Cuisine of the Midwestern United States

Sometimes called "the breadbasket of America", the Midwest serves as a center for grain production, particularly wheat, corn, and soybeans. Beef and pork processing have long been important Midwestern industries. Chicago and Kansas City served as stockyards and processing centers of the beef trade and Cincinnati, nicknamed "Porkopolis", was once the largest pork-producing city in the world. Iowa is the current center of pork production in the U.S. Everyday Midwestern home cooking generally showcases simple and hearty dishes that make use of the abundance of locally grown foods. The traditions of canning and freezing summer foods are still practiced in modern times. It's not unheard of for pies and bread to be baked at home. In addition to making cheese and butter, German and Swiss dairy farmers raised milk-fed veal and produced a type of white beer called weisse bier. Germans brought dishes like Hassenpfeffer, sauerbraten, Spätzle, Maultasche, Schnitzel, and pumpernickel bread. Lutefisk and other types of pickled and smoked fish were introduced by Scandinavians. In the 19th century, as the frontier advanced westward, recipes had to be adapted based on the availability of ingredients. Danish frikadeller and aebleskivers were served with locally grown chokecherry or blueberry syrup. Custard-style puddings similar to figgy pudding were made with native wild persimmons. A typical Midwestern breakfast might have included meat, eggs, potatoes, fruit preserves, and pie or doughnuts. More settlers began to arrive in the rural Midwest after the Erie Canal was completed in the 1820s. Rural and urban foodways began to diverge as cash-strapped immigrants became dependent on packaged foods. The expansion of railroads in the 1870s and 1880s allowed fresh citrus fruits to be shipped to the Midwest. Beginning in the 1930s, fine dining was offered on railroad cars. Some of the dishes found on the menu were cashew chicken, baked filet of Lake Superior whitefish au gratin and the ambiguous dessert called "floating island". Ethnic influences Some European foodways have, by wide acceptance, become part of the local cuisine to a degree that they have shed most cultural associations with specific immigrant groups. ==Urban centers==

Chicago The local cuisine of Chicago has been shaped by its Greek, Jewish, and Italian communities. Jewish immigrant communities of Eastern European origin ate oatmeal cereal called krupnik, made with milk only when it was available. Workers carried packed lunches of bagels, knish, and herring to work. Throughout the city there are many variations on classic sandwiches like the Chicago-style hot dog or club sandwiches served on bagels or other artisan breads like sourdough or brioche with complex spreads like aioli and piri piri sauce. The iconic Italian beef sandwich, made with slow-cooked tough cuts of beef, originated during the Great Depression. Italian-American cuisine continued to flourish in Chicago as American forces returned from World War II with a taste for Italian foods. Pepper- and onion-topped Italian pork sausage sandwiches became widely available, and can still be found at festivals, fairs, and ballparks today. Italians are also known for Chicken Vesuvio, bone-in chicken sauteed with oregano and garlic in white wine sauce and finished in the oven with potatoes. Taste of Cincinnati, the longest running culinary arts festival in the United States, is held each year on Memorial Day weekend. In 2014, local chefs and food writers organized the inaugural Cincinnati Food & Wine Classic, which drew chefs and artisan food producers from the region. The area was once a national center for pork processing and is often nicknamed Porkopolis, with many references to that heritage in menu-item names and food-event names; Local specialties, such as the pork-based dish City Chicken and the Polish Boy (a loaded sausage sandwich native to Cleveland), are dishes definitive of a cuisine that is based on hearty, inexpensive fare. Commercially, Hector Boiardi (aka Chef Boyardee) started his business in Cleveland's Little Italy. Detroit Detroit specialties include Coney Island hot dogs, found at hundreds of unaffiliated "Coney Island" restaurants. Not to be confused with a chili dog, a coney is served with a ground beef sauce, chopped onions, and mustard. The Coney Special has an additional ground beef topping. It is often served with French fries. Food writers Jane and Michael Stern call out Detroit as the only "place to start" in pinpointing "the top Coney Islands in the land." |alt= Detroit