Official State Food and Drink

I live in Louisiana. While we have a history of famously corrupt elected officials(name a state that has had governors with as many feature length movies made about them as Louisiana-guys who later became president don't count)and we have some difficulty with all facets of public administration, we are "tops in the field" of passing absolutely useless (and often senseless) laws. The last Legislative session has just ended and our fearless leaders spent a great deal of their time nominating "official stuff". We now have a few more official items which I submit for your amusement. My question is:
Are there official food and drinks in your state? And if there are do you agree with the choices?

Official State Vegetable-Sweet Potato
Official State Vegetable Plant-Creole Tomato
Co-Official State Jellies- Mayhaw and Sugar Cane
Official State Meat Pie- Nachitoches Meat Pie
Official State Drink- Milk
Official State Crustacean- Crawfish
Official Insect- Honeybee
Official Reptile-Alligator
Official Fish-White Perch (crappie)

You will notice that most of our symbols are edible

In Ohio, the state beverage, declared in 1965, is Tomato Juice. I guess that's as good choice as any, but I don't see many people here drinking it (besides my 10-year-old); maybe it's the popularity of bloody mary breakfasts..... Beer would probably be a better choice, but for the angry temperance fundamentalists that abound here.

No state food, snack, etc. I'd nominate Cincinnati Chili as the state food (natch) and potato chips as the state snack. The state fruit would probably be apples, due to the many fine orchards in the region. Sweet Corn would win hands down as the state vegetable.

Here are a few other symbols:

Animal: White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Floral Emblem: Scarlet Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)

Gemstone: Ohio Flint

State Insect: Ladybug (Actually, there's a certain species of state legislator opposed to fixing our school funding problem that would qualify for this.....)

Invertebrate Fossil: Isotelus (Trilobite) (Hmmmmm....our governor might qualify for this one....)

Reptile: Black Racer Snake (Coluber constrictor constrictor)

Rock Song: "Hang on Sloopy", as declared by House resolution in 1985

Song: "Beautiful Ohio"

Tree: Ohio Buckeye (Aesculus globra)

Wildflower: Large White Trilium (Trillium grandiflorum)

I don't know what the official foods/drink for the state of Utah are, but the unofficial ones are: Jello, especially green with carrots in it and to drink an overly sweet red punch, yick!

quote:

Originally posted by McGriff

I don't know what the official foods/drink for the state of Utah are, but the unofficial ones are: Jello, especially green with carrots in it and to drink an overly sweet red punch, yick!

I would think it should be scones with honey butter and french fries with fry sauce. Maybe even Navajo Tacos!

Here's a link for Maryland

http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/00list.html

Here is a link for Georgia.

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/state_capitol/education_corner/state_symbols.html

One of the many reasons we only let our legislature meet once every two years (not counting "special sessions", of course).

Here's a few. Official Texas State:

Bird - MOCKINGBIRD
Dinosaur (yes, really) - BRACHIOSAUR SAUROPOD
Food - CHILI
Fiber - COTTON
Fish - GUADALUPE BASS
Flower - BLUEBONNET (Yes!)
Fruit - TEXAS RED GRAPEFRUIT
Gem - TEXAS BLUE TOPAZ
Nut - PECAN
Insect - MONARCH BUTTERFLY
Flying Mammal - MEXICAN FREE-TAILED BAT
Large Mammal - LONGHORN
Small Mammal (dontcha love it?) - ARMADILLO
Pepper - JALAPENO
Shrub - CRAPE MYRTLE
Sport - RODEO (can't believe it's not high school football)

This last session, between roadtrips, they designated the Official State Snack: CHIPS & SALSA.

I hear they are working on an Official "Getaway" spot, but they're having trouble deciding between Oklahoma and New Mexico.

Kansas has an official state soil(harney silt loam) but no state food???

That says a lot for people's tastes in this state. However, the state animal is the buffalo and it makes for pretty good eating.

If I had to nominate an official state food by what the majority of people eat here I would say it would be steak and potatoes.

Personally I'd vote for beer, particularly a good German style wheat beer to promote our number one agricultural product.

Apparently California has a state insect, folk dance and fife and drum band. As for food-----nothing! (Ok, no comments from all of you who say California is the "land of fruits and nuts"!).
I hereby suggest for the state food----Santa Maria Tri--tip BBQ. The state beverage----margarita. Now if we could only get one of our governor cdandidates to add them to their platform!

topferment-
I gather from your name that you prefer ales over lagers! Weizen and Alt are the 2 German ales. I love them both -especially in the summer.

I would nominate Anchor Steam as the state beverage of California. mmmmmmm A nobler use of simple ingrediants has never been acheived.

quote:

Originally posted by EdSails

Apparently California has a state insect, folk dance and fife and drum band. As for food-----nothing! (Ok, no comments from all of you who say California is the "land of fruits and nuts"!).
I hereby suggest for the state food----Santa Maria Tri--tip BBQ. The state beverage----margarita. Now if we could only get one of our governor cdandidates to add them to their platform!

Does California have a State Yogurt and State Wheat Germ?

Arkansas has:

Official state beverage: milk
Official state vegetable: vine ripe pink tomato

And since the official state insect is the honeybee and the official state flower is the apple blossom, I assume apple blossom honey should be counted in there somewhere.

Also found out that the traditional Arkansas state food is barbecue ribs. Amen to that!

mek,
I have found no beer better suited to thirst quenching than wheat beer. And the natural sediment is very good for you too. I store wheat beers upside down so I get every last bit of that yeast.

I do like a few lagers, particularly Point Special from Stevens Point Brewery in Wisconsin, but ales are my favorite overall.

