The Untold Stories Behind America's Official State Foods

• State symbols
• Watermelon, Oklahoma
• Watermelon, Oklahoma
• Chili, Texas
• Chili, Texas
• Chile, New Mexico
• Chile, New Mexico
• Yogurt, New York
• Yogurt, New York
• Brown shrimp, Alabama
• Brown shrimp, Alabama
• Ice cream cone, Missouri
• Ice cream cone, Missouri
• Peach, Georgia
• Peach, Georgia
• Cynthiana grape, Arkansas
• Cynthiana grape, Arkansas
• Avocado, California
• Avocado, California
• Kuchen, South Dakota
• Kuchen, South Dakota
• Potato, Idaho
• Potato, Idaho
• Boston cream pie, Massachusetts
• Boston cream pie, Massachusetts
• Blueberry and strawberry, North Carolina
• Blueberry and strawberry, North Carolina
• Gumbo, Louisiana
• Gumbo, Louisiana
• Popcorn, Illinois
• Popcorn, Illinois
• Barbecue, South Carolina
• Barbecue, South Carolina
• Whoopie pie, Maine
• Whoopie pie, Maine
• Jell-O, Utah
• Jell-O, Utah
• Calamari, Rhode Island
• Calamari, Rhode Island
• Key lime pie, Florida
• Key lime pie, Florida

State symbols

Every state has at least one food or cuisine it’s well known for, whether that’s lobster rolls in Maine or Florida’s juicy oranges. Many cities are closely associated with specific foods, too, like Chicago’s deep-dish pizza and Philadelphia’s Philly cheesesteaks. But some ingredients, dishes and even full meals have elevated status as official foods, chosen to symbolize an entire state. Here, we look at some of the most intriguing state foods – and the stories behind them.

Watermelon, Oklahoma

We thought the only real watermelon debate was whether to spit out the pips (and how to do so with a semblance of elegance). But Oklahoma sparked fury when it declared the round, watery fruit its state… vegetable. The controversial decision was made in 2007 after senator Don Barrington argued that watermelon is both fruit and vegetable because it’s a member of the cucumber family. (Cucumber is also technically a fruit because it grows from flowers and contains seeds.)

Watermelon, Oklahoma

The state already had a state fruit, the strawberry. Whatever the classification, watermelons have a deserved place in the hearts of Oklahomans. Rush Springs is particularly famed for the red-fleshed gourds, grown in the area’s sandy soil. The town has held an annual watermelon festival since 1948 with events including themed rides and a seed-spitting contest, which senator Barrington once won.

Chili, Texas

A spicy, smoky ‘bowl o’red’ became Texas’ official meal in 1977, declared by the state legislature. The origins of chili have been hotly debated, with some arguing it’s based on Mexican cuisine and others suggesting it was brought over from the Canary Islands. The Texan dish, though, was famously ladled out in a San Antonio market by so-called ‘chili queens’ in the late 19th-century, becoming a tourist attraction and spawning chili joints throughout the state.

Chili, Texas

The official dish is made simply with meat and dried chilies, with beans and tomatoes noticeably absent. Though common additions to modern recipes, those ingredients aren’t considered part of Texas chili heritage. The state has also been represented by pan de campo – a flatbread also known as cowboy bread – pecan pie, strudel, peach cobbler and sopaipilla, a honey-drenched pastry thought to originate in New Mexico. And, to go with the chili or perhaps snack on beforehand, the state snack is tortilla chips and salsa.

Chile, New Mexico

Not to be confused with Texan chili, New Mexico’s official state vegetable is the chile. Actually, it has two official state vegetables, with the potent peppers sharing the mantle with frijoles or pinto beans. Their status was made official in 1965, with the two seen as inseparable when it comes to New Mexican cuisine and cooking heritage, with deep roots in Mexico and Central America.

Chile, New Mexico

The importance of chile peppers goes further, though, spawning an official state question: “Red or Green?” The answer reveals one’s preference to chiles grown and typically eaten in different parts of the state, with those in the south traditionally favoring green chiles and others opting for slightly smoother, smokier red chiles.

