US State-Style Crostini

How to make crostini

Slice 1 baguette thinly; brush or drizzle both sides with olive oil. Bake on a baking sheet at 180°C (350°F) until crisp and golden brown around the edges, 15 minutes.

Alabama

Goat cheese + blackberries + pecans

Interesting fact: When elementary school students in Fairhope realized Alabama didn't have an official state fruit, they took action—and in 2004, the blackberry became the state fruit.

Alaska

Cream cheese + smoked salmon + dill

Interesting fact: Alaska is the only state with coastlines on three seas (the Arctic Ocean, the Bering Sea, and the Pacific Ocean), and accounts for half of the country's fisheries.

Arizona

Pepper Jack Cheese + Nopales (Pickled Cactus Shoots)

Interesting fact: About 42% of Arizona is desert, and cacti are found almost everywhere here—especially on restaurant menus.

Arkansas

Edamame Hummus + Shelled Edamame Beans + Lemon Zest

Interesting fact: You might not think that Arkansas is the country's soybean hub, but it grows more soybeans than corn, wheat, and rice combined. The town of Mulberry even hosts a soybean festival.

California

Camembert + red wine-glazed grapes

Interesting fact: The average American drinks about 15 bottles of wine a year, and a significant portion of that wine comes from California, the top wine-producing state in the United States.

Colorado

Boursin cheese + roast lamb

Interesting fact: If you've eaten lamb recently, it likely came from Colorado. The Mountain State is one of the country's leading sheep-raising regions.

Connecticut

Garlic-Sautéed Clams with Oregano and Pecorino Cheese

Interesting fact: Locals love New Haven's charcoal-fired pizza, especially the famous white clam pizza from Frank Pepe's.

Delaware

Mayonnaise + turkey + cranberry sauce + bread filling

Interesting fact: Capriotti's, a Wilmington favorite, is known for its "Bobby," a sandwich that combines the best elements of the Thanksgiving holiday table.

Florida

Mustard + ham + roast pork + Swiss cheese + gherkins

Interesting fact: Florida is a melting pot of cultures; a favorite sandwich from nearby Cuba, made with these ingredients, is made all over Miami.

Georgia

Mascarpone + peaches + basil

Interesting fact: A juicy peach is one of the most delicious treats. It's been the official fruit of the state of Georgia since 1995, and we couldn't resist the traditional combination: peaches and cream.

Hawaii

Tuna + soy sauce + sesame seeds + green onions

Interesting fact: "Poke" means "to cut into pieces" in Hawaiian, which is how raw fish is prepared for sashimi. Locals and tourists alike adore this dish.

Idaho

Mashed potatoes + sour cream + bacon + chives

Interesting fact: Idaho's main vegetable is the potato, and Americans love it best mashed or baked. French fries, oddly enough, are only third on the list!

Illinois

Cocktail sausage + pickles + tomatoes + mustard + celery salt + poppy seeds

Interesting fact: You can't visit Chicago without trying a hot dog that looks like it was dragged through a garden. The proper toppings may be debatable, but one thing is certain: no ketchup!

Indiana

Dulce de leche + caramel popcorn

Interesting fact: One of Indiana's most famous residents is Orville Redenbacher, who began growing popcorn at age 12. The state is also home to the town of Popcorn, population 42.

Iowa

Corn relish + parsley

Interesting fact: Iowa produces 2.5 billion bushels of corn annually, but only 1% is the sweet corn sold in stores. The rest is processed or used as livestock feed.

Kansas

Sunflower paste + baked carrots + sunflower seeds

Interesting fact: In 1895, a state law declared the sunflower a "weed" and subject to eradication; however, in 1903, it became the official flower of Kansas.

Kentucky

Triple-fat cream cheese + bourbon-sautéed onions

Interesting fact: 95% of the world's bourbon is made in Kentucky, and it's said there are more bourbon barrels here than people!

Louisiana

Cajun Cream Cheese + Cajun Shrimp

Interesting fact: Cajun cuisine is known to include the "holy trinity" of ingredients: onions, bell peppers, and celery. The fourth element can be considered local seasoningCajun cooks love their spices!

Maine

Ricotta + blueberries + pepper

Interesting fact: Maine grows abundant blueberries, and blueberry pie is the state's official dessert. The berries are used in both sweet and savory dishes, so we added pepper.

Maryland

Crab meat + lemon juice + Old Bay seasoning + chives

Interesting fact: Chesapeake Bay crabs are a favorite around here, and Old Bay seasoning — an integral part of the cuisine. Locals add it to everything, even ice cream.

Massachusetts

Cranberry sauce + brie

Interesting fact: Cranberry cultivation began in Massachusetts in the early 1800s, and today it produces about a third of all the world's cultivated cranberries. It's amazing!

Michigan

Ham + cherry jam + parsley

Interesting fact: Over 4 million cherry trees bloom in the Great Lakes State each year. It's the leading tart cherry producer in the United States and the fourth-largest sweet cherry producer.

Minnesota

Steamed purple cauliflower + olive oil + sea salt

Interesting fact: If Minnesota had a color, it would be purple. In 2016, one senator even tried to make it the official state color in homage to Minnesota native Prince and his hit song "Purple Rain."

Mississippi

Comeback sauce + shredded lettuce + fried shrimp

Interesting fact: Perhaps Mississippi's greatest culinary contribution is comeback sauce. It's said to be a combination remoulade With Thousand Island dressing so delicious that you will want to come back for more.

Missouri

BBQ sauce + smoked brisket

Interesting fact: Kansas City is famous for its barbecue brisket, especially the charred ends, which are trimmed from the sharp edge. These tasty morsels were once considered scraps!

