Minnesota – Tater Tot Hot Dish
If you haven’t spent much (read: any) time in the Midwest, you might not know what a hot dish is. The heartiest of casserole, with some sort of beef, sometimes a veggie, cream soup and a starch – with tater tots being the preferred choice. If you haven’t tried it yet, you need to ASAP!
Mississippi – Mud Pies
Named supposedly for its resemblance to the muddy banks of the Mississippi River, a Mississippi mud pie means business; stuffed so full of chocolate it’s definitely not for the faint of heart…but don’t let that stop you from trying it!
California – Cobb Salad
Created in Hollywood, CA in 1937, this salad truly is iconic. Made traditionally with iceberg, watercress, endives and romaine lettuce, it’s what it’s topped with that gets people excited: bacon, hard-boiled egg, roasted chicken, bleu cheese, tomatoes and avocado. This salad has everything but the kitchen sink in it!
Missouri – BBQ
While barbecue is popular all over the south, Missouri has made its mark on BBQ with a noted smokiness to the meat, a slightly spicy rub and a thick and hearty, tomato-based sauce to round everything off. Grab your napkins and dig in!
Arizona – Chimichangas
Whether it was Monica Flin who dropped a burrito in the deep frier and shouted “chimichanga!” in 1922 or someone else later on, there’s no mistaking this dish came from Arizona – it’s a classic!