also has its own style of pizza called Detroit-style Pizza. It is a rectangular pan pizza with a thick, crisp, chewy crust. It is traditionally topped to the edges with mozzarella or Wisconsin brick cheese, which caramelizes against the high-sided heavyweight rectangular pan. Polish food is also prominent in the region, including popular dishes such as pierogi, borscht, and pączki. Bakeries concentrated in the Polish enclave of Hamtramck, Michigan, within the city, are celebrated for their pączki, especially on Fat Tuesday. Detroit is also known for its corned beef sandwiches. Hungarian food is featured in nearby eastern Toledo, Ohio with Tony Packo's Hungarian hot dog, a form of kolbász. Kansas City Kansas City is an important barbecue and meat-processing center with a distinctive barbecue style. The Kansas City metropolitan area has more than 100 barbecue restaurants and proclaims itself to be the "world's barbecue capital." The Kansas City Barbeque Society spreads its influence across the nation through its barbecue-contest standards. Kansas City's barbecue craze can be traced back to Henry Perry, who in the early 1920s started barbecuing in an outdoor pit adjacent to his streetcar barn. St. Louis The large number of Irish and German immigrants who came to St. Louis beginning in the early 19th century contributed significantly to the shaping of local cuisine by their uses of beef, pork, and chicken, often roasted or grilled, and desserts including rich cakes, stollens, fruit pies, doughnuts, and cookies. A local form of fresh-stick pretzel, called Gus's Pretzels, has been sold singly and by the bagful by street-corner vendors. Mayfair salad dressing was a mainstay at a St. Louis hotel of the same name, and one of the original recipes from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. St. Louis is also known for popularizing the ice cream cone and for inventing gooey butter cake (a rich, soft-centered coffee cake) and frozen custard. Iced tea is also rumored to have been invented at the World's Fair, as well as the hot dog bun. A staple of grilling in St. Louis is the pork steak, which is sliced from the shoulder of the pig and often basted with or simmered in barbecue sauce during cooking. Other popular grilled items include crispy snoots, cut from the cheeks and nostrils of the pig; bratwurst; and Italian sausage, often referred to as "sah-zittsa," a localization of its Italian name, salsiccia. Maull's is a popular brand of barbecue sauce in the St. Louis area. Restaurants on The Hill reflect the lasting influence of the early 20th-century Milanese and Sicilian immigrant community. Two unique Italian-American style dishes include "toasted" ravioli, which is breaded and fried, and St. Louis-style pizza, which has a crisp, thin crust and is usually made with Provel cheese instead of traditional mozzarella. A poor boy sandwich is the traditional name in St. Louis for a submarine sandwich. A St. Paul sandwich is a St. Louis sandwich, available in Chinese-American restaurants. A slinger is a diner and late-night specialty consisting of eggs, hash browns, and hamburger, topped with chili, cheese, and onion. Milwaukee Traditional cuisine in Wisconsin was influenced by the European immigration there, so much, that it could be considered the "most European in the United States". Foods frequently considered comfort foods, and foods signature to Wisconsin culture in Milwaukee include cheese dishes, butter burgers, beer, Bloody Marys, beer soup, cheese curds, fish fry, and bratwursts. There is a sizeable number of farms spread across Wisconsin for dairy, corn, and meat production. Twin Cities of Minnesota Once known as "Mill City", homemade breads and pies feature prominently in Minneapolis cuisine. Bread and cakes available at the Eagle Bakery in 1850 included fruitcake, pound cake and something called "Fancy cake" for the holidays. In the 1930s, there were four Jewish bakeries within a few blocks of each other baking bagels and other fresh breads. Jewish families purchased challah loaves for their Sabbath meal at the North Side Bakery. There were two kosher meat markets and four Jewish delicatessens, one of which began distribution for what would become Sara Lee frozen cheesecakes. The delis sold sandwiches like corned beef and salami. Minneapolis is more racially and ethnically diverse than the rest of Minnesota. For the diverse ethnic groups that call Minneapolis home, retaining their distinct ethnic culture remains a goal that is supported by ethnic-oriented community organizations. Celebrating ethnic holidays and get