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Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,523
Registered: ‎09-01-2010

Re: Regional Eating in the U.S.

Another lifelong resident of the South East, and my family has never once eaten shrimp and grits, and I've never heard of Ozark pudding.    Whoever came up with this has obviously never set foot in the hills of West Virginia.  We use our cornmeal for cornbread and spoon bread, not grits.  You don't find shrimp in our creeks and rivers.   And a Google on Ozark pudding says the dry fruit custard originated in Missouri.  

 

Biscuits and gravy are quite well known to me and my family.   Regardless of how lean times might have been for my farm grandparents, Grandma would pull that baking sheet of hot biscuits from the oven on the woodstove, and divide them on plates on each end of the table, then pour that thick browned milk gravy from her big iron skillet into a bowl set in the middle of the table, and it was time to eat.   Maybe there was sidemeat, sausage, ham, tenderloin (pork or deer), or maybe a huge plate of sliced tomatoes.   Regardless, her hand churned butter was on the table, at least 2 jams or jellies, and the syrup dispenser.   And we ate as if it were a holiday feast!   I was in high school before I read things in a civics book that made me realize my family was poor.   

Honored Contributor
Posts: 54,410
Registered: ‎03-29-2012

Re: Regional Eating in the U.S.


@Nicknack wrote:

I'm in the South East and have never heard of Ozark pudding.  I would say we are more like the deep south--key lime pie, fried chicken and sweet tea than the South East's biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits and Ozark pie.  I do love shrimp and grits though, but it's certainly not on every menu.


@NickNack

"Ozark pudding" sounds euphemistic to me, like "Rocky Mountain Oysters." Cat Embarassed 

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,599
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Regional Eating in the U.S.

South Central here (New Orleans) and it's accurate for me, since they listed three of my favorite foods.  In fact, I just had some gumbo tonight. 

"Breathe in, breathe out, move on." Jimmy Buffett
Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,038
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: Regional Eating in the U.S.

I'm in CT and I have never heard of Election Cake.  Also, the Boston Clam Chowder the chart refers to  is known as New England Clam Chowder.  (I live on the Cape in the summer, and there too it is New England Clam Chowder.)  The other chowders are Rhode Island (white broth, less cream), and Manhattan (which I hate.)

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,172
Registered: ‎11-15-2011

Re: Regional Eating in the U.S.


@RedTop wrote:

Another lifelong resident of the South East, and my family has never once eaten shrimp and grits, and I've never heard of Ozark pudding.    Whoever came up with this has obviously never set foot in the hills of West Virginia.  We use our cornmeal for cornbread and spoon bread, not grits.  You don't find shrimp in our creeks and rivers.   And a Google on Ozark pudding says the dry fruit custard originated in Missouri.  

 

Biscuits and gravy are quite well known to me and my family.   Regardless of how lean times might have been for my farm grandparents, Grandma would pull that baking sheet of hot biscuits from the oven on the woodstove, and divide them on plates on each end of the table, then pour that thick browned milk gravy from her big iron skillet into a bowl set in the middle of the table, and it was time to eat.   Maybe there was sidemeat, sausage, ham, tenderloin (pork or deer), or maybe a huge plate of sliced tomatoes.   Regardless, her hand churned butter was on the table, at least 2 jams or jellies, and the syrup dispenser.   And we ate as if it were a holiday feast!   I was in high school before I read things in a civics book that made me realize my family was poor.   


What do you mean, "Ate like it was a holiday feast?"  IT WAS!  Any one who hasn't eaten a meal like that hasn't fully lived!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,486
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Regional Eating in the U.S.

OZARKS are in Arkansas!!!  But Ozark pudding isn't?  Arkansas is Southern and Hillbilly, not at all like Louisianna, except maybe in the far far southern part.

 

Oklahoma eats more like the southwest, plus some good southern biscuits and gravy, chicken fried steak, peas and garden veggies and such, and TEXAS/OK style bbq, not so much Memphis or St. Louis.  Mexican is one of the main ways of eating here: South American, Mexican and Tex-Mex for sure.  Plus lots of burgers and pizza.

 

Lots of this chart doesn't ring true to me at all and we travel a LOT.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,178
Registered: ‎09-02-2010

According to the OP's picture I live in Central, US.    That needs to be split.   I'm pretty sure most people in ND do not eat the same things in Missouri, or Oklahoma.   I know even from ND to Wy, regional foods vary.    

 

I'm pretty eclectic, I eat all kinds of food from every region.

~~
*Off The Deep End~A very short trip for some!*
Regular Contributor
Posts: 161
Registered: ‎07-21-2015

Re: Regional Eating in the U.S.

I'M in Philadelphia and the cheesesteaks are definitely a thing. People will fight over which place has the best ones (no joke).

 

other regional foods particularly popular to this area are:

soft pretzels

water ice

scrapple

pork roll

whoopie pies

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,620
Registered: ‎09-22-2010

Re: Regional Eating in the U.S.

We drink a lot of coffee and eat a lot of fish here in the Pacific Northwest but I have never had huckleberry pie.  It is mostly correct.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,178
Registered: ‎09-02-2010

@DiAnne wrote:

We drink a lot of coffee and eat a lot of fish here in the Pacific Northwest but I have never had huckleberry pie.  It is mostly correct.


My brother in Mt. goes out and picks huckleberries for pie, jelly, etc.

~~
*Off The Deep End~A very short trip for some!*