Eat Your Way Across the 50 States

January 20, 2016
Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
From the Atlantic to the Pacific, we've identified one must-try dish from every state. The best part? You can whip up these recipes straight from your own kitchen, no suitcase or cross-country road trip required. 
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Alabama

Photo: Oxmoor House
Alabama Recipe
If you find yourself in Alabama, you may notice one or two barbecue joints around town. One in particular that has garnered plenty of attention over the past few years is Saw's BBQ. The owner, Mike Wilson, a North Carolina native and former test kitchen chef at Cooking Light, grew quite the reputation for making some amazing barbecue and has since carried that talent straight into the hearts and appetites of Birmingham's biggest barbecue fans.
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Alaska

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Alaska Recipe
Alaska is home to some of the best wild salmon that nature has to offer. As one of the most iconic centerpieces of Alaskan cuisine, salmon is often served smoked, dried, cured, or even candied. We love this recipe for grilled salmon that features a hearty, fresh salad to accompany it.

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Arizona

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Arizona Recipe
The Southwest is full of amazing restaurants, but one that stands out is Someburros in Arizona, a restaurant known for some of the best chimichangas in the state. Established in 1986, Someburros can be found in multiple cities across Arizona, which is good news for every Mexican food lover out there. The even better news is that great chimichangas can also come from your very own kitchen.
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Arkansas

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell 
Arkansas Recipe
The World Cheese Dip Championship? Yes, it’s a real thing, and it’s hosted every year in Arkansas. Cheese dip has been around in the state since the 1940’s and has carved out a unique place in its culinary scene. Varying from yellow to white and orange to red, you can find it in restaurants throughout the state served with tortilla chips and sometimes French fries.

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California

Photo: Levi Brown; Styling: Thom Driver
California Recipe
Make SoCal food truck-style fish tacos at home using fresh tilapia, avocado, cilantro and corn tortillas, and top with a creamy onion-jalapeño mixture for amazing flavor.

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Colorado

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Thom Driver
Colorado Recipe
The Mile High City is known for their obsession with green chili. They smother it over burritos, serve it as a dip with tortilla chips, and there are even rumors of fanatics who use it as a topping for their favorite dessert! Unlike Texas Chili, Colorado-style green chili is pork-based and loaded with fresh green peppers which give the chili its distinctive hue. We’re green with envy over this hearty bowl!
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Connecticut

Photo: Tina Cornett; Styling: Leslie Byars Simpson
Connecticut Recipe
New Haven, Connecticut, is known as the “Birthplace of the Hamburger.” If you’re ever in the area, stop by Louis’ Lunch and listen to the now-famous story of Louis Lassen and his first-ever hamburger as you sink your teeth into the original fast-food creation. The state itself is home to a plethora of top-notch burger joints, but if you try one at Louis’ place, your patty will come sandwiched between two pieces of buttered white toast instead of a traditional bun.

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Delaware

Photo: Oxmoor House
Delaware Recipe
While Delaware isn’t exactly a food mecca, it definitely has its local favorites. Though the state may not have invented scrapple, a traditional mid-Atlantic breakfast staple, it’s done much to elevate its status. The running joke is, “Don’t ask what’s in it.” Comforting.

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Florida

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst
Florida Recipe
If you find yourself in Key West, visit Pepe’s Café, which boasts the fact that it’s the oldest restaurant in Key West, having been established in 1909, and also boasts one of the best Key Lime Pies in the area.
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Georgia

Photo: Alison Miksch; Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns
Georgia Recipe
If you know the South, then you know that Georgia is known for its peaches. If you stop through Atlanta, Paschal’s is a great place to pick up some delicious soul food, and of course, some incredible peach cobbler.

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Hawaii

Oxmoor House
Hawaii Recipe
Locals of this laid back state enjoy their fish wrapped in a tortilla, a tradition that began around the same time as the surfing craze of the late 20th century. Hawaiian fish tacos aren’t breaded, and are often times served with fresh toppings like mango or pineapple. Next time you find yourself on Maui’s northwest coast, look for taco stands that serve this local favorite.

