On any given Friday in Wisconsin, you are certain to find some kind of fish fry…while in the neighboring state of Minnesota, you’ll likely find some sort of “hot dish” (known as a casserole in other parts of the country). We in the food service and menu business are no strangers to regional preferences. The key is to use these preferences as we think about expanding or changing our menu. Doing this can help us attract new customers and keep the menu fresh for our regular guests.
Iowa
- Loose Meat Sandwich – Think of a sloppy joe but without the tomato sauce. Some people even make it with cola in the mixture. The first version was sold in 1926 by Fred Angell at the first Maid-Rite in Muscatine. Some people also call this a “Tavern Sandwich.”
- Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwich – A large, thin-cut pork cutlet that’s breaded, deep fried and served on a bun. Keep in mind that when we say “large,” we mean there’s usually enough to serve it on two buns.
Wisconsin
- Cornish Pasty – A crescent shaped pastry dough filled with beef, rutabaga, carrots, onions, potatoes and seasonings. These pastries are made by many Wisconsin churches, VFWs and Legions as fundraisers!
- Booyah – The ingredients depend on who you ask! Legend has it that booyah is really just “bouillon,” the French word for broth. A reporter covering a fundraising event supposedly asked what was being sold and scribbled down “booyah” instead of “bouillon”.
Illinois
- Horseshoe Sandwich – No horses are harmed in the creation of this sandwich! Instead, this signature dish of Springfield contains hamburger or ham placed on top of two slices of bread covered with a heaping pile of fries and then drenched in cheese sauce. Originally, the sandwich was served on a metal plate with thick-cut bread, thick ham shaped like a horseshoe, cheese sauce made of white cheddar and “nails” (aka fries) added on top.
- Pancakes with Applesauce – The pancake part isn’t specific to Illinois, but applesauce as a side dish is a must in Northern parts of Illinois!
Missouri
- St. Louis BBQ or Kansas City BBQ – Both are tomato based, but St. Louis BBQ is not quite as sweet and is a little thinner than its KC counterpart.
- Gooey Butter Cake – A baker’s honest mistake of swapping the amounts of flour and sugar led to the happy mistake of this beloved St. Louis dessert.
Nebraska
- Runza – A yeast bread dough pocket filled with beef, cabbage, sauerkraut, onions and seasonings. Sounds a little bit like a pasty in Wisconsin, doesn’t it?
- Chicken Fried Steak – Chicken fried steak is made the same way as fried chicken, which is where it gets its name. There is no chicken in this favorite, though! According to Food Network, “there may not be anything more Cornhusker than a beef steak that has been fried in flour and egg until golden brown.”
Minnesota
- Classic Hot Dish – To the rest of the Midwest, this is known as Tater Tot Casserole with a few twists. In the classic dish, you will find ground beef, onion, corn, cream of mushroom soup and tater tots.
- Wild Rice Soup – According to Food Network, “Wild rice, which is not actually rice at all, but grass seed, is Minnesota’s state grain. You find it in everything from burgers, pancakes and hot dishes to, of course, the famous Minnesota wild rice soup.”
