Counting the ballots…
Counting the ballots…
“This is my 2nd choice. First place would go to ham balls which you do not have on your list. No other state makes ham balls. If you don’t know about them you should find out!”
“Y'all let's be for real, this is what we are known for. It would be criminal if this doesn't represent us.”
“Nothing says “summer in Iowa” like the smell of a pork porterhouse grilling over an open flame. The best version is found in back yards all across our state.”
“Finding the best one and exploring every back road restaurant to see their version is like a sport in Iowa.”
“They’re the perfect sweet treat available at every grad party or Casey’s gas station. However, my mom makes the best Scotcharoos!”
Iowa's ballot divides between the fairground and the church basement. The Walking Taco, Taco Pizza from the Quad Cities, and the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich are all eaten standing up. Scotcheroos and Candy Bar Salad arrive on a folding table. Pork is the state's business twice over, in the Thick-Cut Pork Chop and the sauceless Loose Meat Sandwich. Pella's Dutch Letters and Steak de Burgo are the immigrant outliers. Sweet Corn needs no argument. What Iowa is famous for is served on a stick or in a bag. So what is Iowa's official state dish? That question is the whole point.