Odd foods by state

 

So a buddy on X posted a map that purported to be, "the oddest food eaten in each state":

Now a lot of these go without saying, so to speak: Texas's rattlesnake, Florida's gator tail, for example.  Some required me to look them up, and some of those results were... interesting...

Alaska's Akutaq: "(ah-goo-duck), is a traditional Alaska Native dish made by whipping animal fat or shortening with berries, snow or water, and sometimes fish or sugar".  Momma, can I have some akutaq?  No, child, we're out of Crisco.  Wait till tonight and we see if daddy brings home some blubber.

Arizona's scorpion lollipops: This is real candy with a real, 'crunchy', non-poisonous scorpion inside. Good Bob, just give me rattlesnake.

New Hampshire's Grape Nuts ice cream;  Just what it says, Grape Nuts cereal mixed into an ice cream/custard base.  The truly nutty thing is where it is popular- Maritime Canada, New England... ...and...

"...Panama, and as a beloved Caribbean favorite in Jamaica..."

North Carolina's Livermush: "a regional pork delicacy made from pig liver (at least 30% by state law), head parts, cornmeal, and spices like black pepper and sage".  Supposedly a lot like Pennsylvania's scrapple, but "with a smoother texture".  I thought of the head cheese my dad's family used to make- but apparently instead of binding it with the cornmeal, it uses "congealed gelatin from boiling skin and bones."  I don't know how they ate half that stuff.

West Virginia's fried squirrel:  Now this I've had many times.  Just like gamey chicken.  See also rabbit.

North Dakota's Lutefisk: When I saw this, I thought it was that fermented rotten-fishy thing they make in Scandinavia.  But I was wrong, sort of.  The fish (usually whitefish or cod) is aged about a week, then soaked in LYE- yep, that harsh soap stuff- which means that afterward it has to be soaked in water for another week or so.  Which leaves you a gooey, alkaline-tasting, foul smelling feast.  Have at it.

Colorado's rocky mountain oysters: Most of us learned what THESE are when we were kids and appreciated gross humor.  If you didn't, go look it up.

Maine's Tomalley: Just when I thought it was flatland hillbillies like my dad's clan that ate all the gross stuff, here comes Tomalley: "the soft, green, paste-like digestive organ (the hepatopancreas) found inside the body cavity of lobsters and crabs".

And now, we have a meal masquerading as a dessert, and a dessert masquerading as a meal:

Nebraska's Hot Beef sundae: Looks like a sundae, but has mashed potatoes for ice cream, roast beef and gravy for hot fudge, shredded cheddar for sprinkles, sour cream for whipped cream, and a cherry tomato for the cherry on top...

Idaho's Ice cream potato: Same principle in reverse.  Molded vanilla ice cream coated in cocoa powder for the potato, whipped cream for the sour cream, and various sprinkles and/or coconut for chives or cheese.

Mind you, I've not had my state's sauerkraut balls, but I would sooner try that than a LOT of these.