I am from Kentucky originally. I grew up there. The specialty there is good ol' southern food, like biscuits and gravy, soup beans, fried potatoes, and corn bread. I really don't know how to make this healthy, and have it taste just like mom used to make, so I only have it when I'm back there and it's the real deal.
I lived for 6 months in Alaska, 10 years in New Mexico, 2 years in Alabama, and now 7 years in Minnesota. In Minnesota the regional food I think of are these things called pasties (I have never had one) but they look like hot pockets. Not interested in making those healthy, either. lol.
Biscuits and gravy, yum!
Haven't had that in awhile...wow, you have an electic mix of locations. Pasties sound delicious!
I'm from the great state of Texas...and as you know everything's bigger in Texas.
My favorite is the Texas Donut available right near my inlaws place.We're known for our barbeque and huge portions and here in Houston we have more restaurants per capita than any other city in America.
I've lived in Texas since I was ten, but before that I'd lived pretty much all over the states (LA, MO, NY, CA)
As a vegan, I kinda don't really fit in, but that suits me just fine.
That donut looks large and lovely! Wow, I did not know that about Houston.
Sounds like you have also had a great mix of places to live. I'm not sure if there are any states where "vegan" is predominant, but I bet you can find something good almost anywhere!
I live in northern Virginia, and I'm a transplant from New England (grew up in CT and lived in MA for several years). NoVa has some great restaurants (I think this is where Five Guys started), but no real regional cuisine that I can determine, so I'll cheat out on this one a little bit and go with my home region cuisine instead!
New England seafood - aaaahhhh...lobster rolls, clam chowder, clam strips, YUM. And Dunkin Donuts - oh, those munchkins and coffee rolls! I love/hate that Dunkin Donuts is here now, and I go for the occasional treat, but I'm hard pressed to find lobster rolls here anywhere near as good as the hot buttered lobster roll at Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale.
Seafood is nutritionally great. It's when you fry it or drench it in drawn butter (I'm dying here thinking about the deliciousness) that it gets dangerous. So when I get up there and order my favorites, I get the butter on the side, and I dip the lobster instead of pouring it. Still tastes awesome.
As for Dunkin Donuts, if I can stop with just 2-3 munchkins, great. The restaurant has helped out lately with some pretty sound breakfast sandwich offerings. After one of those, I'm not as hungry, so 1-2 munchkins is a manageable limit.
Sorry, didn't mean to make you homesick! Hard to say no to lobstah with buttah, and I try not to stop at DD. If I don't go in, I can't come out with anything
Sleeping that late through my day off and I didn't get a lot accomplished. I talked with Alan and basically told him, "Our annual passes are renewed and instead of going to Daytona for next weekend (anniversary of Josh and Maddie's death) I want to go stay at Disney. You can either go with me or I'll go alone." I'm still not sure if he'll go with me. I'll find out in the morning before I call Disney. I'm wanting to stay at Pop (1st time) Thursday - Monday.
Then after talking about that and looking at the offers on Disney's annual pass website I decided that I didn't want to stay at BLT in May with my best friend. I don't know what the heck I was thinking when I booked that DVC reservation!! 245 points for a week, UM NO THANKS! So, I did some looking at different options, did some number crunching, and called up bestie. We've decided a week at Coronado Springs (1st time) with AP rate, dining plan, spa treatment, and Wishes dessert party. It will definately be a memorable trip. I've never done any of the above other then the dining plan.
Plus this leaves Alan and I points to go to OKW for Christmas. We stayed in a 1 bedroom at OKW for Christmas in 2010. No, its not our home resort but I love it and if I could get a small contract there I would. So, tomorrow will be spent on the phone with Disney.
All those trips sounds fantastic! I've walked around Pop, and it is really just a fun resort (plus you'll get a sneak peak of the Art of Animation resort!). I stayed at CS for a marathon weekend, and found it so beautiful and peaceful. Plus, it even has a gym! And Christmas at the World
What a wonderful way to celebrate!
I'm from Illinois, born, raised back and forth between there and here-- Oregon with a brief stint in Long Beach CA. And San Bernadino I guess when I was 18. Really an Oregonian but still embrace Midwestern values to an extent. The prejudice and backwoods stuff I could do without. My whole family is there. The only people I am related to by blood here are my Mom and son, since my daughter is currently in New Mexico.
I miss the pork tenderloins you find in a greasy spoon in Illinios! I'm thinking of finding a recipe for them because I just miss them that bad. And really good corn. Plus my gramma's rhubarb pie.
Here-- there's really nothing cultural to speak of, unless you count dungeness crab which is really only affordable and fresh once or twice a year here. You mix that in a big omelet with lots of cheese and spinach and call it healthy lol.
Well, both of those sound delicious to me, particularly the crab!
what up from the boogie down!
do i sound cool and tough? no? ok. i'm from the bronx. born here, lived here til i was 11 then did middle school and high school in CT. after college and a few years in chicago, i'm back in the bronx. my whole family is here. typical irish catholic family - i have aunts, uncles, and cousins living across the street, around the corner, everywhere!
nyc has it all when it comes to food. duh. but more specifically to the bronx and my neighborhood i'd say pizza is an awesome staple. Anytime people come to visit they just want pizza. they don't want to go to city island for the awesome seafood, don't want to go downtown for some fine cuisine. they want pizza. hey, cheaper for me
And I understand real NYers do not eat pizza with a fork
I could go for a slice....
