Well, Robbie, I'm not sure you were expecting quite such a response to your
list of official state foods, but I'm enjoying the discussion. Here in
Maine, the Wild Blueberry is probably a safe choice -- although to be
accurate, it is actually (I kid you not) the State Berry. Maine also has a
State Fish, the Landlocked Salmon, and various other official designations
(including a State Cat and a State Fossil!) but no "official" state food
other than the aforementioned. (Of course, everyone probably thinks of
lobster in relation to Maine, but it hasn't been designated with an official
title, maybe because it's an off-shore product.)
We're a little surprised that New Hampshire ended up with pumpkins -- that's
not something we knew about the folks across our border or ever would have
guessed. Thanks for sharing, Robbie!
Trudy Hickey
Special Events Manager
Maine Humanities Council
674 Brighton Avenue
Portland, ME 04102
(207-773-5051)
---------------------------------------------------------
On 6/11/09 7:22 AM, "Davis, Robbie" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Everyone,
>
> As most of you know, we are preparing a revised version of Key Ingredients for
> an extension tour beginning in 2010. As part of that work, we're planning to
> put in a graphic element showing the official or best known foodstuff for an
> individual state (and territory if you have it). We have researched official
> foods and only 33 states have an official food. Some have many. We can
> included one foodstuff per state.
>
> We'd love to have your input as we prepare this list. Here is what we have so
> far:
>
> Alabama: blackberry (official)
> Arkansas: South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato (official)
> Florida: orange (official)
> Georgia: Vidalia onion (official)
> Idaho: potato (official)
> Illinois: apple (official)
> Kentucky: blackberry (official)
> Louisiana: sweet potato (official)
> Maine: wild blueberry
> Maryland: blue crabs
> Massachusetts: cranberry
> Minnesota: morel mushroom
> Missouri: Norton Cynthiana grape
> New Hampshire: pumpkin
> New Jersey: Jersey tomato
> New Mexico: chiles
> New York: apple
> North Carolina: scuppernong grape
> North Dakota: chokecherry
> Oklahoma: strawberry
> Oregon: pear
> Pennsylvania: chocolate chip cookie
> Rhode Island: Rhode Island greening apple
> South Carolina: peach
> South Dakota: kuchen
> Tennessee: tomato
> Texas: jalapeno pepper
> Utah: sugar beet
> Vermont: apple
> Washington: apple
> West Virginia: Golden Delicious apple
> Wisconsin: cranberry
>
> If your state is not listed here, please let me know what top crop your
> citizens would be most likely to call their own. If your state is here and you
> disagree with the selection, let me know. In each of these cases, the item we
> selected is a designated state symbol. Because the graphic will appear in a
> section of the exhibition that discusses crops and ingredients, please avoid
> suggesting any prepared dishes. (We realize that we violated that convention
> for both Pennsylvania and South Dakota. A prepared food is the only one with
> an official designation and we do not want to leave out any state.)
>
> Please reply to me off the list at [log in to unmask] by Friday, June 11. And, no
> food fights! :-)
>
> Best wishes,
> Robbie
>
> Robbie Davis
> Project Director, Museum on Main Street (MoMS)
> Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service
> P.O. Box 37012 MRC 941
> Washington, DC 20013-7012
> [log in to unmask]
> 202-633-5335
>
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