Every hometown has its own signature dishes, with some being downright strange. From unusual ingredient combos to unique local favorites, these are the kind of foods that outsiders may find odd. But if you’ve grown up in some of these places, then it might not be new to you. Today, we’re bringing you 12 odd dishes from your hometown that might haunt you or make you feel nostalgic.
12. Swamp Chicken – Florida
The Swamp Chicken name is truly interesting, but they’re just another name for alligator chicken or alligator tail. It’s a staple of Florida’s Seminole people. Those people who have tried it explain that it tastes like a fishy version of chicken. You can find alligator food in meatloaf, gumbo, burgers, and even sushi in many restaurants.
11. Kool-Aid Pickles – Nashville, Tennessee and the Mississippi Delta
Yup, the name is the actual food — pickles soaked in Kool-Aid. This food originated from the Mississippi Delta but was introduced in Nashville, Tennessee, as Kool-Aid Pickles. You can easily make them at home if you want to try them. They’re usually soaked in Tropical Punch or Cherry flavors, but you can choose any Kool-Aid flavor you want.
10. Fiddleheads – Maine
The Fiddlehead harvest in Maine is a tradition that dates back centuries. It’s a staple ingredient usually used during the springtime. The Fiddleheads are these coiled tips of young ostrich ferns that taste like a mix of asparagus, mushrooms, and spinach. They’re served as a side dish in restaurants, buttered or boiled.
9. Fried Rattlesnake – California
Rattlesnakes are all around California and are one of the unique dishes in American cuisine. The meat is known for its high protein content with low levels of carbohydrates and calories. Like fried chicken, the meat is coated in seasoned batter before it’s fried to a crispy golden brown.
8. Luther Burger – Georgia
You don’t have to choose between a burger and a glazed doughnut again with the Luther Burger. It’s one of America’s unique takes on a burger as they’re filled with beef patty, cheese, and bacon, all sandwiched in two glazed doughnuts. Its invention is a reference to a restaurant in Decatur, Georgia, while others say that it’s a tribute to Luther Vandross.
7. Akutaq – Alaska
Akutaq has other names, such as Eskimo Ice Cream and Inuit. This ice cream is unlike the ones you usually get from Baskin-Robbins and Dairy Queen. They’re made from animal fat and seal oil instead of cream. The animal fat usually comes from caribou, moose, whale, or reindeer. Usually, fruits like wild berries are mixed to balance the taste and create the pink or purple color.
6. Livermush – North Carolina
The Livermush came from Appalachian resourcefulness in North Carolina. It’s a meatloaf-like food that is made from pork liver and cornmeal. The livermush is sliced as it’s meant to be served on biscuits. You can also fry it and eat it as it is.
5. Tomato and Mayo Sandwich – Alabama
Imagine eating a sandwich without meat, spread, and lettuce. Yup, that pretty much sums up the Tomato and Mayo Sandwich. It’s been a decades-old tradition that follows simple rules of super fresh tomatoes, paired with a no-frills white bread. For the mayonnaise, you can choose any brand that you want.
4. Ice Cream Potato – Idaho
Lou Aaron invented Idaho’s popular Ice Cream Potato from the Westside Drive-in in Boise. It’s a tribute to Idaho’s official state vegetable, potatoes. It features vanilla ice cream molded into a potato shape and coated with cocoa powder for that golden skin effect. The ice cream is then topped with whipped cream, chocolate syrups, and chocolate shavings.
3. Sauerkraut Balls – Indiana
If you’re not from Indiana, then you probably haven’t tried their Sauerkraut Balls. It’s a deep-fried dough filled with pork sausage, cream cheese, mustard, and fermented cabbage. It’s something that you can easily find at classic fair state snacks that’s associated with the Indy 500 automobile race.
2. Hot Beef Sundae – Iowa
The Hot Beef Sundae debuted in 2006 during the Iowa State Fair. You can also find it at other state fairs across the country. It features marinated beef with scoops of mashed potatoes and brown gravy. It doesn’t have ice cream, but it’s modeled after a sundae.
1. Rocky Mountain Oysters – Colorado
Don’t be fooled, these Rocky Mountain Oysters aren’t those that came from the sea. They’re not really oysters; they are bull’s test*cl*s that can be dipped in any sauce. They may be an acquired taste to some, but they taste like a slightly sweeter version of fried chicken. You can find them in local restaurants and bars around Colorado.