Since there are lots of out-of-towners posting on this site, why don't we all state what we think of as the signature food from our neck of the woods...

 

Why does it deserve this reputation?

 

and

 

Where is the best place to get this particular specialty in your particular burg?

 

 

Each city has their own flavor.

Well, I would not call it a Cleveland food, but every time I come back to Cleveland I stock up on Ohio City Pasta

Interesting topic and I guess you could go a few ways with it.  (Most of my data will be from a 1990 Ohio Almanac)

 

Ohio is the leading producer of Canola Oil (One could have the Canola Oil Festival where everything is deep fried!) and the third leading producer of Popcorn (Marion has a festival?  I'm sure some city in Iowa has a Popcorn Festival)  We are 2nd in processed tomatoes (Which is maybe why tomato juice is the state juice and why Reynoldsburg has that tomoato festival.)

 

Then you go to what cities are known for like in Cincinnati you have Cincinnati chili, Graters, goetta, etc.

 

Bryan is home to the Spangler Candy Company, maker of Dum-Dum suckers!

 

Rio Grand is home to Bob Evans.  I think they already do a fall festival.

 

Columbus is fast-food franchise headquarters. (Columbus could host the Fast Food festival!)

 

I may think of more . . .

 

I think the main food I would really, really miss if I moved away would be goetta.  I'm sure you can order it over the internet now, and I thought I heard once that Kroger's will sell any product they carry in any of their stores if you ask them for it - someone was interested in a particular brand of iced tea or something, and they were going to hook him up (if he were willing to buy a case).  But getting a goetta, egg and cheese sandwich from Giminetti's, or a side of goetta at the National Exemplar - I'd really miss that.

I think perogi's are a popular Cleveland food.  Especially in Slavic Village and Parma.

I think the main food I would really, really miss if I moved away would be goetta. I'm sure you can order it over the internet no

 

Yeah, Glier's sells it over the Internet.  I think it's at goetta.com.

 

Good eatin'.

About Reynoldsburg and the tomato:

 

Tomato Festival

 

The idea for the Tomato Festival came about at the dedication of the plaque recognizing Alexander W. Livingston for his contribution to the further development of the edible tomato and declaring Reynoldsburg the birthplace of the commercial tomato.   

 

 

 

I'd never even heard of perogies until a roommate of mine in college brought some home (he grew up in Westlake).

 

Yes, Chili in Cincinnati and Pierogis in Cleveland...these are well-known...now what is THE BEST place to get a bowl of chili in Cinci and a pierogi in Cleve-o???

 

And what exactly is goetta?  I lived in Cincinnati for 4 years and I don't know if I ever heard the term!

i have never heard anyone talk about periogi in cleveland. Yes i know where i can find them, but its not like, OMG! these periogi are delicious you have to get them!

 

obviously this is just my experience

Goetta is kind of like scrapple - it's pork product and pin oats, all mixed up with some spices.  Glier's comes in tubes like sausage does, and it has a similar consistency.  It has a truly unique flavor, unmistakeable.  When you come back thru town, check out your breakfast menu and see if it's offered - it's surprising how many places offer it.  But if you get much outside the 275 loop, you're out of luck...

http://www.cincinnati-to-you.com

 

you could have goetta delivered (and other cincy foods too)

Parma perogi's is the best place in Cleveland for them.  When Clinton was in office, he ate there three times.

I know it isn't a food rather a condiment, but Stadium Mustard is popular in Cleveland and it is made here.  I do not know if you can get it anywhere else.  Bertmans can be bought all over the place, but I don't know about Stadium.

giant eagle sells Stadium mustard

On Food Network, they did a Cleveland show and mentioned Bertman's.  Here is a summary of the show:

 

Cleveland

Malley's makes specialty chocolates like their Nutmallow Bar. Next we track down Pat Tung and her Cooking School Sauces. We find Fowler's Mill makes specialty-baking mixes. Finally, we discover Bertman's Original Ball Park Mustard.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_fi/episode/0,,FOOD_9962_20908,00.html

 

The summary of the Cincinnati show is below . . .

 

Cincinnati,OH

Visit Cincinnati, where old world charm meets modern innovation. Sample the tastes of: Graeter's, making Ice Cream since 1870; the Montgomery Inn where people stand in line for their famous ribs & sauce; the iced cookies of Bushkin Bakery.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_fi/episode/0,,FOOD_9962_19992,00.html

 

 

 

 

No offense but Malley's chocolate tastes like wax, imho.  :-P

 

I still say the best food produced locally is:

 

:drunk: :drunk: :drunk:

Definitely!  Eliot Nessssss...

i was wondering how long that would take you mayday

No offense but Malley's chocolate tastes like wax, imho. :-P

 

I still say the best food produced locally is:

 

:drunk: :drunk: :drunk:

 

Ahh what a nice photo.  Great Lakes made in Cleveland sitting next to Samuel Adams made in Cincinnati.  Boston Lager my ass... :)

 

BTW, I love Goetta!

the iced cookies of Bushkin Bakery.

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_fi/episode/0,,FOOD_9962_19992,00.html

 

Bushkin?  IDIOTS!  They even have a link for it right below the text, where they spell it correctly...LOL....

Well, it's actually brewed in Boston and Cincinnati, but the Cincinnati brewery definitely doesn't get the cred it deserves!  Where would the rest of the country be without us, eh Ohioans???

I love the new Sam Adams Summer Ale.  When I can't find Moerlein on tap, I usually stick to Sam Adams. 

