Unusual American Regional Delicacies

Few nations on Earth have a regional culinary range as famous and infamous as the United States of America’s. I know full well that for some of you, the term “American cuisine” seems oxymoronic, if not moronic altogether. And while the dishes that follow may not all qualify as “cuisine” per se, they speak to the evolution of regional food in America, with distant nods to the original settlers and immigrants who sought to make a life in the New World.

With that in mind, here’s a guide to some of the more unusual regional delicacies in America. Dishes that came out of a certain state, town or city. Dishes that inspire fierce loyalty and culinary protectionism from locals and indeed, count as part of some nebulous cultural identity. For potential U.S. road trippers, this list of edibles should keep you well-fed and in good stead.

Scrapple

If you ever find yourself in Philadelphia or Pennsylvania Dutch country – there’s certainly no shortage of reasons to visit – and hunger strikes, try this porky staple. Scrapple is essentially a meatloaf-type mush of pig offal and scraps, which, when combined with cornmeal or buckwheat flour, spices and then pan-fried, is pretty tasty. Served with eggs, on toast, with ketchup, mustard, jelly or maple syrup, scrapple is also popular in Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey.

Carolina Gold Barbecue

South Carolina has a legitimate claim as the barbecue capital of the world. After all, the state is the only one in the union that embraces all four major sauces: vinegar, light tomato, heavy tomato and mustard. A by-product of German immigrant cuisine, “Carolina Gold”, as South Carolina’s unusual mustard sauce is otherwise known, is unlike any other barbecue application in America. You can get exceptional barbecue in North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas and well, even California and New York City nowadays. But for an exceptional treat, head to the Midlands area near Columbia, South Carolina for that “Carolina Gold”.

Glorified Rice

Minnesota’s Scandinavian heritage offers visitors the chance to try a completely different type of cuisine. Norwegian staples like lutefisk, krumkake and “hotdish” casseroles (not sure what the Nordic connection is there) are popular in the Lutheran state. But glorified rice has to be one of the strangest dishes in Minnesota. The throwback dessert salad concoction is a strange amalgam of rice, eggs, pineapple, sugar, flour, whipped cream and maraschino cherries. If you’re ever stuck in Saint Paul in the middle of a blizzard, head to a diner and order it up.

Shrimp DeJonghe

You could spend two weeks eating your way through Chicago’s buffet of distinct culinary contributions. Steakhouses, Chicago-style hot dogs, deep-dish pizzas, jibarito sandwiches, flambéed saganaki – hey, it’s one helluva food town. The oldest food tradition in the Windy City may be shrimp DeJonghe however. The casserole features shrimps coated in garlic and Sherry-laced breadcrumbs.

Spam Musubi

Hawaii’s food heritage is a delightful fusion of American, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and of course, Polynesian. The state is not without some unfortunate food accidents however, that now have a permanent place on menus from Maui to Oahu. The ubiquitous “plate lunch” for example, is a carb-centric staple that combines a protein with two scoops of white rice and one scoop of macaroni salad. Hawaii’s most infamous culinary shame is Spam. Aside from Guam perhaps, the canned precooked meat product is more popular in Hawaii than anywhere else on the planet. McDonald’s franchises in the state feature Spam concoctions. Head to a sushi bar in Honolulu and you’re sure to see Spam musubi on the menu – a kitschy mockery of authentic Japanese cuisine.

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