Regional/Local Foods

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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:30 pm

The Official State Dish of Texas is Chili. However, there’s another dish we eat all the time that’s not as famous as chili.

Chicken Fried Steak – it’s exactly what it says it is. Steak that’s been fried the same way we fry chicken. Take a steak, pound the hell out of it to tenderize it, coat it with a seasoned flour/egg/milk coating and fry it in oil or fat. Make a gravy with the drippings left over in the pan and serve it with either mashed or fried taters. It’s eaten anytime of the day. It’s not uncommon for restaurants to offer sausage, bacon, ham or chicken fried steak with your two eggs for breakfast.

We don’t use an expensive cut of steak. It would be criminal to chicken fry a rib-eye. The most common cut used would be round steak. I’m not sure what it’s called in other parts of the world but it comes from the leg of the cow.

Chicken Fried Steak is served in more restaurants than chili. There are probably more arguments over which restaurant serves the best chicken fried steak than chili. Everybody has their favorite.

Chicken Fried Steak is a staple here in Texas. People from other parts of the US have never heard of it. When my daughter was in Chicago she said that somebody from Wisconsin asked her if it was real. She thought it was something made up.

In Canada there’s poutine. I really want to try it. I promise if I ever get a chance to go to Canada, that’s the first thing I’m going to do, find a place that serves poutine.

In Australia there’s something called vegemite. From what I’ve heard, it’s a true acquired taste.

Anybody want to describe their favorite local dish?

Elite Baiter Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 1407

I'm not much for chicken fried steak. Had it a few times, never saw the point really. I prefer chicken-fried-chicken with white gravy over a nice bed of mashed potatoes.

And I'm not joking.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

If you are ever in Minneapolis, the first thing you need to do when you arrive is to jump into a cab and tell the driver to take you to 35th and Cedar. Walk into Matts, and order a Jucy Lucy, along with a beer. Your life will be changed forever. Wink

The home of the "Original Jucy Lucy" has been a hot topic for many years, but Matts holds the rightful claim.

http://www.mattsbar.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jucy_Lucy

http://www.doodledee.com/jucylucy/

http://www.doodledee.com/jucylucy/matts_bar.shtml

Edit: To add a link.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 7:20 pm

Black Pudding - a kind of large sausage made from blood, with bits of meat, fat, suet, bread, barley and oatmeal.

Sounds disgusting, tastes great, especially with a fried breakfast.

I beleive iMike is a fan, too.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 7:38 pm

I'm not sure whether I'm salivating at the thought of a cooked breakfast with black pudding or the look of the sausage in that picture ^

I think I need more wine Confused

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 7:40 pm

Here in south Louisiana (USA) it's the time of year for outdoor seafood boils........... in a very large aluminum pot add blue crab, shrimp, crawfish....season liberally, add onion, garlic, celery, sausage, corn on the cob, small red potatoes. Bring to a boil, then close the fire and soak for 15 or so minutes. Empty the pot unto a table liberally covered with newspaper and have at it !! Just roll up the peelings in the newspaper...no fuss clean-up.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 7:58 pm

I have had chicken fried steak. It's OK, but nothing to write home about. But why would a restaurant have "chicken fried chicken" on their menu? Confused

In South Dakota the big thing was cheese balls - chunks of American or Cheddar cheese battered and deep-fried. Now, of course, one can get deep-fried anything it seems. I understand one can eat deep-fried candy bars, as well as pickles (found that in Arkansas), and zucchini.

Have the Lipitor handy.

Elite Baiter Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 1407

chicken fried chicken is different that "Fried Chicken". Fried chicken has the bone in, wheras the other doesn't. And they use a different batter, "Fried Chicken" is usually thinner and almost always the skin is left ON the piece.

Chicken Fried Chicken doesn't have the skin on either.

So it really is different.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:05 pm

Quote:

I understand one can eat deep-fried candy bars

Paging Nanny Ogg! Smile

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 3123

Deep fried Mars bars, aye. Tastes DISGUSTING.

Also, haggis. Basically all of the shit no-one wants to eat, jammed together & heavily peppered.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:58 pm

That Juicy Lucy looks great!!!!!!

I feel sorry for people who’ve never had a REAL cheeseburger. The Texas Department of Corrections publishes information about everybody who’s been executed. It includes stuff like name, birthday, date of offense, name of victim, last statement and stuff like that. They used to include what the inmate had for their last meal. I was doing research on the death penalty and came across that stuff. While doing the research I started counting what they were ordering and 3 things came up more than anything else.

