One of the most common questions a traveler asks when venturing into a new city is what local dish they have to try. Eating the local cuisine is one of the best ways to connect with the history of the place you're visiting, the industries that sustain the community and gain insight on the people who live there.
But every dish has a history, and sometimes that history can make the food taste even better. Here are the most interesting stories behind local dishes across America.
German chocolate cake - Dallas
A slice of German chocolate cake — Photo courtesy of iStock / LauriPatterson
The only thing German about this cake is its name. Everything else about this decadent chocolate treat is straight out of Texas. The first recipe appeared in The Dallas Morning News in 1957, and its name, German chocolate cake, has nothing to do with Germany. Instead, the name derives from one of the main ingredients: Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate.
Cincinnati chili - Cincinnati
It may not look appetizing, but Cincinnati locals swear by it! — Photo courtesy of iStock / wsmahar
Revolting to most Americans, but loved deeply by locals, the Cincinnati Chili is perhaps one of the nation’s most contentious dishes. It was created in the 1920s by Greek Macedonian immigrants who adapted the recipe from a traditional spiced lamb or goat stew.
The spaghetti and chili concoction grew quickly in popularity, with three chains – Skyline, Dixie Chili and Gold Star – competing to this day over whose Cincinnati Chili reigns supreme.
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Buffalo wings - Buffalo
When it comes to Buffalo wings, it's all about the sauce. — Photo courtesy of iStock / Getty Images Plus
The best dishes are born out of drunken cravings, and that's exactly how the legend goes in the case of Buffalo wings. The spicy, sauce-covered morsels were made on a whim by Teressa Bellissimo of Anchor Bar to satisfy a group of tipsy patrons.
According to Arthur Bovino, the author of Buffalo Everything: A Guide to Eating in "The Nickel City," the history of the Buffalo Wing is more complex. There’s a century’s worth of culinary influences that went into the infamous wing. The one element of spontaneity is in the sauce.
Bellissimo chose Frank’s RedHot sauce, the official Buffalo wing sauce, because her husband’s name was also Frank.
Scrapple - Pennsylvania
Scrapple is a diner classic in Pennsylvania. — Photo courtesy of Kae Lani Palmisano
Like many local delicacies, scrapple is a dish that people either love or hate – there seems to be no in-between when it comes to this Pennsylvania breakfast staple.
The history of scrapple in Mid-Atlantic cuisine dates way back to the 17th and 18th centuries. Because the loaf of meat scraps has a long shelf life, it made for a great source of energy when traveling across the ocean to the New World, so German settlers brought the dish with them.
For several hundred years, scrapple has stirred a lot of emotions. From Edward VII of England calling it a "rather delicious native food" to The Great Scrapple Correspondence of 1872, scrapple, the haggis of Pennsylvania, continues to be a controversial breakfast.
Kentucky bourbon - Kentucky
Kentucky Bourbon has been an American industry for over 200 years. — Photo courtesy of Neat: The Story of Bourbon
The history of Kentucky Bourbon is as muddled as a mint julep on Derby Day, but what we do know are the important influences that inspired this truly American spirit. Early settlers were known to make whiskeys with rye and barley for both moonshine and for medicinal purposes.
It’s the introduction of corn (it must be made from at least 51% corn) and its unique distilling process that makes Kentucky bourbon its own breed.
Rocky Mountain oysters - Colorado
You won't find Rocky Mountain oysters in the ocean — Photo courtesy of Getty Images / codyphotography
No, these oysters don’t come from the sea. Brace yourself – because in the great state of Colorado, they consider bull testicles to be a local delicacy. Rocky Mountain oysters can be found on gastropub menus and even at baseball concession stands.
This "cowboy caviar" dates back to the westward expansion in the United States. There were little resources in the remote areas of the frontier, and since castration was a common practice on the ranch (it reduces aggression in males) settlers began introducing bull testicles into their diets. Despite being a little unsettling, they’re perfectly edible and rich in protein.
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Sonoran hot dogs - Tucson
The Sonoran hot dog is a dish with roots in both America and Mexico — Photo courtesy of Michael Milne
Tucson became America’s first UNESCO City of Gastronomy because, according to UNESCO, Tucson has "a 300-year history of agriculture that has forged a wide array of heritage foods." Among those heritage foods is the legendary Sonoran hot dog.
Its history is more contemporary than some foods in the Southwest, as it was likely created in the 1960s. But because it was developed in the neighboring state of Sonora, Mexico and brought to Tucson by food carts, it’s a dish that transcends borders and incorporates a blend of cultures.
Eggs Benedict - New York
With its poached eggs, ham and hollandaise, eggs Benedict is the perfect breakfast — Photo courtesy of Delmonico's
The web that is the history of eggs Benedict is one full of drama between two hotels during the Victorian era. The two competing hotels, Delmonico’s and the Waldorf Hotel, both claim to be the first to place two poached eggs on top of ham and toast and drench it in hollandaise sauce.
There are three competing theories, with one compelling tale involving Oscar Tschirky, the Waldorf’s maître d’hotel who helped popularize the Waldorf salad, red velvet cake and the Martini. Could the "Oscar of the Waldorf" be the originator of eggs Benedict, making the Waldorf the true creator? Possibly – except for the fact that Oscar Tschirky got his start in the restaurant business at Delmonico’s.
Garrett Popcorn - Chicago
Garrett Popcorn is the perfect balance of cheesy, sweet and salty — Photo courtesy of Garrett Brands
Mixing cheesy popcorn and caramel popcorn might seem basic, but in Chicago, it’s an art form perfected by Garrett Popcorn. It’s been a favorite snack in Chicago for decades.
Three generations later, Garrett still uses the same secret family recipe and the same copper kettles to make their legendary popcorn. It’s usually a 50/50 split of CaramelCrisp and CheeseCorn, but savvy popcorn lovers can request their own ratio of caramel to cheesy popcorn.
Lobster - New England
Nowadays, lobster is a delicacy, but over 150 years ago, that wasn't the case — Photo courtesy of Getty Images / Alina555
The story about early American prisoners being fed lobsters as a "cruel and unusual" punishment is likely folklore, but not far off from the truth. Early settlers in New England considered lobster to be trash food because they didn’t know how to prepare lobster. Upon death, the lobster’s stomach releases an enzyme which contaminates the rest of the body. Unlike the native Algonquins who knew how to prepare the lobster, early settlers saw lobster as an unreliable food source.
It wasn’t until the 1860s when canning became a way to preserve foods, when the perception of lobster changed. The rise of the railroads and tourism also turned people onto lobster. Since lobster had to be shipped live, the idea of having fresh Maine lobster in California turned this crustacean into a symbol of social status.