togethers by preparing traditional foods remains a major symbol of cultural retention. It is a way people share their heritage and culture with outsiders. There are a plethora of restaurants serving ethnic cuisines. Today, there are many restaurants serving various Polish dishes like polish sausage, pierogies and stuffed cabbage rolls. and typical German foods like rippchen, knackwurst, and wiener schnitzel. Traditionally, potato salad and kraut were served alongside an entree of bratwurst or ham hocks. A side of spaetzle and red cabbage would accompany sauerbraten or rouladen. In the fall, the Twin Cities share along with Green Bay, Wisconsin, the tradition of the neighborhood booyah, a cuisine and cultural event featuring a hodge-podge of ingredients in stews. American restaurants in the Twin Cities supply a wide spectrum of choices and styles that range from small diners, sports bars and decades-old supper clubs to high-end steakhouses and eateries that serve new American cuisine using locally grown ingredients. The Jucy Lucy (or "Juicy Lucy"), claimed as an innovation of the local pubs, is a hamburger with a core of melted cheese. Authentic offerings began at the influential Nankin Cafe which opened in 1919, and many new Chinese immigrants soon took this cuisine throughout the Twin Cities and to the suburbs. The cuisine of Japan has been present since the opening of the area's very first Japanese restaurant, Fuji Ya in 1959. Since 1976 Supenn Supatanskinkasem has been cooking and serving Thai food through her Minnesota State Fair Booth, Siam Café, and Sawatdee chain of Thai restaurants. Modern dining options include phở noodle shops, banh mi and Thai curry restaurants. Restaurants offering other cuisines of Asia including those from Afghanistan, India, Nepal and the Philippines are also recent additions to the Twin Cities dining scene. Local ingredients are often integrated into Asian offerings, for example Chinese steamed walleye and Nepalese curried bison. Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants serve tacos, tortas, tamales and other similar dishes. Cuisines from Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador, Peru and the Spanish Speaking West Indies are also represented, as well as Native American cuisine. The Twin Cities are home to many restaurants that serve the cuisines of the Mediterranean, Middle East and Northeast Africa including, Greek, Ethiopian and Somalia have also opened a number of restaurants in Minnesota. West-African immigrants have brought their own cuisine in recent years. There is also a presence of Afro-Caribbean restaurants, with the famed Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis being home to two Caribbean restaurants. Omaha is a hot sandwich of corned beef or pastrami, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, with Russian or Thousand Island dressing on rye bread Omaha is known for its steakhouses, many of which have closed. Central European and Southern influences can be seen in the local popularity of carp and South 24th Street contains a multitude of Mexican restaurants. North Omaha also has its own barbecue style. Omaha is one of the places claiming to have invented the reuben sandwich, supposedly named for Reuben Kulakofsky, a grocer from the Dundee neighborhood. Godfather's Pizza is one of the chain restaurants that originated in Omaha. The cheese frenchee is also a local favorite and staple, originating from the original King's Food Host fast-food restaurants. ==Regional specialties==

Illinois originates from Springfield, Illinois Early settlement in Illinois along the Ohio River included farm owners, tenant farmers and sharecroppers. The lowest rung were called "river rats", similar to folks who lived along the Illinois River foraging for clams and mussels, mostly German, Irish, English and Appalachian. During winter months when fish, clams and mussels were inaccessible the "river people", or alternately "shantyboat dwellers" hunted possums, beaver or raccoons. German settlers arriving in the 19th century brought foods like wienerschnitzel, sauerbraten, potato pancakes, rouladen, bratwurst, liverwurst, hasenpfeffer, liver dumplings, cakes like Black Forest cake, Lebkuchen and Schnecken, strudel and cookie recipes like Sandbakelse and Pfeffernüsse. The horseshoe sandwich is rarely seen outside Springfield, Illinois. The original version from Springfield was an open-faced sandwich made from a horseshoe-shaped ham steak and two pieces of white toast but it is available with other types of meat like chicken cutlets or hamburger. The sandwich is