May 25, 2005
Local Flavor.
One of the great things about traveling with HFT is that HFT goes to a lot of places in these great United States. The other great thing is that we visit a lot of nice people.
But the best is when one of these nice people says "Have you ever had a _____? Well, you'll have to have a ____ before you leave." They will then fill in the blank with some sort of amazing local food.
Sometimes it is as obvious as having pizza in Chicago, but most of the time it is much more subtle. I would like to share a bit of our findings, in case you find yourself in any of these areas, and I would also invite your comments on the following, and also (more importantly) your recommendations....
And now, in no particular order...
1) Giordano's Chicago style pizza: Chicago, IL.
I am a big fan of cheese. That means that I am a big fan of this pizza.
2) Crabs (I don't specifically remember a restraunt): Baltimore, Maryland.
I highly endorse any form of social eating where you cover the table with butcher paper, hand out hammers and knives, dump a well-seasoned pot steamed seafood onto the middle of table, and then rip the shells and legs off of succulent seafood.
mmm...
However, other's in HFT like eating more than they like picking tiny pieces of meat out of sharp shells... so we don't do this very often.
If anyone is ever going to have seafood and they wand someone to help pick through the rubble... give me a jingle.
3) Custard (at Kopp's or Gilles): Milwaukee, WI.
Sweet custard and greasy burgers are a winning combination. Try to avoid these foods if you're going to immediately get into a van and drive through the night to Minneapolis, though....
4) Cherries: Michigan.
This is my home state. I worked one summer at a camp where they stocked Michigan dried cherries in the pantry.
They are amazing. Great addition to cereal, to vanilla yoghurt, to salads... the most economical way to buy them is to have kind family member's who go to Sam's club where you can buy a big box of them for quite a reasonable price. The second most economical way is to go to Sam's Club yourself if you're in Michigan. Finally, if you have no other options, then go ahead and go to the Cherry Hut in Beulah, MI or the Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor.
Even if you have already picked up your box of economically priced dried cherries, you should still stop in at these two places. The Cherry Hut is a happy place with good pie, and The Cherry Republic has amazing cherry pop, cherry soap, cherry vinegar, cherry everything.
5) Tudor's Biscuit World: Kentucky and beyond.
Mmm... biscuits.
6) Ale-8-one (Ginger ale): Kentucky
Our friend, Todd, introduced us to Ale-8 when we were in KY last summer for Summer In The Son. We like Todd.
It has a lot of caffeine. It has an interesting history as well... I'll let you discover that yourself, by either find Todd and telling him that I sent you, or just visiting the Ale-8-one website.
7) Fitz's root beer: St. Louis, MO.
Ok, now we're digging back into the deep history of Nica. I used to be a Fitz. Not a Fitz' root beer Fitz, but a Fitz Family Fitz. We were traveling around the country juggling, and laughing. When we got to St. Louis we discovered that there was a root beer company with our name! What greater joy could their be in a kid’s life?
And the root beer was really, really good.
And I accidentally ordered a burger that had coleslaw on it, and have ever since then have loved the combination.
8) Berger's cookies: East Coast.
These are cookies dipped in chocolate. And I mean CHOCOLATE. Fudge-y, sweet, soft, gooey chocolate.
9) Krystal's : Southern US.
We have never been to a Krystal's. But they serve small square burgers in boxes, and they have free wireless internet access.
Yes.
10) Arthur Bryants: Kansas City.
One of the top three BBQ joints in KC. It is Wes' favorite of all time. Favorite. I don't personally like it very much (I like sweeter BBQ sauces), but it is so unique, I include it anyway.
Honorable Mention:
Krispy Kreme: This used to be a "local favorite." We would enjoy them only in select cities across the U.S. But now, bless them and their franchising ways, we can eat a Krispy Kreme doughnut every time we fill up our tank with gasoline.
We can. But we don't. (Ew... day old Krispy Kreme's....)