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Idaho

Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams
Idaho Recipe
More than any other food item, potatoes are iconic in Idaho, more specifically, giant potatoes that can be baked and topped with the best ingredients. In Blackfoot, Idaho, be sure to stop by the Idaho Potato Museum, which stands as a testament to the state’s most iconic food.
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Illinois

Photo: Tru Studio
Illinois Recipe
Hot dogs gained popularity in Chicago during the Great Depression, where a hot meal could be purchased for just a nickel. In the 60’s, the iconic Chicago restaurant Portillo’s began as a humble hot dog stand. Today, the Portillo’s Chicago dog is still a local favorite, and the restaurant itself is a great place to get your fix of authentic Chicago fare.

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Indiana

Photo: Line T. Klein; Styling: Paige Hicks
Indiana Recipe
Word on the street is the first pork tenderloin sandwich can be traced back to Nick’s Kitchen in Huntington, Indiana. The sandwich has etched its way into Indiana’s cuisine and is typically served with French fries or onion rings.

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Iowa

Photo: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Iowa Recipe
You know you’re from Iowa when you can eat an entire ear of corn in 20 seconds flat. Welcome to the state that leads the nation in annual corn production. In fact, corn is grown in every county in the state, but we’re not complaining. We prefer ours doused in this creamy, savory topping.
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Kansas

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Kansas Recipe
Toto, we’re definitely in Kansas. It’s no doubt that barbecue rules in this state, and our Kansas City Barbecued Chicken makes for delightfully sticky-fingered eating.

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Kentucky

Photo: Line T. Klein; Styling: Paige Hicks
Kentucky Recipe
If your road trip involves a detour through Louisville, be sure to visit the historic Brown Hotel. The hotel’s famous culinary claim, the “Hot Brown,” was created in 1926 as an open-faced sandwich with turkey and bacon smothered in a Mornay cheese sauce. Today, the hotel still boasts an incredible menu, but also still takes pride in their original lunch specialty.

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Louisiana 

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Ginny Branch
Louisiana  Recipe
For a killer po’ boy, stop by Mahony’s on your next journey to The Big Easy. The traditional sub-style sandwich has its roots stretching all the way back to the 1800’s. Mahony’s is a small, cozy restaurant that serves up all different kinds of authentic varieties of New Orleans’ favorite sandwich.
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Maine

Photo: Marcus Nilsson; Styling: Angharad Bailey
Maine Recipe
A trip to Maine would be remiss without a taste of the state’s amazing fresh lobster. Restaurants such as Robert’s Maine Grill serve up tasty lobster dishes like pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and of course, steamed or baked stuffed lobster.

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Maryland

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Rachael Burrow
Maryland Recipe
One of the best places for award-winning crab cakes in Maryland is Phillip’s Seafood, a massive seafood institution located along Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. The best news for those not in Maryland is that you can whip up your own tasty crab cakes right at home.

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Massachusetts 

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty
Massachusetts  Recipe
For some incredible chowder, it’s no surprise that New England has that special something. For an incredibly good bowl of authentic clam chowder, it should be thick and hearty, but not heavy. If you find yourself in Boston looking for a great place to snag a bowl, look no further than Legal Sea Foods for a great place to chow down.
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Michigan

Photo: Melina Hammer; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
Michigan Recipe
Northern Michigan is known for growing the best, juiciest cherries in the world. The National Cherry Festival, held each July in Traverse City, has been named one of USA Today’s top ten annual festivals. We know not much can beat a classic cherry pie—but how about a personal-sized treat that no one can snatch from you?

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Minnesota

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower, Claire Spollen
Minnesota Recipe
As a state with strong Scandinavian heritage, it’s no wonder Minnesotans make a mean Swedish meatball. Ours are made with ground sirloin, grated onion, panko, dill, and other spices and are served over egg noodles with a silky-sweet red currant pan sauce.