I can't say I much care for Sam Adams.  Big Moerlein fan though.  Sam Adams is not merely brewed here.  As most people probably know, the founder of the company, Jim Koch, is a Cincinnati native who moved to Boston to attend Harvard.  According to him Sam Adams is from an old family recipe.  Not many Germans immigrated to the Boston area during the height of German and Irish immigration in the 19th century, which is why I assume they don't have many prominent local brews up there.  One of the prime reasons so many Irish immigrated to Boston was because the British government would subsidize fares to Canada.  Since the Irish had little money, and the jobs were far more plentiful in the U.S., a lot of Irish would come via our northern neighbor.  New England has also been a recipient of immigration from Quebec as well.  Strange that neither the French-Canadians, nor the Irish, both of whom have strong traditions of enjoying and socializing with alcohol, would have founded no famous breweries or labels.  At least I'm not aware of any.

Back in Cleveland last weekend, I guzzled my fair share of Eliot Ness and Dortmunder Gold...yum!  Gotta love the Great Lakes Brewing Co...

periogis are not a regional food unique to Cleveland, I can gaurantee you that.

 

For me the buckeye thing that is uniquely Ohio is the "buckeye" candy..that peanut & chocolate bon bon.  Unknown to me before I moved to Ohio, so I think a particularly uniquely Ohio food.   

 

 

What about green bean casserole?  Or is that all over the midwest?

...roast beef hotshots.  Never heard of them till I moved to Dayton.

 

Also, there is this stewed tomato salad thats popular in old-school restaurants here, which is supposed to be local?

 

 

what about johnny marzetti? (pasta, meat, sauce, bunch of other crap too in a cassarole)

 

i don't know if it is popular outside of the region, but it originated in columbus from The marzetti restaurant

 

heres a site that tells about it, or you can search in a search engine and find about a zillion recipes

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/8546/kit31.html

"...what about johnny marzetti? (pasta, meat, sauce, bunch of other crap too in a cassarole) "

 

..believe it or not they served that in my high school cafeteria down in Louisville.  Thats where I heard of it first...and I didn't hear of it again until I moved to Ohio!

 

I've heard of it too.  I think my mom made it when I was a kid.

"...what about johnny marzetti? (pasta, meat, sauce, bunch of other crap too in a cassarole) "

 

..believe it or not they served that in my high school cafeteria down in Louisville. Thats where I heard of it first...and I didn't hear of it again until I moved to Ohio!

 

That was served in my school, too!  The fisrt I heard of it was when it was on the lunch menu one day in elementary school.  As my friend and I went through the lunch line, for some reason there was a guy back toward the kitchen lying on a table.  We joked that it was poor Johnny Marzetti, waiting to be butchered.

^poor johnny! :lol:

Can a Clevelander explain stadium mustard?  I unfortunately never tasted it while living in NEO.  Everyone seems to regard it as Cleveland's definitive delicacy.  What makes Stadium Mustard so great?  And how is it woven into the fabric of Cleveland identity?

Can a Clevelander explain stadium mustard?  I unfortunately never tasted it while living in NEO.  Everyone seems to regard it as Cleveland's definitive delicacy.  What makes Stadium Mustard so great?  And how is it woven into the fabric of Cleveland identity?

 

Stadium mustard is the "glue" that held your foot long hot dog together at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. 

 

Stadium Mustard and Cleveland Sports go hand-in-hand. No hotdog is complete without some Cleveland Stadium Mustard.  They do sell it at the new venues, but there is nothing like a footlong at the CMS!  I took some to a cookout once and the host was like, where did you get that mustard?!  It's the best!

 

Unlike the Browns, stadium mustard is a gauranteed "win"!

 

www.stadiummustard.com

Okay, yeah...but you still haven't explained what the hell stadium mustard is.

Okay, yeah...but you still haven't explained what the hell stadium mustard is.

 

A spicy/tangy brown mustard!  damnit!

So a crackhead version of honey mustard.  Gotcha.

No honey in that Cleveland Stadium Mustard.  I would describe it as a cross between French's and Grey Poupon, though it is better than that sounds when I read it back.  It has the tangy flavor of a yellow with some of the bite of a dijon.  And yes, it's fantastic.

Hmmm...gotta try it then.

Hmmm...gotta try it then.

 

Once you try it, you'll be hooked like a crackhead. :laugh:  You'll never use "regular" mustard again!

Hmmm...gotta try it then.

 

Once you try it, you'll be hooked like a crackhead. :laugh:  You'll never use "regular" mustard again!

 

Well, it is Cleveland.  Crack don't come cheap!

Well, it is Cleveland.  Crack don't come cheap!

 

Crack is whack!

You tell 'em, Nippy!

You tell 'em, Nippy!

Oh hell to da naw!

- Columbus

Schmidt's Bahama Mamas!

 

Morning Star Farms fake meat products - the breakfast patties are bomb - Morning star farms was bought out by a new jersey company a few years back though - Used to have their store and processing on 161 near the Continent

 

and of course Wendy's and White Castle -

White Castle -

 

Eww. I'd eat rat poison & moth balls then wash it all down with automobile battery acid before eating White Castle!!

^This, coming from a Mr Hero fan...tsk tsk.

Chef Boyardee started here in cleveland. as well we have Pierre's ice cream. though not a food the Chicle gum company created the first ever chewing gum here in cleveland...chiclets!

Wait...isn't Chicle "gum" in Spanish?  So it's "Gum gum?"