served with a cheese sauce similar to Welsh rarebit and french fries. Indiana Indiana claims shoreline along Lake Michigan, so freshwater fish like perch and walleye have a place on local menus. Biscuits and gravy, topped with sausage gravy, can be found at diners throughout the state, sometimes served with eggs on the side, or other breakfast sides like home fries. Chicken and noodles (or beef and noodles) are served over mashed potatoes. German pubs serve traditional fare like sausages, schnitzels, rouladen, and sauerbraten. Fried brain sandwich is not very common any more but was more widely available in the past. It was first brought to Evansville by German immigrants. Indiana produces roughly 25,000 gallons of maple syrup each year, making it a popular condiment for different sweet and savory foods. Fried biscuits are a specialty of the state, served with cinnamon sugar and spiced apple butter. Deep-fried pork tenderloin and fried bologna sandwiches are popular in Indianapolis and other parts of the state. A popular dish seen almost exclusively in Indiana is sugar cream pie (also called Hoosier pie) which most likely originated in the state's Amish community. Some say it originated with the Shaker settlements along Indiana's eastern border with Ohio. The simple milk and sugar pie may be related to the Amish Bob Andy pie, Pennsylvania's shoo-fly pie and North Carolina's brown sugar pie. Indiana produces more popcorn than any other state except Nebraska. a dish consisting of cornmeal which is boiled, then cut into pieces and fried in oil. The dish is normally served with maple syrup or molasses on top. Iowa as served in Cedar Rapids, Iowa When French Icarians arrived in the 19th century their simple meals were put together using just a few basics: milk, butter, bacon and corn bread. The Amana Colony settled on the rich soils of Iowa and until the 1930s their meals were provided by communal kitchens supplied by the village orchards, communal gardens, vineyards, bakery, smokehouse and dairy. Iowa's last communal meal was served in 1932. Traditional recipes from Amana's communal kitchens include radish salad, apple bread, strawberry rhubarb pie, and dumpling soup. Danish immigrants brought apple cake and spherical æbleskiver pancakes. Dutch letters, pastries filled with almond paste and shaped like an 'S,' are also common in Iowa, although they were historically only made for Sinterklaas Day. Iowa's Dutch bakeries offer other baked goods like speculaas and boter koek. Czech immigrants contributed pastry filled with sweetened fruit or cheese called kolaches. Kringla, krumkake and lefse are found at church suppers throughout the holiday season when a typical lutefisk dinner would include mashed potatoes, cranberry salad, corn, rutabaga, , meatballs with gravy, and Norwegian pastry for dessert. Sliced pickle wraps or roll-ups made with dill pickles wrapped in cream cheese and ham may have derived from German cuisine. The original Maid-Rite sandwich from the 1920s is a ground meat sandwich with pickles, ketchup, mustard, and onions. Hot beef sandwich is made with leftover pot roast topped with gravy and mashed potatoes. This is reflected in Iowan cuisine, which includes the pork tenderloin sandwich (or simply "pork tenderloin"), consisting of a lean section of boneless pork loin pounded flat, breaded, and deep fried before being served on a seeded hamburger bun with any or all of ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, and dill pickle slices. It is a popular "fair food" at the Iowa State Fair where the meat of a pork tenderloin sandwich is often far larger than the area of the bun. Burgers are made with local beef. Iowa is the leader in corn production in the United States, also leading in production of eggs and pork. Kansas is a cattle-producing state so pot roasts and steak dinners are staples of the local diet. Chili is served alongside cinnamon rolls in a commonly found but unlikely pairing. and coconut cream pie. Bierock is a stuffed yeast bread filled with sausage, ground beef, cabbage and onion that was introduced by Volga Germans. Today, it can be found in varieties like garlic chicken or vegetable. Alcoholic beverages As of November 2006, Kansas still has 29 dry counties; only 17 counties have passed liquor-by-the-drink without a food sales requirement. Today there are more than 2600 liquor and 4000 cereal malt beverage licensees in the state. Michigan Michigan is a large producer of asparagus, a vegetable crop widespread in spring. Western and northern Michigan are notable in the production of apples, blueberries, and