# 50 Comfort Foods For 50 States



## Bail_07 (Aug 12, 2014)

A quick video that labels each state with its own comfort food. Pretty interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E898Bi7pKM


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 12, 2014)

Gee, the only dish that I've never heard of nor tried is Montana's Meat Pastry.
We spent sometime driving through Montana and I can't recall seeing that,
but MAN that looks delicious!

But oh my gravy, a big _YEAH_ to the Loco Moco!


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## CharlieD (Aug 12, 2014)

Cool


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## Kayelle (Aug 12, 2014)

That's quite a list.

 I imagine it will be quite interesting to our friends here at DC that don't live in the States. 

The only one I've never had or heard of is "Hot Brown" from Kentucky. Can anyone here clue me in on that one?


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## Kayelle (Aug 12, 2014)

By the way, welcome to Discuss Cooking, and thanks for the link. Hope you stick around, it's a good place to be.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 12, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> That's quite a list.
> 
> I imagine it will be quite interesting to our friends here at DC that don't live in the States.
> 
> The only one I've never had or heard of is "Hot Brown" from Kentucky. Can anyone here clue me in on that one?



Kayelle, it's kind like a open face hot turkey sandwich


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## GotGarlic (Aug 12, 2014)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Kayelle, it's kind like a open face hot turkey sandwich



Topped with bacon and cheese


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## Kayelle (Aug 12, 2014)

Holy cow, that sounds delicious.....I may have to google a recipe! Thanks friends.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 12, 2014)

anything with cheese and bacon is okey-dokey in my book!


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## Cheryl J (Aug 12, 2014)

Welcome, Bail! 

Fun video, thank you for sharing!


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## Addie (Aug 13, 2014)

Welcome to DC. You are going to have a lot of fun here. Lots of laugh, and lots of imformation. Whether you need or want it, or not.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 13, 2014)

In every part of Michigan except the large cities, the comfort food is whitefish, prepared either baked, or beer batter fried.  Now that's not my go to comfort food, but anywhere I've been in Michigan, its top.  In the Middle U.P. it's the Cudaghi sandwich, or a pastie.  In my home town, it's the West Pier Drive In hamburger, or the King's Pizza Pizza Pastie, and amazing thing that's worth coming here for.  I've searched.  No one else makes them.

Other than those things, the list looks pretty great, and fairly accurate.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## chiklitmanfan (Aug 13, 2014)

Enjoyable video and hit some of my favorite comfort foods: Lobster/shrimp rolls in Maine and Nova Scotia, Hot Browns (I had one in the Louisville airport and it was about a week's worth of calories) Peach cobbler in Georgia is right on. It, along with banana pudding is a staple at most barbecue joints. Salmon in Washington is also perfect and the best is smoked with Alder wood. I know they didn't mention Puerto Rico but I have some friends from there and chicken and rice with pesto sauce is an island staple. I was surprised that Nebraska didn't feature steak because that is right in the heart of steak country. Oklahoma's chicken-fried steak is one of my all-time favorites.


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## CraigC (Aug 13, 2014)

At least the key lime pie had the right color.


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## Andy M. (Aug 13, 2014)

I'm not sure I'd have chosen New England clam chowder for Massachusetts.  Boston Cream Pie and Parker House Rolls were both created here in MA.


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## Addie (Aug 13, 2014)

Andy M. said:


> I'm not sure I'd have chosen New England clam chowder for Massachusetts.  Boston Cream Pie and Parker House Rolls were both created here in MA.



I agree with you Andy. And both were created in the same restaurant. The Parker House. A very famous policital gathering spot. Where all the deals were made and still are. N.E. Clam Chowder denotes a large section of the country, not a state.


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## Steve Kroll (Aug 13, 2014)

Having grown up in Wisconsin, I don't agree with the choice of fried cheese curds, either. First of all, in the upper midwest, fried cheese curds are relatively commonplace. They are generally considered fair food, although you can also get them at any A&W or Culver's restaurant. FRESH cheese curds, on the other hand, are rarely found outside of Wisconsin. I have yet to have a fresh cheese curd in Minnesota. You sometimes find cheese curds in the cheese section in Minnesota grocery stores, but I can assure you that they are most certainly not fresh.

