A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity Our Favorite Recipes Regional Foods

Sometimes in our conversations, someone will mention a food or a dish that is very specific to their area. So, I thought it might be fun if we had a thread about the special things from where we live.

Maine enjoys...

lobster
wild blueberries
fiddleheads in the spring
chowder served w/ a special cracker known as Crown Pilots

clam bakes are popular --a pit is dug in the sand, a fire is lit, and the foods are added in baskets & surrounded w/ seaweed & covered with burlap and the thing is allowed to steam/bake all day.

Saturday night tradition is hot dogs and baked beans w/ Boston bread (the kind you bake in a can w/ molasses in it).

*I eat the bread but not the hot dogs & beans*


Shepherds Pie is usually made w/ corn rather than peas and doesn't always have a crust or gravy.

So what is cooking in the area you live?

You show off, You!!!

...we have soup beans, fried taters and cornbread here.....

Cindy, wait til you hear mine.

Here our specialty is:

Wild Salmon lobster, oyster, scallop and clams
dulce(sea weed snack)
Fiddleheads
Blueberries
Maple Syrup

We are known for our poutines(french fries with cheese curds covered in gravy)
Sugar pie
Meat pie

California is known for a lot of things fresh grown.
Salads, cobb and Ceasar
Vegetable medleys
Fruited main dishes or desserts.
Lots of Pacific seafoods.
And all things Hispanic; tacos, enchiladas, tamales and many many more.

All I can think of right now is boiled peanuts. Mostly because I want some!

What are Fiddleheads?

Fiddle heads are a type of fern, circinate vernation. And the young shoots are cut off and cooked and eaten. They grow here too but are regulated as to how many you can harvest.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiddlehead_fern

Since a picture is worth a couple thousand words, here is a photo of fiddleheads. They are a beautiful green color and have a delicate flavor. We steam them and serve them w/ melted butter, salt & pepper.




Oh, and is Bill allowing links to be posted nowadays?


I've never tried boiled peanuts, but I have heard of them.

Oh, and how could I have forgotten? We eat MOOSE! (they are kinda big and hard to miss... dunno how I overlooked them!!)

Always, for legitimate, non-commercial 'help' sites (Wiki, Universities...)

Great news, Bill! That's good to know!

Thanks!

In southwest VA, where my husband's family is from, its:

cornbread
pinto beans
chow-chow
collard greens
biscuits
sausage gravy

Wow Tina, I never knew fiddleheads were regulated?

Very cool! I've never seen anything like fiddleheads! I would love to try them. They're kinda cute and decorative too! Looks like swirly bamboo

Crystal I am really curious if boiled peanuts taste similar to roasted peanuts?

The area of the country where I was raised -- southeastern PA -- that entire region enjoys Scrapple and Pork Roll and the best breads/rolls on the planet! I miss Scrapple & Pork Roll to this day and bread/rolls just isn't the same.

Down there they serve a sandwich called a Hoagie and although other areas make Subs and Italians, they aren't the same as the Hoagie. It also has to do with the rolls used, but it is also the seasoning and how they are built. I do eat Maine-style Subs & Italians but I surely do miss the Hoagie because what is served here isn't exactly what I am hankering for!

..and they taste like thick grass

yea but butter, salt & pepper can fix anything right???

besides how do you know what grass tastes like???

Have you never eaten grass, Carol?

Well it tastes the same as the stems of hay that I chew on while I'm picking berries . Yuck.

Actually, the fiddleheads I eat are very delicate in flavor... sweet and delicious! Not the least bit like grass which I chewed on aplenty as a kid learning how to blow a whistle w/ a grass blade.

Merme Boiled peanuts are an aquired taste to be sure. But as long as you DON'T (I repeat DO NOT) expect them to tast like roasted peanuts they are actually really tasty!

I didn't like them for the longest time because I expected them to taste peanut buttery or like you said roasted peanuts or some form of the peanuts I know and love. But they are completely different.

Almost tastes like a large salty boiled bean but not quite as squishy. Then there's a slight hint of peanut at the end that's absolutely addicting! Sometimes you can even find them cajun flavored if you want to be adventurous!

Hmm, I bet they'd taste delicious in stir frys.