Source: bhofack2 / iStock via Getty Images
Massachusetts: Fluffernutter
> Restaurant: Stands at The Big E (Eastern States Exposition, Sept. 15-Oct. 1, 2023)
> Location: Springfield
A favorite lunch sandwich for Massachusetts schoolchildren, the fluffernutter is a sweet and salty concoction of peanut butter and Marshmallow Fluff spread on white bread. The marshmallow confection, originally called Marshmallow Creme, was invented in the early 20th century, but the fluffernutter name was coined by an advertising agency only in 1960. Today, the fluffernutter is a mainstay in kid’s lunch boxes across New England. It’s rare to find it in a restaurant, but it’s a staple at Springfield’s annual Eastern States Exposition.
Source: Photo by David S. via Yelp
Michigan: Traditional pasty
> Restaurant: Joe’s Pasty Shop
> Location: Ironwood
Okay, so it’s not exactly a sandwich, but it’s meat inside bread. The traditional Cornish pasty, or hand pie, is hugely popular in Michigan, especially in the Upper Peninsula, where it was popularized by immigrant miners in the 1800s. The most traditional versions are filled with ground beef and vegetables.
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Source: Courtesy of Nathan H. via Yelp
Minnesota: Walleye
> Restaurant: Dolsie’s Lunch Box Grille
> Location: St. Cloud
Walleye (or walleye pike) is Minnesota’s state fish – even though what’s served in the state often comes from Canada, across the border. After the filet is fried – either breaded or, as at Dolsie’s, in beer batter – it’s served on a roll with shredded lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce.
Source: Courtesy of Big Apple Inn
Mississippi: Pig ear and smokes
> Restaurant: Big Apple Inn
> Location: Jackson
In Jackson, the Big Apple Inn has been a gathering place for the city’s Black community for generations. Their two specialties are “smokes” (ground smoked hot sausage on a bun) and pig ears pressure-cooked until they’re as tender as ham and served on a bun with mustard, slaw, and chili sauce. The pro move? Doubling up with both.
Source: Photo by Steve O. via Yelp
Missouri: St. Paul
> Restaurant: Bo Fung Chinese Restaurant
> Location: St. Louis
Head to just about any Chinese restaurant in the St. Louis area and you’ll find a curious local specialty on the menu: the St. Paul sandwich, an egg foo young patty topped with dill pickles, white onion, mayo, and lettuce on white bread.
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