We’re going on a flavor road trip to taste every state’s most iconic dish – and we’re doing it all in two days without filling our gas tank once.
We’re talking about Flavored Nation, where 50 iconic state dishes will be served up by 50 expert and award-winning chefs Oct. 19-20, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Tickets are $45 in advance for adults and include one-day event access with 10 food samples + six drink samples. Additional samples will be available for purchase.
As a lil’ appetizer for you, our dear NOOGAtoday readers, we rounded up the 10 dishes we’re most excited to try at Flavored Nation, each distinctive to their origin state:
1. Alabama: Bayou Fritters with Alabama white sauce
Think hush puppies, but filled with Cajun chicken, lump crab + andouille gator. See ya later, 🐊 – we’re going to eat a bunch of these fritters.
2. Connecticut: Hot Lobster Roll
Unlike lobster rolls from Maine, there’s no dressing on this one — just melted butter drizzled over the lobster meat right before it’s served. It had us at “melted butter” and “lobster.” 🤤 Ⓟ
3. Georgia: Chicken and waffles with peach compote
We’ve had (and loved) chicken + waffles before, but never with peach compote instead of maple syrup. Sounds just peachy. 🍑
4. Illinois: Deep dish pizza
DYK the toppings in a deep dish pizza have to be assembled upside down? This is done to prevent burning as a result of the (deep) dish’s longer baking time.
5. Iowa: Corn dog
Yes, we’ve had corn dogs before. But have you ever seen one look this good? Fun fact: The Iowa State Fair set a world record for the most people (8,400) simultaneously eating corn dogs during an event called “The Corndog Chomp” in 2008.
6. New Hampshire: Duck Poutine
We’ve always associated poutine with Canada, but the dish has seen an increase in popularity in America – especially in border states like New Hampshire. We’ll take ours with extra cheese curds, please. 🙏
7. Virginia: Buttermilk biscuit with pimento cheese + pepper jelly
This classic Southern dish pairs flaky biscuits with zesty pimento cheese + pepper jelly made from Virginia chutney. Based on a Charlottesville family’s recipe, this version uses Duke’s mayonnaise. (The South takes its Duke’s seriously, y’all.)
8. Arizona: Navajo Fry Bread
Made from flat dough fried in oil, shortening, or lard, fry bread can be eaten alone or with toppings like honey, jam, powdered sugar or meat. How have we never heard of this before? Yum.
9. Kentucky: Hot Brown
This open-faced sandwich is piled with turkey, bacon, tomato + Mornay (cheese) sauce, then baked or broiled until the bread is crisp + the sauce starts to brown. Now that’s a sandwich we’re willing to use a fork + knife for.
10. Vermont: Maple Cream Pie
Come on, this list would be incomplete without a dessert. Everyone knows Vermont is famous for its maple syrup, but DYK the state harvests ~900,000 gallons every season? That’s 6% of the world’s total supply. 🌎
Check out the full list of all 50 dishes that’ll be featured at Flavored Nation and buy tickets here (use promo code NOOGA for $5 off).
Bonus: Enter to win a free pair of tickets over on our Instagram now until Friday. 🎟️ Ⓟ