I would argue that the Bratwurst rules as king of the comfort foods in Wisconsin. Beer Cheese Soup with Popcorn Croutons is probably a close second. Cheese Curds, fresh or fried, are more along the line of snacks, and not something you would sit down and eat for a meal.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 13, 2014)

I think it was created by someone who did a quick Internet search and didn't do any real research into comfort foods in the various states. Popular foods, maybe, but comfort foods? Nah.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 13, 2014)

Addie said:


> I agree with you Andy. And both were created in the same restaurant. The Parker House. A very famous policital gathering spot. Where all the deals were made and still are. N.E. Clam Chowder denotes a large section of the country, not a state.



Hee hee! Just had to chuckle. New England is a large section of the country? Might want to check a map. There are a lot of states that are larger than New England


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## Kayelle (Aug 13, 2014)

I think many of us can agree we'd choose something else to represent our state...I wouldn't have chosen fish taco's for California, but we didn't make the video either.


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## Dawgluver (Aug 13, 2014)

I thought most of these were pretty accurate as far as what I've seen.  Though I'm not sure I've eaten kugel, even though I'm from North Dakota.  Not sure what I'd say the ND state comfort food would be, maybe hotdish.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotdish


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 13, 2014)

If I were casting a vote for the comfort food of Hawaii, 
I would vote for Spam Musubi (moo-sue-bee)
I make mine with a teriyaki sauce for added mositure, 
the perfect in-hand-food!


YUM!
Honey, do we have any more Spam in the House?


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## Andy M. (Aug 13, 2014)

GotGarlic said:


> Hee hee! Just had to chuckle. New England is a large section of the country? Might want to check a map. There are a lot of states that are larger than New England



Maybe bigger but none better.


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## Cooking Goddess (Aug 16, 2014)

Harrumph. It's all a point of perspective. I'm sure most of us feel our own home state is the best. I know I do.


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## Silversage (Aug 16, 2014)

They hit Michigan right on the head!  I was born & raised there, and lived there for 40 years.  I like whitefish just fine, but it certainly isn't representative of the State.  When I go home, the first thing have to do is get a Coney!  I talk to transplanted Michiganders all the time, and the one thing we all miss is coneys.


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## GotGarlic (Aug 16, 2014)

I lived in Michigan for from age 4 to age 22 and never heard of a Coney, except as associated with Coney dogs from Coney Island in New York. A fish fry would be more likely, imo.


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## Somebunny (Aug 16, 2014)

Thank you to the OP for sharing the video.  It was interesting, and of course subjective. A better title might have been 50 foods associated with 50 States . I would never consider Cedar plank salmon a "comfort food", and IMO nothing beats fresh from the shell Dungeness crab, not even Salmon, which I love, still don't consider it comfort food though.  . Like GG said, and I paraphrase here, we all think  our state is the best.  


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 16, 2014)

Silversage said:


> They hit Michigan right on the head!  I was born & raised there, and lived there for 40 years.  I like whitefish just fine, but it certainly isn't representative of the State.  When I go home, the first thing have to do is get a Coney!  I talk to transplanted Michiganders all the time, and the one thing we all miss is coneys.



Unfortunately, Coney's aren't a big thing in the U.P.  Up here, it's the whitefish, Walleye, and pasties that steel the show, and the Cuhdagi sausage.  In my home town, there is nothing quite as glorious though as the pizza pastie.  Thing 9 inch pizza, with your favorite fillings and sauce, folded into a half circle and baked to perfection.  Calzones aren't the same thing.  Empenada's aren't like a pizza pastie either.  They are amazing, and I haven't seem them anywhere else.  Everyone in Michigan should have the chance to eat them.  But I guess  they couldn't be considered a comfort food.  They are too exciting as an eating experience to be comfortable..

Real Michigan comfort foods, all made with home grown Michigan fruit - Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Blueberry Pie.  Nothing better on the planet!

