I grew up in the Sacramento valley.....peaches, almonds, and prunes, which are now known as dried plums. There used to be a Prune Festival that featured all kinds of prune containing goodies........

That is kinda their signature dish.
It sounds like you plan trips around food?

I don't usually plan around food, but, when I am traveling I try to find new things while I am there. A trip planned around food would be fun though.

sludick - Tri-tip with a dry rub is really delicious. Sometimes my husband smokes them, sometimes he slow grills them - basically depends on how much time he has and whether he wants to smoke out the neighbors - LOL. If you smoke a tri-tip, your entire neighborhood may show up at your door. And chipino did originate in SF :)

tenthumbs - So how do YOU say almonds? ;) I ran into a guy on my travels who comes from the Sacramento valley (as do I - small world) and while comparing notes to see if we knew anybody in common, I mentioned that my uncle used to have an a-mon ranch at the base of the Buttes. This guy started laughing and said something like - yeah, now I know you are not an imposter. No one else pronounces it like that.

Shrimp and grits!

november_moon~I went to school in Sutter.....I pronounce it with the L(all-mond), although I have heard it without the L (ahh-mond). There was some joke about the pronunciation without the L was an East coast thing~they leave California and get the "L" knocked out of them.......

I always try to have the regional specialty whenever I go somewhere new. It's one of the best parts of travel!!!

tenthumbs - We always pronounce it without the L and with a hard A like at the begining of "animal", no D. "a-mon". I don't think that has anything do do with the east coast :)

Funny thing about pronunciations! My Dad is originally from Michigan (which is hardly the East coast), and he pronounces it without the L.......regardless of the way it's said, it's still one of my favorite nuts!

Fish Tacos in San Diego.

<< I suppose soft shell crabs come from somewhere nearby...>>

Um, that's funny, right?

Soft-shelled crabs are NOT an animal. It's the state of the crab's exoskeleton when the critter is caught on the crabbing line. If the crab recently molted (crabs molt like snakes, lobsters and other beasties), its new shell is soft. Crab species would not survive evolution with perpetually soft shells.

In Michigan, in addition to the wonderful fish from the Great Lakes we also have cherries, blueberries, The Original Vernors ginger ale, Better Made Potato Chips and the very best, Sanders Hot Fudge. Many years back Pepsi bought out Vernors and and changed the formula a bit. When it was originally produced in Detroit, it was aged in oak barrels before bottling. I still drink it when I am sick but it is just not the same.

I remember going to Dearborn to visit my grandparents when I was 7, and my grandmother gave me Vernor's ginger ale. I always wondered why it was so much better than Canada Dry and why it doesn't taste as good as I remembered it.....

"When you travel, do you seek out the specific regional foods?" Yes, I enjoy finding out what foods are specific to a region I'm traveling to and trying them out while there.

"Have you ever gone on a trip with finding these regional foods as a goal?" We're traveling to Maine next summer and one of the main reasons I've selected this area is to try lots and lots of fresh lobster! I've also gone to Louisiana with the intent of eating Cajun food.

Alaska:

Any fish you just caught
Kodiak scallops
Prince William Sound shrimp (OMG)
Fiddlehead ferns
Moose chili
Caribou sausage (buy it at Safeway)

Cape Cod: In addition to chowder, we've enjoyed Scallops, Oysters, Cod, Sword, etc.

Connecticut: New York style pizza, New York style bagels, New York style cupcakes, New York style cheesecake, New York Strip Steak, etc. ;).

The CT lobster roll is arguably one of the most delicious versions because JUST Lobster (no onions, mayo, bacon, lettuce, or celery) is placed in a buttered, lightly toasted hot dog bun so that more melted butter can be drizzled on top of the whole thing.

Seriously speaking though, the best food of CT (and perhaps the entire Northeast)is more closely associated with a diverse ethnic population rather than being defined by a specific region.

Bowspirit

Next time you are in NYC try Luke's Lobster. They are holes in the wall that serve lobster roll with the minimum of mayo, just sweet, sweet lobster.

http://www.lukeslobster.com/

That's terrific, Aduchamp! Truthfully, I only tolerate eating lobster because it provides me with the opportunity to drink melted butter.

Whenever I'm visiting the Midwest, especially Nebraska, I try to get a good steak.

I only tolerate eating lobster because it provides me with the opportunity to drink melted butter
________
Hey you can stick your head in a microwave with a stick of Land O' Lakes. Problem solved.

Adu: I'll take a pass on that! I don't stick my head anywhere. ;)

Some people enjoyed eating the 'deep fried butter' that was available at the Big E this year. That's a bit much, even for me!