Chop suey, the good ol’ Chinese-American dish consisting of meat, eggs, vegetables, and noodles cooked in a starch-thickened sauce that looks like wormy mush in a dry hamburger bun. It’s probably one of the most unattractive dishes on our list. It looks like a New York subway rat but locals claim that it’s insanely delicious.
It’s packed with umami and salty flavors distinctive from your favorite Chinese takeout but better because you don’t have to use chopsticks. Sure, it’s messy, but we’re blessed to live in a country where napkins are plenty.
Oklahoma -- Fried Rattlesnake
While most (normal) people may experience the sight of a rattle snack as a clear threat to their dear life, there are others that kill, slice up, and fry these creatures to create an anecdotal delicious dish (because I'll never try it).
Some have gone as far as saying that it tastes like chicken. The blasphemy!
Pennsylvania -- Scrapple
Ok, this one is pretty easy to describe. Think of a Funfetti cake and then imagine leaving it out in the sun for 20 years, and that's what the people of Pennsylvania call scrapple. And yes, they actually put it in their mouths and even swallow it. Similar to North Carolina's livermush, it's basically a meat cake (or rather log, or brick) made with various animal parts that normally get sold to the glue or dog food factories (or hotdogs).
This Pennsylvania Dutch delicacy usually incorporates pork scraps along with flour, buckwheat, cornmeal, and spices. It's so dense that you can cut a slice straight from the loaf and eat it or fry it up in a pan and put it between some Wonder Bread. "A scrapple a day keeps the doctor away." I just made that up now but I'm sure I'm right.
Tennessee -- The Fat Elvis
When we think of "the King", we think of him singing and dancing his classic songs in his iconic jumpsuit. But not many know of his strange diet which consisted, among other things, of a peculiar sandwich made with peanut butter, banana, and bacon. Yes, bananas, we can't make this up.
In a state known for its great BBQ and fried chicken, this abomination of sandwiches also exists…one of the things that don't exactly contribute to Elvis' legacy.
Arkansas -- Chocolate Gravy
Made from fat, flour, cocoa powder, and sugar, chocolate gravy doesn't sound too bad if it's a topping for ice cream or cake. But in Arkansas, it goes on plenty more, like steak, mashed potatoes, and turkey. If you're feeling adventurous and your traditional brown or white gravies have lost their appeal, take a spin on this Arkansas delicacy and see if you end up liking it.
The words “chocolate gravy” give all of us pause, but there are plenty of southerners who swear by it, and it's simple to make, too. We can't argue it sounds great on top of a pile of hot biscuits.