Stereotypically you’d expect Idahoans to thrive on a steady diet consisting of fried chicken, occasional steak, tots, and ‘tallboys’ but did you know that the state is also famous for its prime American beluga, which is basically American caviar, which is just an even fancier way of saying huge sturgeon eggs from Idaho’s rivers.
So if you’d like to taste these salty miniature balloons full of fish goop that cost more than $100 an ounce look no further. Just don’t be surprised if you have an egg on your face when the locals see your facial reaction. Pun intended.
Georgia -- Ham Hocks
Ham Hocks is as Southern as it gets. If you think this mound of meat looks like a large swine knuckle, in fact, you're oddly correct because they are, indeed, pig knuckles. You should take a visit to the Queen state of the south if you want to try this "delicacy", where it'll probably be served in a stew or alongside a healthy serving of collard greens.
Most would say that ham hocks have an "acquired taste," so if you haven't been munching on these paws from a very early age, you'll probably never really get into them.
Washington -- Geoduck
At some point in time, some beachcomber wandered the shores of the pacific ocean and spotted what appeared to be gigantic... well let's just say it has a phallic shape, stuck in a clam-shaped mousetrap and for some reason, we will never understand, thought "I wonder what that tastes like."
Apparently, they liked what they tasted, and managed to get others to join in on the "goodness", and voila, it's become a loved dish. I couldn't imagine eating something like that in my nightmares, so even if you're one brave enough to try it, please don't tell me about it.
Illinois -- Gravy Bread
As someone who hates soggy bread with a passion, I want to meet the people who love this dish just to see what type of people they are. If you have never heard of this dish then let me describe it to you. You take the Chicagoland delicacy known as Italian beef, put that to the side but take the juice. Yes, just the juice. Then you soak a white bun in it, and there you go, a wet, soggy roll saturated in seasoned beef juice.
Sound appetizing? Some locals love this so much that they even order this for delivery. So just imagine that horrendous description but just cold. I can't...
Iowa -- Loose Meat
It's hard to believe how much the classic combination of ground beef and carbs can go so wrong. Well, Iowa's famed loose-meat sandwiches (most associated with their famous Maid-Rite chain) will surely make you a believer.
It kinda resembles a Sloppy Joe minus the sauce, seasoning... and everything that makes a Sloppy Joe good for that matter. It's not that the taste is absolutely disgusting — again, it's essentially bread and meat — but it just seems lazy, and even offensive to waste such ingredients on such a mediocre dish.