cherries. The Northwestern region of Michigan's Lower Peninsula accounts for approximately 75 percent of the U.S. crop of tart cherries, usually about 250 million pounds (11.3 Gg). A popular dish, Michigan chicken salad, includes cherries and often apples. Fruit salsas are also popular, with cherry salsa being especially prominent. Michigan's wine and beer industries are substantial in the region. The Traverse City area is a popular destination to visit wineries and the state makes many varieties of wine, such as Rieslings, ice wines, and fruit wines. Micro-breweries continue to blossom, creating a wide range of unique beers. Grand Rapids was voted Beer City USA 2013 in the Beer City USA poll, with Founders being the largest of Grand Rapids' breweries. Bell's, another large Michigan craft brewery, is located further south in Kalamazoo. Michigan is the home of both Post and Kellogg, with Battle Creek being called Cereal City. Vernor's ginger ale and Faygo pop also originate in Michigan. Vernor's ginger ale is often used as a home remedy for an upset stomach. Additionally, two of the three largest pizza companies in the world, Little Caesars and Domino's Pizza, both originate in Michigan. Coney Islands, a diner originating with Greek immigrants in Detroit, are fairly common throughout the state. Cornish immigrant miners introduced the pasty to Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P.) as a convenient meal to take to work in the numerous copper, iron, silver, and nickel mines of that region. Hotdishes are filling comfort foods that are convenient and easy to make. Tater tot hotdish is a popular dish, and as Minnesota is one of the leading producers of wild rice, wild rice hotdishes are quite popular. Dessert bars are the second of the two essentials for potlucks in Minnesota. Other dishes include glorified rice, German baked apples and cookie salad. Walleye, trout, herring, crappie, lutefisk, wild rice, raspberry, blueberry and strawberry are preferred ingredients in modern Minnesotan cuisine. Typical sides include mashed potatoes, pickles, jello salad, locally grown boiled new potatoes seasoned with fresh herbs or horseradish, baked beans, and vegetables like sweet corn on the cob, or buttered peas, carrots and green beans. Preferred to rice or pasta, potatoes are often served alongside buttered rolls and homemade strawberry jam. Food selections served at the annual Minnesota State Fair in past years have included watermelon pickles, baked beans, hot dogs, buffalo burgers, deep-fried cheese curds, glazed ham and homemade apple pie. New foods for 2019 included fried tacos on a stick, Turkish pizza, stuffed cabbage rolls, feta bites, shrimp and grits fritters, blueberry key lime pie and assorted other dessert selections. Scandinavian cuisine has had a significant impact on the cuisine of Minnesota. The cafe at the American Swedish Institute serves Swedish dishes like gravlax with dill, potato dumplings and Swedish meatballs with lingonberry jam. Settlers were used to the cold, rugged work as many of these immigrants came directly from the coastal fishing villages of Norway. Walleye is the state fish of Minnesota and it is common to find it on restaurant menus. Battered and deep-fried is a popular preparation for walleye, as is grilling. Many restaurants feature walleye on their Friday night fish fry. Letters and household accounts of Minnesota residents give details of mid-19th century frontier cuisine. A farmer's wife writes to her cousin about harvest in Rochester, Minnesota: "My hand is so tired perhaps you'll excuse penciling", explaining she woke before four to skim milk, churn butter and bake "6 loaves of bread & seven pumpkin pies". In those days a full multi-course meal served for a special occasions would have started with a typical soup followed by a choice of local fish and the so-called "boiled dishes" like chicken with egg sauce, ham or corned beef. Entrees were followed by assorted roast meats served with cranberry sauce. Early Minnesotans used cranberries in pies, molded desserts and frozen confections. German immigrants brought kohlrabi with them. Slovenian and Croatian immigrants brought the honey-nut bread called potica to the Iron Range region, which is also known for Cornish pasties. Porketta, a pork roast seasoned with fennel and garlic and served with either sliced or shredded like a pulled pork sandwich was brought to Minnesota and the Iron Range region by Italian immigrants. The Safari Express is a Somali cuisine fast food spot that serves camel burgers and fries. Halal Hotdogs is a