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Kayelle (Aug 16, 2014)

When you consider that *all* the New England states would fit into California more than two times over, that's a very very big area for just one comfort food. My state is understandably very diverse in the culinary world. I suppose the author chose "fish taco's" as a safe bet for this huge beautiful place. It's called "The Golden State" for good reason, my only home sweet home.


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## Addie (Aug 16, 2014)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Unfortunately, Coney's aren't a big thing in the U.P.  Up here, it's the whitefish, Walleye, and pasties that steel the show, and the Cuhdagi sausage.  In my home town, there is nothing quite as glorious though as the pizza pastie.  Thing 9 inch pizza, with your favorite fillings and sauce, folded into a half circle and baked to perfection.  Calzones aren't the same thing.  Empenada's aren't like a pizza pastie either.  They are amazing, and I haven't seem them anywhere else.  Everyone in Michigan should have the chance to eat them.  But I guess  they couldn't be considered a comfort food.  They are too exciting as an eating experience to be comfortable..
> 
> Real Michigan comfort foods, all made with home grown Michigan fruit - Apple Pie, Cherry Pie, Blueberry Pie.  Nothing better on the planet!
> 
> Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



Having grown up in Boston's other Little Italy, Monday was bean sandwiches for brown bag school lunches. Thursday was Calzone BB lunches. Only because Friday was no meat, just fish. Calzones usually had Italian cold cuts and cheeses, or leftover meatballs/sausages with a small amount of gravy from the night before supper. I have never been a fan of store bought Calzones because they are mostly bread with very little filling. When made at home, they bread dough is rolled out much thinner. 

Chief, did you forget your cranberry crop? It can give Massachusetts a run for the money in total poundage.


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## Addie (Aug 16, 2014)

Kayelle said:


> When you consider that *all* the New England states would fit into California more than two times over, that's a very very big area for just one comfort food. My state is understandably very diverse in the culinary world. I suppose the author chose "fish taco's" as a safe bet for this huge beautiful place. It's called "The Golden State" for good reason, my only home sweet home.



I too would find it hard to decide what constitutes a comfort food from California. Although I do remember reading about that "new" taco that was coming out of California. And folks were raving about it. I also remember reading that most food fads were started in California and moved East from there. Let's face it, you folks out there are very adventurous in your foods. We New Englanders tend to stick to our roots. Too bad. I get the feeling we are missing out on a lot of good food. Although if you go to Cambridge, you can find a restaurant of almost any ethnic group. The Pirate is one to be willing to try anything new you put in front of him. Me? I am just too stuck in my ways nowadays.


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## Kayelle (Aug 16, 2014)

Addie said:


> I too would find it hard to decide what constitutes a comfort food from California. Although I do remember reading about that "new" taco that was coming out of California. And folks were raving about it. I also remember reading that most food fads were started in California and moved East from there. Let's face it, you folks out there are very adventurous in your foods. We New Englanders tend to stick to our roots. Too bad. I get the feeling we are missing out on a lot of good food. Although if you go to Cambridge, you can find a restaurant of almost any ethnic group. The Pirate is one to be willing to try anything new you put in front of him. Me? I am just too stuck in my ways nowadays.



I must admit Addie, when we were nearly home after our 10,000 mile cruise, Steve wrote this in the story....

We landed in Cabo San Lucas Mexico, nearly home now and we each ate four of their famous Cabo fish taco's. It was the best food we had had in a month!

Yep, real comfort food for us.


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## Caslon (Aug 16, 2014)

Taco Bell once served a fish taco, with a slice of lime.  Biggest mistake they ever made, dropping that item.


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## Kayelle (Aug 16, 2014)

Here's a pretty good video of how to do easy grilled fish taco's, the Cabo way. I like mine with some sliced avacado too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmXqiRzFye8


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## Cheryl J (Aug 16, 2014)

Thanks for that link, Kay. I love my fish tacos with avocados, too. And there are so many ways to make them - grilled, battered and deep fried....

When I first read the author's opinion that fish tacos were CA's "comfort food", my first though was that I probably wouldn't have chosen fish tacos as a comfort food, given my memories of my mom's wonderful meat loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, and my grandma's lemon meringue pie, etc. 