Ok, born & bred in New Jersey. We have a few specialties. Not really able to clean them up nutrition-wise...
Ok, I guess if I had to pick one I'd go for the taffy! I've never been there, but I have a great fondness for the Garden State. Anyplace that produces both Jon Bon Jovi and Jon Stewart cannot be bad -- hey, do you have something against putting "h"s in Jon down there?!
Well, I was born in Alexandria, VA but have lived in Alabama since I was 2 years old so this is my home. In the south the specialties tend to be a lot of fried foods, chicken, potatoes, okra, squash etc. and even twinkies and snickers! I've never understood the allure of the fried sweets, blech!
But I always loved the fried chicken and various vegetables, especially with fresh gravy and homemade biscuits and a sliced garden tomato. However, it's impossible to completely recreate this meal in a healthy way. But, since I rarely eat anything with any grease in it anymore I really don't like the way it tastes anymore and when I do have some it makes me feel sick. We bake/grill everything and I'm used to the taste of that now.
Sweet Home Alabama! One deep fried item I've always wanted to try -- turkey! It just looks so yummy, how can it be bad for you?!
Hi Maria, I would fit right in to the Little Mermaid. I love to swim and sing. That's the main reason but also because the Little Mermaid was my first Disney movie.
I don't really know how to make a pretzel or cheesecake healthier, but I will say that the pizzerias in our neighborhood have started making whole wheat pizza. Also the standard light on the cheese and veggie pizza.
Bicki, that looks fantastic! I think one of the perks of living in NY has to be the fabulous array of food options!
I was born in western TN, raised in Central Illinois, moved to TX after I got married and lived in the Southern end for 2 years and in Northern TX for 5. Then we moved to VA and lived in the far SW corner for 5 years and am now on the other side of the state and have been for 7 years. Hopefully this was our last move because I really just want to stay here.
I can't really think of any local specialties that are prevalent. I grew up on good midwestern casseroles from a mom that was born and raised in the South. She didn't do a whole lot of southern cooking though but we had lots of processed stuff from a box like Hamburger Helper and canned veggies and anything you could make with cream of mushroom soup. I don't cook anything like that. We do use canned veggies when we have to but certainly prefer fresh.
LTS, I got fed plenty of hamburger helper, La Choy dinners, Dinty Moore beef stew, and green bean casserole, too. And let's just say the Pillsbury Dough Boy made lots of appearances as well
Thursday I had a great breakfast... oatmeal with flaxseeds. I had put together a pretty sad lunch... english muffin (whole wheat) with almond butter, a jello snack cup, and a wedge of laughing cow with 5 crackers. Needless to say I was hungry right about 3 o'clock, I forgot to pack a healthy snack so when my coworker offered me some of her bagel with cream cheese I gladly said yes. Also, my original plan to go to the gym that evening was replaced with tapas with some friends who I hadn't seen in a while. At tapas we didn't have horrible food since one of my friends is a vegetarian but we did have sangria.
Sounds like you learned some great lessons.
I do always have 100 cal almonds and a Kashi TLC bar in my bag. Sometimes that can stave off turning to the dark side
QOTD: I was born in Washington and grew up in Alaska. Went to college in Oregon, met DH and here I am, almost 30 years later. No regional foods, but I did eat tons of salmon and halibut growing up. Now it's like a once every 5 year treat! I don't like seafood, but eat those 2 things. In Oregon, I love all the fresh berries.
Fresh fruit was not something that existed at an affordable price in my childhood!
Wow! I bet you could share some interesting stories, having grown up in Alaska! Oregon berries sound like a great, healthy, sensible treat!
QOTD: I live in Connecticut and was born in New Hampshire. Some of the New England foods are seafood (lobster rolls), fudge, apple pies and anything else with apples, cheese/milk products like Vermont cheddar, and Ben & Jerry's.
Changes? I suppose you could hold the butter on a lobster roll. They do make 50% reduced-fat cheddar cheese and I like that just as well as regular cheddar. Apple pies and fudge? If you know how, do tell! I love Ben & Jerry's low fat fudge brownie fro yo, but I can't eat that anymore.
Every once in awhile, I cannot resist the siren call of the lobstah roll. When that happens, I eat the lobster with a fork, and leave as much of the grilled bun as I can make myself
Maria
We emptied quite a few boxes too. I made her dinner and she had no idea she had just eaten corn pasta! Love it when GF isn't noticeable! 
(It's the little things. 
)
Susan. Glad to hear that you were able to talk to DD. 
!
I think I ate my leftovers for a week. My daughters got souvenir t-shirts and they love to wear them.
I've had the cinnamon/sugar beavertail and the maple. Mmmm. Talk about a sugar rush! 
I can't drink coffee without cream and sugar and it just isn't worth it if I use ff and/or sf creamer.
at this! 