Steaks, cheeseburgers and ice cream were by far the most ordered items.

McDonalds, Burger King and all those fast-food chains do not serve cheeseburgers. What they serve sorta looks like one but it ain’t close. I think it would be like saying “Long John Silvers” does a really authentic Fish and Chips. I’m sure nobody there in England would agree.

In California there’s “In-N-Out” and in Texas there’s “Whataburger” which both do a decent cheeseburger. “5 Guys Burgers and Fries” does a great cheeseburger but they’re not all over the US yet. The best cheeseburgers are found in local joints, like the one in Minnesota that Pastor Frank described.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Jack Pump wrote:

Juicy Lucy

It is spelled Jucy Lucy. Only the heathens at the 5/8 Club spell it "Juicy" Evil or Very Mad

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 619

While traveling in Europe, I had a full English breakfast with black pudding. The one I had was a larger diameter than the pictured one above and was much darker in color. A little dry I guess but it tasted pretty good. I'd try it again if I get the chance.

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:53 pm

While I have never cared for them myself,here in the Chesapeake Bay region,steamed crabs seasoned with Old Bay seasoning are something of an obsession.I suppose they taste OK,but somehow I could never get used to beating my food open with a hammer.Around here that makes me a heretic of sorts.

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:04 am

I have never beat my meat. Surprised

*** BANNED *** Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 2049

Has anyone ever eaten beaver?

That's Canada's national dish eh! - a tad bit gamey and with a taste you will never forget.

When I was young people would travel from all over just to taste my aunt's beaver - it made her very popular.

(btw - Corona started this deviation)

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:36 am

Buffalo - there are several domesticated herds in the US, and I have eaten buffalo burgers - a slightly "darker" flavor than beef, but quite good.

Anywhere Scandanavians settled you'll find lutefisk. This is fish that has been cured in lye Shocked

and reconstituted. The Norwegians serve it with drawn butter, and the Swedes serve it with a cream sauce. Either way it tastes like boiled rubber.

I much prefer pickled herring. There used to be a smorgasbord restaurant here that had about 17 different varieties of pickled herring. Most were very good, although a few were forgettable.

419Eater is my life Joined: 08 Aug 2008 Posts: 475

We have Wiener Schnitzel - you are allowed to spell it Snitzl. Read about Chicken Fried Steak in the OP, and you get the idea. Though it is made from thinner slices of meat, as I imagine a steak in Texas. Treated also with the special-hammer for meat.

Common folk prefer pork as the meat for it, but the original one should be made of calf-meat. (dont know which part is best). Served with potatoe salad, or rice is the traditionel way, but nowadays mostly served with french fries (called pommes frittes, or just pommes) and ketchup.
Grandmother did fry it in a pork-fat called Schmalz (dictionary says = lard)

And nobody here would eat it for breakfast. I dont even think, you could get it regular somewhere before 11 o'clock. McDonalds dont sell it.

And Wiener = viennese

It is the first time i goole it and on 1st position - http://www.wienerschnitzel.com/ .. aargh, blasphemie ! They have stolen the name !
This is what I am talking about http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiener_Schnitzel

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 3:22 am

^^^ And to add insult to injury, Wienerschnitzel the chain sells HOT DOGS! Shocked

419Eater is my life Joined: 08 Aug 2008 Posts: 475

^^ Thanks for compassion.
I am upset. Have to inform the authorities.

In regional surveys Wiener Schnitzel is still namend on top position of favourite food. Next are Pasta, Chicken, Pizza. And the local form of Hotdog.

With a small gender-related difference - the females set Pasta on top, Chicken and Icecream. And Vegetables.

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

I can think of 2 chip shops in the centre of Edinburgh that do deep fried Mars Bars, they have big signs in the windows to draw the tourists in
I've heard rumours of curly wurlys being fried too.

I dislike haggis unless its vegetarian

I think the real national dish of Scotland is mince and tatties ( ground beef and potatos )
Everyone has a slighlty different recipie, some even include oatmeal
Mine has dried herbs ,carrots and turnip ( swede ) in.

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 12:25 pm

Gold Hat wrote:

When I was young people would travel from all over just to taste my aunt's beaver - it made her very popular.

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 1:04 pm

/\/\ Bad Hat! Go back to your shed and think about what you did.

Master of Master Baiters Joined: 06 Feb 2008 Posts: 720

An old London favourite

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pie_and_mash

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 90

I had a deep fried Twinkie once here in the midwest. After eating half, I had to go lay down. UGH!