not-for-profit providing employment and job training to new immigrants. Missouri In Missouri, much of the cuisine is influenced by the environment as well as the heritage of early settlers to the state. In the Ozarks, country ham, fried chicken, catfish, and frog legs are popular entrée choices, commonly served with fried potatoes, baked beans and biscuits. Springfield style cashew chicken is a dish served at most Chinese restaurants in the Ozarks. Mid-Missouri and Northern Missourians eat a lot of beef (steaks, hamburgers, meatloaf, and roasts) and pork (steak, roasts, chops, and BBQ); sides often include potatoes (baked, mashed, cheesy, fried) and green vegetables (green beans, asparagus, zucchini). Barbecue, mainly pork and beef, is popular in both St. Louis and Kansas City, as well as in much of the southern half of the state. In Southern Missouri, sweet tea is commonly available at restaurants, while in Northern Missouri most citizens prefer unsweetened tea. Missourians also enjoy beer and bacon, with many businesses specializing in these Missouri staples. St. Louis features toasted ravioli, St. Louis-style pizza, and gooey butter cake. Kansas City is known for their K.C.-style BBQ-sauced burnt ends. Another region; the Missouri Rhineland, located along the valley of the Missouri River, is known for its wineries. Missourians enjoy regional wines and often eat summer sausage, cheese, and crackers while enjoying. Fishing is popular throughout the state, and fish fries are regular social events. They often feature catfish, largemouth bass, and crappie. Fried potatoes, morel mushrooms (when in season), and onion rings are commonly fried as well at these social gatherings. For breakfast, Missourians enjoy bacon, country ham, breakfast sausage with eggs, hash browns, and toast or biscuits. Biscuits and gravy, pancakes, and breakfast casseroles are also some favorites. Nebraska A significant population of Germans from Russia settled in Nebraska, leading to one of the state's most iconic dishes, the runza sandwich. Large numbers of Czech immigrants, especially in southeastern Nebraska, influenced the culture and cuisine of the area. Wilber, Nebraska, is the self-designated Czech capital of the US and celebrates an annual Czech Days festival at which Czech food, such as kolaches, roast duck, and pork and dumplings, is served. In 2015, Nebraska resettled the largest number of refugees per capita in the United States, and Lincoln, Nebraska, has been a significant resettlement location for refugees since the 1980s, particularly Vietnamese-Americans. A large Vietnamese-American population in Lincoln has created Vietnamese markets—which sell ingredients, such as fresh persimmon, not typically found in Midwestern grocery store chains—and Vietnamese restaurants which sell foods such as pho and bánh mì. popcorn pudding, sweet corn cake). The cheese frenchee, a deep-fried cheese sandwich, was invented in Lincoln, Nebraska, at a King's Food Host Restaurant in the 1950s. It went on to become a regional favorite. North Dakota Cuisine in North Dakota has been heavily influenced by both Norwegians and Germans from Russia, ethnic groups that have historically accounted for a large portion of North Dakota's population. Norwegian contributions to the state include lefse, lutefisk, krumkake, and rosettes. Much of the Norwegian-influenced cuisine is also common in Minnesota and other states where Norwegians and their descendants lived, although it may be the greater in North Dakota than any other state. Norwegians played a large role in settling the area, and nearly one-third of North Dakotans claim Norwegian ancestry. Norwegian ancestry was historically more widespread throughout the northern half and eastern third of North Dakota, and therefore plays a stronger role in local cuisine in those parts of the state. German-Russian cuisine is primarily influenced by that of the , or Black Sea Germans, who heavily populated south-central and southwestern North Dakota (an area known as the German-Russian Triangle), as well as areas of South Dakota. While large numbers of , Germans from Russia who lived near the Volga River in Russia (several hundred miles away from the Black Sea), also settled in the United States, they did not settle in large numbers in the Dakotas. Popular German-Russian cuisine includes kuchen, a thin, cheesecake-like custard pastry often filled with fruit such as cherries, apricot, prunes, and sometimes cottage cheese. Fleischkuekle (or ) is a popular meat-filled thin flatbread that is deep-fried and served hot. Another German-Russian specialty