pretty good.

Pretty much yeah. I'm not actually a fan - the primary difference really is the sauce, and it's a sweet garlic sauce. Not my favourite thing, kinda makes me wish I was in Quebec so I could claim Poutine, but c'est la vie. If I'm gonna have something like this I'd prefer Shawarma, personally.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

Just now, Gloves said:

Pretty much yeah. I'm not actually a fan - the primary difference really is the sauce, and it's a sweet garlic sauce. Not my favourite thing, kinda makes me wish I was in Quebec so I could claim Poutine, but c'est la vie. If I'm gonna have something like this I'd prefer Shawarma, personally.

I'd prefer beef and sweet garlic sauce over the tzatziki sauce and lamb in a gyro. I've never had shawarma despite there being quite a few Mediterranean restaurants around the area.

[G-type | 2,483]

3 hours ago, Bearcat-Doug said:

it's so popular that two different bars swear they invented it?

There's some similar drama around the DC Jumbo Slice:

•March 2003: Guneri opens his Pizza Boli’s. He installs a neon “Jumbo Slice” sign in the window on the southern side of his store. It’s facing the Pizza Mart, where Chishti’s window holds a mere plastic “Jumbo Slice” sign.

•July 2003: Guneri compounds the insult by installing two additional neon signs. These read “Original Jumbo Slice.” Chishti decides to respond the very same day Guneri’s new signs go up. He calls Xin Guan Signs near Chinatown, Guneri’s supplier, and orders a neon sign that reads “Real Original Jumbo Slice.”

•July 2003: Guneri tells the Washington City Paper (“Pie Fight,” 7/25/03) he’s through installing the neon signs, which cost about $700 apiece. “This place is lit up like a whorehouse as it is,” he says.

•August 2003: Chishti installs a final neon sign, designed by one of his regular customers on a piece of scrap paper. It reads “First Oldest Original Jumbo Slice.”

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,105]

8 minutes ago, G-type said:

There's some similar drama around the DC Jumbo Slice:

•March 2003: Guneri opens his Pizza Boli’s. He installs a neon “Jumbo Slice” sign in the window on the southern side of his store. It’s facing the Pizza Mart, where Chishti’s window holds a mere plastic “Jumbo Slice” sign.

•July 2003: Guneri compounds the insult by installing two additional neon signs. These read “Original Jumbo Slice.” Chishti decides to respond the very same day Guneri’s new signs go up. He calls Xin Guan Signs near Chinatown, Guneri’s supplier, and orders a neon sign that reads “Real Original Jumbo Slice.”

•July 2003: Guneri tells the Washington City Paper (“Pie Fight,” 7/25/03) he’s through installing the neon signs, which cost about $700 apiece. “This place is lit up like a whorehouse as it is,” he says.

•August 2003: Chishti installs a final neon sign, designed by one of his regular customers on a piece of scrap paper. It reads “First Oldest Original Jumbo Slice.”

That's pretty wild. I wonder if Pat's and Geno's in Philly ever got that heated over who invented the cheesesteak.