Sonic: You may find that they are an everyday treat, if you have one in your neighborhood, but we don't, so whenever we are the vicinity of one, we stop in for some sweet strawberry Limeade. Sparkly!
So order some stuff online from these folks, visit them when you’re in the neighborhood, and please, please send us your recommendations about where to go when we come visit you!
I would like to recommend a very classy rest. Named McCormick & Schmick's (www.McCormickandSchmicks.com) They serve THE BEST calamari I have ever eaten. We tend to just go for the appetizer and a sweet tea drink named after Arnold Palmer I have forgotten it's proper name. The rest of the menu looks heavenly.
Nica i would love to go with you at anytime for a good crab feast. Oh I just made a scallop dish last night form a Emeril reciepe and it was heavenly I will send you it. It cooks in ten min. and the prep time is 10 min.
oh there is is also this French rest. In Atlanta part of a hotel that has great food every dish is a small plate appetizer size and the price is small so you can order a light, fun and spend a small amount in a quaint atomsphere. Sorry I can't remember the name I will have to look it up in my history. It was a hotel afew blocks from the CNN building.
Clam chowder in Seattle.
a simple Chinese Rest. in Bonner Springs, KS named Evergreen.
I gotta go but I could go on and on.
La' Madeline's , French bakery and rest. In a number of cities mostly south.
Don't forget Something Fishy in Wilmington, NC. 3 gigantic slabs of fried fish, or a bucket of fried shrimp, or, if you get the half and half, 3 gigantic slabs of fried fish and a bucket of shrimp. Hm, there's something fishy about that....
gag. that was awful.
Posted by: Isaac at June 3, 2005 05:52 AMOh yes I had remembered but I couldn't think of thename . But really the best part was the appetizeer of fresh oysters they called a cocktail of oysters. it was a soup bowl full of huge oysters. The waitress thought I didn't like the them I told her that I was the only one eating them (because Nica wasn't along for that trip) and was almost full and was trying to save a little room for my main meal yet to come. I had already eaten 1/2 ot them. Awe yes we are getting close to it this trip just like we are in the atlanta Mccormiick & Schmick's neighborhood , too. But that stop just isn't going to happen Oh hey the youth group from the church in Stckbridge, Lord of Life, saw HFT at the lcms youth gathering and said they loved you.
Posted by: becky at June 4, 2005 07:21 AMHey we ate at Something Fishy just the other day and we were so disappointed. the hush puppies were great, if you like that kind of food. Well sam had deep fried shrimp and he said they were great but we had what we thought was broiled shrimp, oysters and scallops and they seemed to be boiled and flavorless and the shrimp looked like stuff you expect to get in the midwest, miles from the coast. The protions where not like we remember either. The place looked the same. Any we would not recommed or go out of our way again for that place you can get similar seafood any where.
We did eat at an excellent yet a bit pricey place in Mrytle Beach SC called the The Collectors Cafe ( they display local artist masterpieces on the walls) the food was exceptional and the Pastor who recommended to us told us that he always has the desire to lick the plate clean. You just want to savor every last bite or drop as the case may be. It was exactly as he said and as is typical of your pricer places the portions are just right and you are still hungry for dessert . It was worth every penny. Another place was also recommended in the area but we only had time for one and even though it cost is more we opted for the one that was walking distance to the place we staying. I hope we have reason to venture to SC again.
Blue Bell ice cream! Made in Brenham, TX - home of the best ice cream around the Texas parts and home to fields of amazing blue bonnets! Having been raised in Texas, we always had Blue Bell in the house! Any flavor is good but my favorite is Banana Cookie pudding. It has bananas and pieces of nilla cookie wafers! pecan praline is good too! And of course nobody in Nebraska carries Blue Bell! Everytime I go home to visit family in Texas I have to have three things. Blue Bell Ice Cream, a meal at Luby's cafeteria and Mexican food (but not all in one day!)
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