Regional Foods

You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Grant Barrett.

And I’m Martha Barnette.

You know, anytime that we talk about food on this show, the emails and the phone calls come pouring in.

And it’s really amazing how names for different foods can vary from place to place

And how the name of a local specialty in your part of the country may be totally mystifying.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah. I mean, Grant, for example, would you know what Benedictine is?

No, is it a drink, like grenadine or something?

Well, yeah, Benedictine is the name of a green drink.

But I grew up in Louisville eating Benedictine sandwiches.

What’s on those?

It’s like rutabaga and beets or something?

No, I don’t know.

No, it’s a mixture of cucumbers and cream cheese.

And it’s like one of those regional words that you grow up with.

And then you go someplace else in the country and you use it,

And people just look at you like you’re nuts.

I mentioned Benedictine to somebody, you know, once I was an adult and living someplace else,

And they had no idea what I was talking about.

I’ve been there before.

You know, a lot of the conversations that I’ve had about food over the years have been about barbecue.

Vinegar versus tomato, right?

Pork versus beef, simmer versus basting, all of these things.

But you know what shuts down the argument?

When I bring up pork steaks.

Oh.

Nobody except my family from St. Louis knows what a pork steak is.

I don’t either.

Yeah, it’s a cut of meat made from the pork shoulder.

It’s not a big deal.

They look kind of like pork chops.

You put them on the grill.

Maybe they’re a half inch thick with a rim of fat.

Pork steaks, it’s an easy word, right?

Big mystery, though.

Well, so how about you?

Is there a specialty where you live that baffles outsiders when they come to visit?

Tell us about it.

You can call us at 1-877-929-9673.

Food words.

We expect a flood.

Just send them to words@waywordradio.org or give us a call.

That’s 1-877-W-A-Y-W-O-R-D.