Food Food specialties in your geographical area...

I guess a regional food for northwest Indiana would be lake perch sautéed in butter. Melts in your mouth. However perch fishing in Lake Michigan has really dropped off. Some old school restaurants that specialized in perch have closed.

Since I've been a Hoosier my entire life, I have to mention pork tenderloin sandwiches. A thinly sliced pork tenderloin, breaded and deep fried. If it's a good one, it will be at least twice the size of the bun and not greasy. It is hard to find a good one. I've had far too many greasy ones.

 

that's the problem with the Brits, they think they invented everything, especially when they do it before anybody else.

Yes, perogies is another - almost weekly - meal eaten in our household. complete with the caramelized onions and sour cream and bacon chunks.

 

I live in a very Portuguese community in Massachusetts, so many of the local favorites are centralized around that culture. One of the local favorites is Chourico (pronounced like ch or ise) It is a mildly spicy pork sausage, very different from Italian Sausage. Great on Pizza and in omelets.

 

at first I thought it was an odd flavour combo but it works...

 

Sesame Street used to have a video with a song about Perogies. If anyone can find this clip, I will be your friend forever.

 

Anyone for spiedies?

 

Brother's girlfriend lives in Endicott. She brings spiedies to our parties. The taste of Summer.

 

My hometown is full of authentic Mexican food, often prepared by 1st or 2nd generation immigrants from Mexico.
Having that selection to taste showed me that I really do not like much of the authentic Mexican food, but am fine with the americanised taco bell/etc crap.

Fortunately Mt. Angel, OR is close as well from there and they have an outstanding Oktoberfest with wonderful german sausage.

 

Good bump. I don't know 'bout Texans, but up here, chili has been a staple for those cold winter months since I was a kid. We do allow for beans in chili - red kidney beans that is - and the secret ingredient of cocoa powder (is that really a secret?)

 

True chili does not contain beans. That would be a beef and bean stew.

 

So much controversy in a bowl! And I'm learning a lot too. The chili debate seems to be up there with the 'best kind of bagel' debate. I did not realize until researching just now, that:

• Chili Con Carne is the state dish of Texas!
• the original (Mexican) recipe contained only dired beef, suet, dried chili peppers and salt, which were mixed together, formed into dried bricks so that later they could be boiled in pots on the trail
• Cincinnati style serves chili over spaghetti (dating back to 1922)
• the controversy over ingredients is strong: while beans may not have been part of the original recipe, Chili with beans has a long enough history as to not be considered inauthentic (Albala, Ken. Beans: A History. Oxford:Berg, 2007 p. 178 - from Wikipedea) but they are not allowed to be included in cooking competition

 

In general, I prefer my chili without beans, and as someone posted, I also prefer stew meat (I just cube up an inexpensive beef roast, one with some fat in it works better than a lean one) over ground beef.

But I'm not picky. The recipe we follow, with the spices bumped up, is the Wendy's Chili recipe, which includes light & dark kidney beans. I've found two Wendy's Chili recipes on-line, the earlier version that we follow was the "full" recipe, the later one excludes a few spices.

Invite me over for a bowl of homemade chili.
I won't complain if it contains beans.
I'll bring a pan of homemade cornbread, with no sugar in it, which definitely goes against the "Southern" tradition.

 

Smoked salmon - king and silver.
Reindeer sausage - you'll never want to eat a regular hot dog again.

 

Breakfast Tacos!
I am always surprised when away from the south and people don't know what I am talking about.