Yogurt, New York

It’s probably not surprising that New York’s state fruit is the apple (big or otherwise) – but yogurt? The cultured creamy stuff was designated the official state snack in 2014. Only a handful of states have an official snack, often in addition to other foods, and yogurt might seem like an odd choice on the surface.

Yogurt, New York

New York is actually the top yogurt producer in the US, largely due to the increasingly popularity of thick, velvety strained Greek-style yogurt. Two big brands that produce this type are based in the state, which overall accounts for more than 15% of all yogurt produced in the country.

Brown shrimp, Alabama

Alabama has several state symbols, including edible goodies like the Lane Cake – laced with bourbon and slathered with coconut icing – and its official nut, the pecan. In 2015, the buffet was joined by a state crustacean, the brown shrimp – thanks to a campaign by some elementary school pupils. Third-grade students at Fairhope Elementary School had already successfully lobbied for a state amphibian – the Red Hills salamander – and a state fruit, the blackberry.

Brown shrimp, Alabama

They chose brown shrimp – also known as crangon crangon – after researching the most fished crustaceans and studying the creatures, and drafted a bill that was passed in the Alabama House of Representatives. The shellfish, caught year-round on the Gulf Coast, are among the state’s most popular foods, known for being smaller, easier to peel and stronger in flavor than some other types.

Ice cream cone, Missouri

Missouri holds on to its culinary heritage with one firm hand, probably with sticky, melting ice cream running down it. Because the Show-Me State’s official dessert is the ice cream cone. The clever, crunchy, edible ice cream container made its debut at the 1904 World’s Fair, held in the Missouri city of St. Louis.

Ice cream cone, Missouri

Legend has it that an ice cream vendor ran out of paper cups so rather ingeniously served the frozen treat in rolled-up waffles instead. The cone scooped its place as the state’s official dessert in 2008, following a proposal made by a group of home-schooled pupils in St. Louis County earlier that same year.

Peach, Georgia

Some state foods are surprising and even obscure. But Georgia’s is so strongly associated with peaches that the juicy stone fruit is the star of New Year’s Eve celebrations in the capital, Atlanta: a giant peach is ‘dropped’ from a tower at midnight in a take on New York City’s famous bell drop. It was named the official state fruit in 1995, though Georgia’s association with peaches stretches back much further.

Peach, Georgia

It’s believed they were first introduced to the state via St. Simons and Cumberland barrier islands, planted by Franciscan monks in the 16th century. The commercial peach industry boomed in the small town of Marshallvile, south of Atlanta, in the late 19th century. Most are sold fresh and at peak juiciness, though there’s also a small peach wine industry – and a number go into making the world’s largest peach cobbler at the annual Peach Festival.

Cynthiana grape, Arkansas

Arkansas might not be the first state that springs to mind when it comes to wine, but the Natural State’s official food is a nod to its well-established viticulture scene, which is the oldest in southern USA. It got its very own state grape in 2009. The Cynthiana, or Norton, grape is native to America and is sometimes referred to as the “forgotten grape” because it all but disappeared after vines were ripped up during Prohibition, with European varieties later gaining favor.

Cynthiana grape, Arkansas

It was actually developed in Virginia but was planted widely in Arkansas and Missouri, too. Arkansas’ other official foods also reflect its prolific production. Rice is the official state grain, with Arkansas the top rice-producing state in the US, while the vine ripe pink tomato occupies a unique status as the official state fruit and vegetable, perhaps because many people misidentify it as the latter.

Avocado, California

Avocados were declared the state’s official fruit in 2013, at the same time as artichokes were named the state vegetable. Both play a part in trendy sharing dishes guacamole and steamed artichokes, but avocados are particularly apt. It’s hard to find a restaurant or café that doesn’t have them on the menu, whether that’s in a burrito or chopped up in a breakfast scramble, while the popular Hass variety is native to California.

Avocado, California

The creamy-fleshed favorites only kept their lofty status for less than a year, though, as the declaration was made by an interim governor and so far hasn’t been made permanent. There is, however, an Avocado Highway. The 22-mile (35km) stretch, between Escondido and Temecula on San Diego County in the south, is flanked by groves growing the waxy-skinned fruit. It was a popular nickname before being officially adopted in 1997.

