60 Regional Foods You Only Eat There, And Sometimes Not Even Then

Mental Floss has sixty regional foods that you should not eat anywhere else; no exceptions. On this list you’ll notice there is no middle ground on these traditional dishes. You will see each and either say gross or delicious, I guarantee it. Am I the only one who’s living in a state where a food was mentioned and I’ve never heard a word about it?

I don’t fault Mental Floss for this, because I see the evidence all over the web saying Burgoo is a Kentucky tradition. I’ve lived here a full year and have never visited a local restaurant that serves Burgoo, mentions their Burgoo, or even recognizes that Burgoo is a thing. I’ve come to the assumption that Burgoo is more likely an Eastern Kentucky thing and I’m just not meant to try it. I do hope one day to experience it, only to realize that Burgoo is nothing more than a fancy word for “stew”.

As for things I never want to try, as mentioned on this list, it's a tie between the sushi Spam and the Crisco-made Alaskan ice cream. Both of these contradict the point of living in their respective states. If you live on an island, why would you want to eat Spam sushi when there are literally tons of fish in the sea? I couldn’t think of a better time to have sushi than when it’s right there fresh and waiting to be caught!

Don’t even get me started on making ice cream with Crisco. How often is your state filled with snow Alaska? Have you guys never heard of Sno-cream? It’s delicious, easy to make, and a ridiculously simple concept. How are you using fat and everything but ice and cream to make ice cream? I don’t understand your state.

One regional food that didn’t make the list from my home state of Indiana that I’d like to share are brain sandwiches! Take a cow brain and deep fry it with eggs and flour...viola. Yeah, it’s pretty gross, and I threw up once trying to eat a full sandwich of it, but it’s a tradition nonetheless. Funny how the worst foods withstand the test of time next to the best.