It’s that time of year again, when baseball and barbecue become all that America can think about. In Washington D.C. that translates to two things specifically – the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity at Nationals Park and Roll Call‘s “Taste of America” bracket leading up to the event.
The annual bracket is designed to determine the most American of all American foods. Representatives from each state choose the one dish that defines the essence of their state, and individuals can vote through Roll Call‘s bracket every week. The final eight foods will be sampled at a reception prior to the Congressional Baseball Game on June 25, with the winner being announced during the game.
The reigning champion from last year was West Virginia with their speciality “pepperoni roll.” The snack was first created in West Virginia in 1927 as an easily packed lunch for coal miners and consists of a doughy white bread roll baked with pepperoni and sometimes cheese inside.
This year’s bracket includes the obvious choice of crab cakes for Maryland, and the chili half smoke for Washington D.C. Virginia claims the ham biscuit as their own, which is an odd choice considering most people outside of the South would have no idea what that consists of. Put simply, Virginians take a buttermilk biscuit, fill it with some thinly sliced Virginia ham, and top it with a mixture of mustard, sweet butter, and brown sugar.
Roll Call‘s Taste of America bracket is a brilliant look at America’s diverse tastes. There are some obvious choices, such as Maine claiming the lobster roll and Georgia touting their peach pies. But there are also some dishes that I, as someone who as never lived anywhere other than the northeast, have never heard of.
Idaho for example, claims steak fingers as their own, which from what I can tell are just like chicken tenders, only made of steak. Minnesota touts their hotdish, a baked blend of meat, frozen veggies and canned soup which most Americans know as a casserole. Apparently Minnesotans love their casseroles so much that their Washington representatives compete amongst themselves for the best hotdish every year.
I tried searching everywhere to try to figure out what a Chuckwagon Buffet is, which is Nevada’s entry this year. If anyone can get a hold of Harry Reid please ask him for me.
The first round of voting for Roll Call‘s Taste of America closes on May 23rd. Be sure to fill out your bracket every week, or else you’ll be forced to snack on Oklahoma’s fried okra at the baseball game rather than some delicious North Carolina BBQ.