Kuchen, South Dakota

It could appear that South Dakota is being a little greedy in its choice of state dessert. Kuchen is the German word for ‘cake’, which obviously covers quite a variety of sweet deliciousness. Typically it refers to desserts of German or Russian heritage that are in some ways more like pies or pastries, with the typical South Dakota or prairie–style kuchen having a thick crust and custard-based filling.

Kuchen, South Dakota

This variety, often referred to as a dough pie, was named the official state dessert in 2000 and is based on recipes introduced by German settlers in the 1880s. Its heritage is celebrated at festivals across the state, while many bakeries still specialize in kuchen. Other popular styles of kuchen include one with a cake-like crust and apple filling, pastries with cinnamon and sugar, and cheesecake-style with cherries and custard.

Potato, Idaho

Idaho has long been associated with potatoes and the state embraces the root vegetable with gusto, claiming to grow the best spuds in the world. The first potatoes here are said to have been planted in the north of the state by Reverend Henry Spaulding, with a combination of rich volcanic soil, sunny days, cool nights and natural irrigation provided by rivers helping the crops to thrive.

Potato, Idaho

So it’s perhaps surprising that the potato wasn’t named the state’s official vegetable until 2002. There’s even an Idaho Potato Museum in the city of Blackfoot. History exhibits are interwoven with fun memorabilia, including a Mr. Potato Head collection, though the main attraction is probably the giant baked spud that graces the entrance, topped with sour cream and cheese.

Boston cream pie, Massachusetts

The Boston cream pie is, in fact, a cake: a buttery yellow sponge filled with custard or cream and topped with chocolate icing. It’s claimed to have been invented in 1856 at Boston’s Parker House (now Omni Parker House), with the hotel still serving its signature dessert. Pie and cake tins were often used interchangeably, so pies were often referred to as cakes and vice versa.

Boston cream pie, Massachusetts

It was declared the official state dessert in 1996 after a bill sponsored by a high school class. Other candidates considered for the honor included Toll House cookies, whose recipe was created at a Massachusetts inn and later sold to Nestlé for the price of a lifetime supply of chocolate. There are clearly a few sweet teeth in Massachusetts, as the Boston cream donut and chocolate chip cookie are fellow state foods – along with baked navy beans, typically used to make the famous sticky-sweet Boston beans.

Blueberry and strawberry, North Carolina

North Carolina keeps it specific – and rather literal – when it comes to state foods. It has a state red berry, the strawberry, and a state blue berry, the, erm, blueberry. Basically, both are so popular here – and so important to the agricultural economy – that the legislature found it impossible to choose between them. The debate began in early 2001 when elementary schoolchildren in Wayne county petitioned for the strawberry to be named the official state fruit.

Blueberry and strawberry, North Carolina

Some argued for the blueberry and others still believed the scuppernong grape should represent the state. It became such a contentious issue that it was only resolved after months of debate. Eventually all three were recognized, with scuppernong separately crowned the state’s official grape. Strawberries and blueberries are grown prolifically throughout the state, with pick-your-own farms particularly popular.

Gumbo, Louisiana

Louisiana is known for its distinctive (and delicious) cuisine so it makes sense that the state has an official dish, rather than just a plain old ingredient. It also makes sense that the state dish is gumbo, the soupy, stewy, subtly spicy concoction made with rice, a rich roux base and differing combinations of meat, seafood and vegetables. The ubiquitous dish can be found on menus throughout the state, though not all gumbos are the same.

Gumbo, Louisiana

The different styles of gumbo reflect the rich and varied cultures of Louisiana. The best-known recipes are Creole-style – characterized by its tomato base – and Cajun-style gumbo, which usually has either meat or seafood and is made with a darker roux. The Creole dish tends to be thickened with okra, too, giving it a sticky, satisfying texture and a rich complexity befitting the cuisine and its African, Native American and European heritage.

Popcorn, Illinois

The state – or at least its biggest city Chicago – is perhaps better associated with pizza, but popcorn has been the official state snack since 2003. Mason County, southwest of Chicago, grows more popcorn than any other county in the US. Or, rather, it grows the specific variety of corn whose kernels are then used to make the movie snack – it doesn’t actually emerge puffed-up, salted and packaged in stripy boxes, sadly.

