ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.I HAVE BEEN SUMMONEDₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚.
I'm an Iowa transplant who's been living here 13 years. I think the point of this post is to shock and gross you out, which is massively disappointing, because none of this food is what you're thinking it is and it SLAPS.
Sour Cream and Raisin Pie
-some sour cream is added to custard to make it creamier and a little tangy, along with a bit of cinnamon and cloves
-the white stuff is meringue. not sour cream.
-raisins are polarizing, but i fuck with raisins
7/10, never heard of this pie before, but would like someone's grandma to make me one
Iowa Ham Ball
-meatballs made with 1/2 ham and 1/2 beef
-sauce made of brown sugar, tomato, white vinegar, and mustard, it's sort of like a sweet, simple BBQ sauce
-served in a crockpot at potlucks to keep them warm and eaten with a lil' toothpick
7/10, I always put them on my plate at potlucks
Scotcharoos
-if you believe bread, celery, and bananas are just vessels to deliver peanut butter to your mouth, this dessert was made for you
-dense and rich peanut butter bars with a lil' chocolate on top
-light crunch from the rice krispies = chefs kiss
11/10, will someone's mom make these for me please?
Maid Rite™
-tender and moist seasoned beef, not dry
-I honestly just think of these as a type of sloppy joe (don't tell other Iowans I said that)
-typically served with onion, mustard, and pickles (yum)
6/10, because my brain thinks "I rather eat a burger", but this is a nostalgic comfort food a for a lot of people. When the school I work at has these for lunch, most of the staff will eat school lunch that day.
Steak de Burgo
-idk it's a tenderloin steak with a special herbed butter sauce
-essentially a classic dish, but this recipe was apparently invented in Des Moines, IA
-did you know David Byrne loves Des Moines?
8/10, medium rare please
Taco Pizza (didn't link a recipe, because it will never taste the same as ordering one from Taco John's, Casey's, or Wig & Pen)
-beef cooked on the pizza. Lettuce, tomato, onion, and tortilla or off-brand Dorito chips added on after it comes out of the oven. Sour cream and taco sauce on the side.
-some have a bean base, some just do red sauce
-anyone who grew up here and moved away would likely pay you a great sum of money if you could teleport them one of these right now
12/10, would eat one right now
Snickers Salad
-If you grew up with marshmallow salads-type dishes at potlucks, you either have a love or hate relationship with them
-Snickers and green apple = match made in heaven
-base is cool whip and pudding mixed together
6/10, definitely putting a lil' scoop on my plate when I see it at a function
Corn
-Iowa exports more soybeans and pork than corn, but is still known for corn because it is the best corn.
-when people in other states say they got "the best sweet corn they've every had" from the grocery store/farmers market, they have no idea what they're talking about
-i am here to slander every other state's sweet corn
14/10, cannot wait until sweet corn season