in the area is knoephla, a dumpling soup that almost always includes potatoes, and to a lesser extent, celery. Ohio Buckeye candy is a confection popular in the state of Ohio; it is the local variation of a peanut butter cup. Coated in chocolate, with a partially exposed center of peanut butter fudge, in appearance the candy resembles the chestnut that grows on the state tree, commonly known as the Buckeye. Cincinnati-style chili is a Greek-inspired meat sauce, (ground beef seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, bay leaf, cumin, chili powder, and in some home recipes, chocolate), used as a topping for spaghetti or hot dogs. Additionally, red beans, chopped onions, and shredded cheese are offered as extra toppings referred to as "ways". Goetta is a German-inspired meat-and-grain sausage that is mainly popular in Cincinnati. It is primarily composed of ground meat, steel-cut oats, and spices. There is an annual Goetta Festival held in Newport, Kentucky. A local specialty of Ohio are sauerkraut balls, meatball-sized fritter containing sauerkraut and some combination of ham, bacon, and pork. An annual Sauerkraut Festival is held in Waynesville, Ohio. Barberton, Ohio, part of the greater Akron area, is a small industrial city and home of Barberton Chicken, a dish of chicken deep fried in lard that was created by Serbian immigrants. It is usually accompanied by a hot rice dish, vinegar coleslaw and french fries. South Dakota Rocky Mountain oysters, a dish made from bull testicles, are one of the most notable dishes from South Dakota. Another dish is known as bierock, which is similar to meat-pie dishes of Central and Eastern Europe. Though treated as a novelty, fried chicken gizzards can be found served at some restaurants. Much of South Dakotan cuisine mirrors the influence of European immigrants, especially of Norwegian and German cultures, like those of nearby states. It is estimated that at least 40% of South Dakotans have German ancestry, and at least 15% Norwegian. In particular, the towns East River represent stronger cultural ties to German and Norwegian immigrants. Additionally, South Dakota has a high proportion of some immigrant Anabaptist groups, notably Mennonites and Hutterites, which contribute to the cuisine. The official state dessert of South Dakota is kuchen, which has its origins as a class of German cake- and pie-like desserts. The typical South Dakota kuchen has a custard base and usually contains fruit like peaches or berries. Some communities and families in South Dakota celebrate their German heritage (especially Germans from Russia) with a (). One annual schmeckfest which has become famous is in the town of Freeman, South Dakota, which draws over 5,000 visitors. Among families of Norwegian descent, foods like lefse, lutefisk and krumkake are popular around Christmastime, as they are in North Dakota and Minnesota. Another significant cultural heritage in South Dakota is the Sioux, especially in the western part of the state, and some traditional Native American dishes have become popular, like wojapi, a berry sauce from the Lakota. Wojapi sometimes accompanies frybread, which is associated with another dish called Navajo or Indian tacos, which is frybread topped with meat such as ground beef and other taco toppings. Other foods local to the state which have provided food to tribes for thousands of years include bison, now popularly served as burgers in towns like Custer and Oacoma, and chokecherries, which grow wild both on the plains and in the Black Hills and are used to make jellies and wine. Hunting provides food for numerous families in the state. The state bird, the Chinese Ring-Necked Pheasant, is the only state bird in the USA which is hunted, and pheasant meat is popular across South Dakota. The town of Aberdeen, in the northeast part of the state, is famous for pheasant meat sandwiches. It is also common to find South Dakotans dining on venison, pronghorn, or various freshwater fishes local to the state, such as walleye and northern pike. Wisconsin Wisconsin is "America's Dairyland," and is home to numerous frozen custard stands, particularly around Milwaukee and along the Lake Michigan corridor. The state also has a special relationship with Blue Moon ice cream, being one of the only places the flavor can be found. While the flavor's origins are not well documented, it was most likely developed by flavor chemist Bill "Doc" Sidon of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The state is also well known as a home to many cheesemakers. Colby cheese was created here in 1885. Wisconsin cuisine also features a large amount of sausage, or wurst. The state is also a major producer and consumer of summer sausage, as well as the nation's top producer and consumer of brats. == Restaurants and pubs ==