Montana

Creamy horseradish sauce + dill + smoked trout

Interesting fact: Montana is home to some of the world's best fly fishing techniques. It's also home to some of the world's strangest fishing laws: married women are prohibited from fishing alone on Sundays!

Nebraska

Blue cheese + seared steak

Interesting fact: It's no wonder Nebraska is called the "Beef State": cattle occupy 24 million acres here - that's more than half of the entire land area!

Nevada

Peanut butter + bananas + bacon

Interesting fact: It's a tribute to Elvis: you're sure to love his favorite sandwich combination.

New Hampshire

Apple Paste + Apple Pie Filling

Interesting fact: There's nothing quite like autumn in New Hampshire, when apple season is in full swing, dozens of farms offer their harvest, and there's enough applesauce to go around.

New Jersey

Grated potatoes + mozzarella + gravy

Interesting fact: Local eateries have popularized disco fries—the ultimate after-dance snack: French fries, cheese, and gravy.

New Mexico

Guacamole + Chili Salsa Hutch

Interesting fact: Chili lovers know that the famous Hutch pepper is grown only in New Mexico. The local chili festival attracts over 30,000 people each year.

New York

Cream Cheese with Green Onions + Tomatoes + Bagel Seasoning

Interesting fact: New York City could arguably be called the bagel capital of the world. The original seeded bagel likely originated here, although no one knows for sure who invented it.

North Carolina

Pulled pork + pickles

Interesting fact: The sports rivalry between two local universities has nothing to do with the barbecue sauce wars of North Carolina. The sauce from the eastern part of the state contains more vinegar and pepper; the sauce from the western part is similar but made with ketchup. Take your pick!

North Dakota

Ground beef + cream of mushroom soup + peas + carrots + potato balls

Interesting fact: The ultimate "soul food" for Midwesterners is a meat and vegetable casserole with store-bought cream soup, topped with a starchy food like potato balls!

Ohio

Peanut butter + chocolate fudge sauce + sea salt

Interesting fact: Ohio's official tree is the buckeye, a fruit resembling a deer's eye. The region is famous for its chocolate-covered peanut butter candy of the same name.

Oklahoma

Scrambled eggs + sausage + cheddar

Interesting fact: Oklahoma is proud of its cowboys: there's the National Cowboy Museum in Oklahoma City, and the state also serves hearty cowboy breakfasts.

Oregon

Chocolate-nut butter + hazelnuts

Interesting fact: Filbert sounds like a distant relative, but it's actually another name for the hazelnut. The Oregon Hazelnut Commission was called the Oregon Filbert Commission until 1981.

Pennsylvania

Cheez Whiz + Roast Beef + Caramelized Onions

Interesting fact: Nowhere in the world are cheese and steak sandwiches taken more seriously than in Philadelphia. The question is: which to choose: Cheez Whiz spread or provolone cheese?

Rhode Island

Mascarpone mixed with coffee syrup + chocolate-covered coffee beans

Interesting fact: Rhode Islanders love coffee milk so much that they try to keep it within the state's borders. Trader Joe's sells coffee syrup, but like this wonderful coffee milk, it's elusive!

South Carolina

Pimento Cheese Spread + Pickled Jalapenos

Interesting fact: Pimento cheese was invented in New York, but South Carolina perfected the cheese spread. You'll find it everywhere from country stores to fine restaurants.

South Dakota

Ketchup + bison patty + cheddar

Interesting fact: Bison are found in almost every state in the country, but South Dakota has the largest number of them: over 30,000!

Tennessee

Pickles + Fried Chicken + Spiced Honey

Interesting fact: Nashville Hot Chicken was conceived as a punishment: when a philandering husband came home late, the wife would dip the fried chicken in the pepper sauce. Turns out, he liked it!

Texas

Cowboy caviar + parsley

Interesting fact: Call it cowboy caviar or Texas caviar, this blend of corn, beans, and peppers in a zesty vinaigrette comes straight from the Lone Star State.

Utah

Feta + honey + sea salt

Interesting fact: Religious leader Brigham Young originally named the Utah area with the Mormon word Deseret, meaning "honeybee"; he wanted the people to live independently and self-sufficiently, like bees.

Vermont

White cheddar + green apples + maple syrup

Interesting fact: The Green Mountain State is famous not only for its maple syrup, but also for its cheese, thanks to its large number of dairy cows: more than 128,000!

Virginia

Butter + Virginia ham + pepper

Interesting fact: Virginia country ham is prized for its sweet flavor—the pigs are fed peanuts and peaches, and in the old days, even acorns!

Washington

Apple salad + chives

Interesting fact: Six out of 10 apples in the US come from Washington state. 2.5 million tons of apples are grown here annually, all of them hand-picked.

West Virginia

Marinara sauce + pepperoni + mozzarella

Interesting fact: Pepperoni buns are a West Virginia favorite. This easy-to-transport snack, invented by a coal miner, is the unofficial state food and is sold at gas stations everywhere.

Wisconsin

Colby Jack Cheese + Crushed Cheese Crackers

Interesting fact: Wisconsin is the leading cheese producer in the United States, producing 1.4 tons of cheese annually. It is also the only state that requires cheese producers to obtain a license.

Wyoming

Garlic mayonnaise + beef jerky

Interesting fact: It's said that cattle ranching arose after a settler in Wyoming, short of feed for his cows, left his animals to graze freely over the winter. Amazingly, they survived by eating grass.

Washington (city)

Cheddar + chili + white onion

Interesting fact: Ben's Chili Bowl has been serving locals, tourists, and politicians in the city since 1958. President Obama stopped in for a hot dog a couple of days before his inauguration.

Puerto Rico

Mango-Avocado Salsa + Plantain Chips

Interesting fact: Puerto Rico has been part of the United States since 1898, bringing many innovations to the country's cuisine. Green plantains, a popular side dish, are sometimes fried and served as chips.