I have a friend from texas who says the armadillo is the states official speed bump

You know, as a "freshmen" Okie,i find the more i learn about this state, the more i realize how right i was to cash out of and depart from California! I present;
The Official Oklahome State Meal

Barbecued Pork
Chicken Fried Steak

Fried Okra
Squash
Corn
Blackeyed Peas

Grits
Bisciuts
Corn Bread
Sausage and gravy

Pecan Pie
Strawberries

God, I love this place!!---but from what i have seen im not so sure about the atate beverage---Milk----unless that comes in a can around here,i could debate this one!

quote:

Originally posted by tiki

You know, as a "freshmen" Okie,i find the more i learn about this state, the more i realize how right i was to cash out of and depart from California! I present;
The Official Oklahome State Meal

Mea Culpa!!! OklahomA!!!!State Meal

McGriff- I think the hot beverage for UTAH must be Postum !!

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by EdSails

Apparently California has a state insect, folk dance and fife and drum band. As for food-----nothing! (Ok, no comments from all of you who say California is the "land of fruits and nuts"!).
I hereby suggest for the state food----Santa Maria Tri--tip BBQ. The state beverage----margarita. Now if we could only get one of our governor cdandidates to add them to their platform!

Does California have a State Yogurt and State Wheat Germ?

California can even decide on a State Governor, Please don't make us pick a State Food!

quote:

Originally posted by BigGlenn

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by EdSails

Apparently California has a state insect, folk dance and fife and drum band. As for food-----nothing! (Ok, no comments from all of you who say California is the "land of fruits and nuts"!).
I hereby suggest for the state food----Santa Maria Tri--tip BBQ. The state beverage----margarita. Now if we could only get one of our governor cdandidates to add them to their platform!

Does California have a State Yogurt and State Wheat Germ?

California can even decide on a State Governor, Please don't make us pick a State Food!

as a recent ex Californian i think that is exactly its problem---it doesn't want to "pick" anything---it wants it ALL!!! But i think that if there was a state food for Calif. it would have to be The "Roach Couch" Burrito!!! They are EVERYWHERE. My wife says to be really California whatever it is it needs to have a Hass avacado in it!

Tiki
When I see Avocados here in a market at over a dollar apiece I remember the corner veggie stands in SoCal where they were a dime apiece. Hell even at Stater Brothers they went for 6 or 7 for a buck most of the time.
I must admit that is one veggie/fruit I miss having around all the time.
On the other hand we picked over 8 gallons of Blackberries this summer in one of the longest berry seasons folks here remember for a long time.

Pennsylvania does not have an official state food but the State Animal - Whitetail Deer, and State Fish - Brook Trout, end up as lots of meals annually.

State Beverage - Milk, although I would have voted for Birch Beer.

Of all the others, my favorite is State Insect - Firefly (lightening bug).

tiki - you made me pine for the days of my youth when we spent our summers roaming the woods of Okalhoma with my Grandma Rose's fine cooking. *sigh*

quote:

Originally posted by Lone Star

tiki - you made me pine for the days of my youth when we spent our summers roaming the woods of Okalhoma with my Grandma Rose's fine cooking. *sigh*

Well then---come on by----labor day weekend here in Rentiesville Ok--pop 68 now that janie and i are here--The Dusk till Dawn Blues Fest----awesome blues--30 bands--3 nites--5pm till sunup--Smokehouse Bobs Barbecue---fried chicken---catfish---local made fried pies-- cheap beer---kids free---what more could you ask for!!!! www.dcminner.com for details---yuall come on down,we'll leave the light on!

quote:

Originally posted by wanderingjew

quote:

Originally posted by EdSails

Apparently California has a state insect, folk dance and fife and drum band. As for food-----nothing! (Ok, no comments from all of you who say California is the "land of fruits and nuts"!).
I hereby suggest for the state food----Santa Maria Tri--tip BBQ. The state beverage----margarita. Now if we could only get one of our governor cdandidates to add them to their platform!

Does California have a State Yogurt and State Wheat Germ?

You're behind the times! Now it's official wheatgrass extract and "raw foods".

quote:

Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

Tiki
When I see Avocados here in a market at over a dollar apiece I remember the corner veggie stands in SoCal where they were a dime apiece. Hell even at Stater Brothers they went for 6 or 7 for a buck most of the time.
I must admit that is one veggie/fruit I miss having around all the time.
On the other hand we picked over 8 gallons of Blackberries this summer in one of the longest berry seasons folks here remember for a long time.

Yeah, i dont think i will be seeing avos at 10 for a dollar here in Oklahoma----or 3/$1 artichokes----but then again--the crappie are everywhere--abd the brisket!!! the brisket!!!!the brisket!!!!I think i'll survive

Has anyone found a state beverage that ISN'T milk?

New Mexico's state cookie, justifiably, is the biscochito. And we also, I note with pride, the only state with an official state question: "Red or green?"

Even though I live here now, I have no idea what Massachusetts' state symbols are.

THE UN-OFFICIAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE FOR MICHIGAN: DRINK WOULD HAVE TO BE VERNORS GINGER ALE. FOOD CHOICES WOULD BE CHERRY PIE, (ICE CREAM, JAM, COBBLER, ECT....), CONEY DOGS, PASTIES, "A MESS OF FRIED YELLOW PERCH," PLANKED WHITEFISH, AND FRIED SMELT IN SEASON. I HAVE TO GO FIND SOMETHING TO EAT NOW. I JUST MADE MYSELF HUNGERY.

Massachusetts' official state beverage is cranberry juice, state bean is Boston Baked Beans, state muffin is corn, state dessert is Boston cream pie, and the cookie is chocolate chip. There you go, a state without milk as it's beverage. I'd also argue that, unofficially, Boston's best dessert would be hand-made ice cream and the soup would be clam chowder. This is probably true of the most of the rest of the state as well, though ice cream parlors and seafood shacks aren't as common in the western part of the state.