Popcorn, Illinois

It’s long been a favorite across the state, with varieties from plain to gourmet, but it was thanks to a class project at an elementary school that it was made official. A favorite is ‘Chicago mix’, which is a mash up of cheese and caramel popcorn (tastier than it sounds). The state also has pumpkin pie as an official state food, which makes it sound like a very delicious place to be indeed.

Barbecue, South Carolina

There’s something particularly appealing about a state picnic cuisine, especially when it’s barbecue. The roots of barbecue are often – and passionately – debated. But South Carolina claims to be the true ‘Birthplace of Barbecue’, tracing the style of low, slow cooking to the 16th century, when Spanish explorers brought pigs to America and they were cooked whole over fire using indigenous cooking techniques.

Barbecue, South Carolina

There are also frequent arguments about the best style of barbecue – with only pork classed as barbecue in South Carolina – and whether sauce should be added during cooking, after cooking, or both. The state’s love of slow-cooked, smoky, soft as butter meat is undeniable, though. It was named the state’s official picnic cuisine in 2014 and there’s also a BBQ Trail highlighting the best spots to sample it.

Whoopie pie, Maine

Maine gets a little greedy with two pies given ‘official state food’ status: one is the state dessert and the other the state treat. But, to be fair, we’d find it tough to choose between the blueberry pie and whoopie pie. The latter is kind of like a hamburger where rounds of chocolate cake or soft cookies are the bun and a thick marshmallow filling is the burger. They’re sometimes made with creamy frosting inside and modern versions mix things up with different flavored cake.

Whoopie pie, Maine

Some argue they’re cakes rather than pies while, to others, whoopie pies are actually cookies. They’re also sometimes called moon pies. What is inarguable, though, is how beloved they are in Maine – even though it’s claimed the recipe originates in Pennsylvanian Amish communities. They’ve been baked in Maine since the 1920s and received the official state treat designation in 2011.

Jell-O, Utah

Utahns don’t like Jell-O. They love it. At least, enough of them do for the brand of the wobbly pudding to be officially named the state snack in 2001. The gelatin’s presence here is almost as old as the state itself, introduced in 1897, a year after Utah became part of the US, and had long been a hugely popular food. More Jell-O per capita is consumed in Utah than any other state and it featured on pins designed for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Jell-O, Utah

Senator Mike Lee usually hosts regular ‘Jello-O Wednesdays’ at his Washington DC office to make “visitors from Utah feel at home”. The most favored flavor is lime, which is often eaten by the spoonful with the addition of grated carrots and often brought to family get-togethers, church events and community cookouts. The widely held theory is that the jiggly stuff is so popular because Utah has a high number of teetotal Mormons, who eat sweet treats in place of alcohol.

Calamari, Rhode Island

America’s smallest state punches above its weight when it comes to delicious produce and it’s especially famed for seafood fresh from the Atlantic and pulled in daily by local fishing boats. Specifically, it’s known for small, sweet, delicate-tasting squid, served battered and fried in bite-size pieces. Calamari became the official state appetizer in 2014, reflecting its popularity and importance to the economy.

Calamari, Rhode Island

It’s not just any calamari, though. The official dish is Rhode Island–style calamari, where tubes and tentacles are dusted in flour laced with pepper and garlic before being pan-fried and tossed with hot cherry peppers and more garlic. Pickle brine is sometimes added for extra tang and the tender pieces are often tipped out onto a bed of crisp lettuce.

Key lime pie, Florida

Few foods are so intertwined with the identity of a place than key lime pie. The classic dessert is particularly ubiquitous throughout the Florida Keys archipelago. It’s a tangy treat, too, like a cheesecake made with a base of crushed-up crackers, with a cool, creamy condensed milk filling brightened by tart key limes and topped with meringue or whipped cream. Yet its origins have been called into question.

Key lime pie, Florida

Key West legend has it that the dreamy pie was first created by a cook, known as ‘Aunt Sally’, who worked for millionaire William Curry in the late 19th century. But a more recent theory suggests the pie was invented by milk company Borden in its New York test kitchen, with the recipe published in 1931. Nevertheless it became Florida’s official pie in 2006 and is such an important part of Key West heritage that there’s an annual festival in its honor.