Dark ales have been consumed in America since Colonial times, while light-colored German lager was a mid-19th-century arrival. The beer hall did not become established in the United States until the arrival of German immigrants in the mid-19th century. Taverns were generally seen as rough places with an exclusively male clientele. German potato salad and the potato dumplings commonly served in local pubs in present times. The origin of "fast food" is uncertain, but one possibility is a hamburger stand that was founded by Walter Anderson in Wichita, Kansas. Known today as White Castle, the fast-food chain began to spread throughout the Midwest, offering a simple menu with hamburgers, Coca-Cola and coffee. By the 1920s White Castle had become a nationally recognized chain, and until the 1940s White Castle-style architecture was standard for fast-food hamburger outlets throughout the United States. Cities like New York did not want fast food to compete with local establishments, but the expansion of suburbs in the 1950s allowed fast-food franchises to grow into areas that lacked restaurants. The popularity of Midwestern fast food like the iconic pizza and burgers started as a rejection of the drive-in model. Carhops were replaced by the franchise model, including McDonald's, Wendy's, Domino's and Pizza Hut. (McDonald's was originally founded in California in 1940, but purchased by Ray Kroc and moved to Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955.) The growth of these franchises was bolstered by the development of interstate roads through the Midwest. Several restaurant chains have roots in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, including Famous Dave's, the now defunct Chi-Chi's, and Buca di Beppo, which was started out of a small Minneapolis basement in 1993. Portillo's Restaurants is another Midwestern fast-food chain known for its hot dogs. Lion's Choice is best known for its roast beef sandwiches. The chain is based mostly in Missouri, with locations in Kansas and Illinois. Wisconsin chain Culver's is known for its frozen custard and root beer. Culver's has been recognized for their use of local dairy products like cheese and butter. Happy Joe's is known for its taco pizza and has restaurants in several Midwestern states. Other notable chains include Harold's Chicken Shack, Skyline Chili, Spangles, Big John Steak & Onion, Graeter's, Maid-Rite and Cousins Subs. ==Dishes==

Ingredients commonly used in the Midwestern states include beef, pork, potatoes and corn. While not all exclusive to the Midwest, these dishes are typical of Midwestern foods, and often feature uniquely Midwestern preparation styles. • 7-layer dip • Apple pie • Barbecue • Beans • Beef, especially steak, pot roast and prime rib • Bread-and-butter pickles • Beer • Beer cheese soup • Biscuits • Biscuits and gravy • Brandy • Bratwurst • Buckeyes • Bumpy cake • Butter cake • Cabbage • Cabbage roll, also known as stuffed cabbage • City Chicken, commonly used: fried pork or veal on wood skewers native to Ohio • Cheese, including cheese curds • Chicken Vesuvio • Chicken paprikash • Chislic • Cole slaw • Coney Island hot dog • Cornbread • Deep-fried bacon • Diner fare • Door County fish boil • Doughnuts • Duck • Graham bread • Freshwater fish, including catfish, perch, trout, walleye and whitefish and other panfish, often breaded and fried • Fried chicken • Frozen custard • Fruit, especially apples, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, peaches and strawberries • Fruit wines • Fruit pies • German potato salad • Goulash • Hamburgers • Head cheese • Horseshoe sandwich • Hotdish or casseroles • Ice cream cone • Italian beef • Jello salads • Johnny cake • Johnny Marzetti • Lefse • Lutefisk • Maple syrup • Meatloaf • Morels • Pancakes • Pasties • Pea salad • Persimmon pudding • Pierogi • Pigs in a blanket • Pizza, with several regional styles • Pork • Potatoes, including mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, and potato salads • Ranch dressing • Ramps • Roast beef • Sauerbraten • Sauerkraut • Sausage, including bratwurst, kielbasa, summer sausage, ring bologna, and other ethnic types, as well as hot dogs, with several regional styles • Shrimp DeJonghe • Sponge cake • Steak • Stollen • Sugar cream pie • Sweet corn, on-the-cob, in creamed corn and in corn relish • Turkey • Wild rice == See also ==