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Mississippi

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Heather Chadduck
Mississippi Recipe
This decadent and super-chocolatey pie got its name for resembling the thick mud on the banks of the Mississippi River. Dense and fudgy, with a s’mores marshmallow topping, we don’t mind that comparison one bit.
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Missouri

Photo: Oxmoor House
Missouri Recipe
Supposedly originating with a botched cake recipe in the 1930s, gooey butter cake is very popular in the state of Missouri. Traditionally, the bottom layer of the cake is flat and dense and the top layer is the "gooey butter" and is made from powdered sugar and cream cheese. This slimmed-down version is less than 200 calories and 4 grams of saturated fat per luscious serving.

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Montana

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Montana Recipe
Out in Big Sky Country where the economy is mostly based on ranching, you can go just about anywhere and get a juicy bison dish that rivals any beef steak or burger you’ve ever had. Bison has a deeper, richer flavor that stands up well to the piney rosemary in this iconic kebab plate.

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Nebraska

Photo: Oxmoor House
Nebraska Recipe
Some people assume the Reuben was created in New York City where the sandwich is very popular but the truth is that it was invented by Reuben Kulakofsky in Omaha, Nebraska, as a filling late-night snack for his poker-playing friends.
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Nevada

Photo: Charles Schiller; Styling: Lynn Miller
Nevada Recipe
It might be a Vegas cliché, but the shrimp cocktail is one thing that Nevada has made its own. In 1959, the Golden Gate Hotel-Casino introduced it for fifty cents. It stayed fifty cents until 1991, and now costs $2.99. Since then, the Golden Gate has sold more than 30 million cocktails, always served lettuce filler-free in a tulip sundae glass.

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New Hampshire

Photo: Brian Woodcock; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl
New Hampshire Recipe
Everyone knows seafood is a specialty and a point of pride in all New England cuisine. New Hampshire, which has massive inland lakes and a few dozen miles of Atlantic shoreline is no different and is known for the cod fish with mild flavor and flaky white flesh.

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New Jersey

Photo: Marcus Nilsson
New Jersey Recipe
A great place for a burger in New Jersey can be found in a town called Hackensack at a local favorite called White Manna, a pint-sized burger joint that draws in big crowds for its iconic burgers and fries.
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New Mexico

Photo: Peden & Munk; Styling: Amy Wilson 
New Mexico Recipe
Like all good New Mexico food, these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are simple, earthy, and delicious. Its heat depends on the chiles so go with Anaheims if you scorch easily.

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New York

Photo: John Kernick; Styling: Kim Ficaro
New York Recipe
Interested in the best cheesecake New York City has to offer? Stop by places like Eileen’s Special Cheesecake in Manhattan, or Junior’s Restaurant in Brooklyn for some of the best slices of cheesecake in The Big Apple.

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North Carolina

North Carolina Recipe
The marinade for this chicken was inspired by the great North Carolina pork barbecue techniques. If you find yourself in Lexington, a great barbecue joint there is called Lexington Barbecue, but is better known as "The Honey Monk."
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North Dakota

Photo: Tina Rupp
North Dakota Recipe
Kuchen is a traditional German fruit or cheese-filled yeast cake that's common in North Dakota and served at any time of day. We love that this is a hearty, rustic, belly-filling pastry with nothing dainty about it. North Dakota also gets to share their love of kuchen with their favorite neighboring state, South Dakota.

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Ohio

Photo: Helene Dujardin; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford
Ohio Recipe
In this classic confection from the Buckeye State, creamy peanut butter and chocolate combine to create an adorable replica of an Ohio tree nut.

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Oklahoma

Photo: Van Chaplin; Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio
Oklahoma Recipe
If you’re looking for a great chicken-fried steak, you don’t have to look any further than Oklahoma City. What many describe as the state’s official meal, it’s easy to see that this country style steak is the quintessential Route 66 chicken-fry experience. Needless to say, it’s delicious and probably covered in gravy.