Then I got to thinking about it, and remembered that every Friday night my dad would make tacos and other southwestern sides for dinner that would be called TexMex now, but at the time there wasn't a word for it.  They are my go-to's for a fave dinner to this day. 

I think the definition of comfort foods = nostalgia, of dishes that we grew up with, even though we change them a bit over the years.


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## pengyou (Aug 20, 2014)

Hmmmm I agree with the thought of someone who posted here.  Are these really comfort foods or simply foods that each area is famous for?  I can NOT imagine a list of comfort foods in the US that does not include Oreos!!!


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 20, 2014)

pengyou said:


> Hmmmm I agree with the thought of someone who posted here.  Are these really comfort foods or simply foods that each area is famous for?  I can NOT imagine a list of comfort foods in the US that does not include Oreos!!!



Ooh, deep fried Oreos! or Twinkies, or Mars bars, or ...


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## mmyap (Aug 21, 2014)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Ooh, deep fried Oreos! or Twinkies, or Mars bars, or ...



Yeah!  Deep fried anything is going to be awesome!

Kgirl....suspend your disbelief and just think....deep friend Haupia!  It can't be done!!  But OMG!  You could make big money on that, it you could engineer it out. 

But for me, Lau Lau is the Hawaiian comfort food.  Misunderstood.... and yet, so beautiful.


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## danbuter (Aug 21, 2014)

That was one sad-looking Philly Cheesesteak (heck, they even got the name wrong).


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## Somebunny (Aug 22, 2014)

danbuter said:


> That was one sad-looking Philly Cheesesteak (heck, they even got the name wrong).




Lol Dan!  I thought the same thing!  It didn't look like the Philly cheesesteaks I make!


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## buckytom (Aug 26, 2014)

some states needed more than 1 choice.
jersey should have been a "taylor" ham, egg, and cheese on a bagel, not just a pork roll sandwich.

and buffalo wings for ny? maybe, but what about thin crust pizza, bagels and a schmear, and apple something?


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 26, 2014)

buckytom said:


> some states needed more than 1 choice.
> jersey should have been a "taylor" ham, egg, and cheese on a bagel, not just a pork roll sandwich....




DH is from the Philly area and he LOVES Taylor ham egg and cheese on a hard roll... I still am in search of a hard roll here in the middle of the desert.
In Hawaii I could get the roll but not the Taylor ham 

The first time I tasted it, I said, "hmmm, kinda like Spam" 
OH! That didn't go over well


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## danbuter (Aug 28, 2014)

Kinda like Spam is probably a compliment in Hawaii.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 28, 2014)

danbuter said:


> Kinda like Spam is probably a compliment in Hawaii.


 


 Ya know dan, Taylor's Ham (as DH calls it) here in AZ is pushing $10, and yet Spam is still under $3...some folks on the 'mainland' don't seem to care for Spam... can't figure why


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## Addie (Aug 28, 2014)

Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Ya know dan, Taylor's Ham (as DH calls it) here in AZ is pushing $10, and yet Spam is still under $3...some folks on the 'mainland' don't seem to care for Spam... can't figure why



I buy the Lite Spam. The original is just too salty for my taste. Great for a quick sandwich.


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## Kaneohegirlinaz (Aug 28, 2014)

Addie said:


> I buy the Lite Spam. The original is just too salty for my taste. Great for a quick sandwich.



Exactly Addie!
... fried VERY crisp!


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## biscotto (Sep 8, 2014)

It's "Chicato style pizza", it's not all of Illinois. I grew up in Southern IL and we NEVER ate Chicago Style pizza.


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## CWS4322 (Sep 8, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> I thought most of these were pretty accurate as far as what I've seen.  Though I'm not sure I've eaten kugel, even though I'm from North Dakota.  Not sure what I'd say the ND state comfort food would be, maybe hotdish.
> 
> Hotdish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


I would put "hotdish" for MN. For ND...Rocky Mountain Oysters?  I glanced at this page:

Seems there are a fair number of Lutefisk and meatball Church suppers in ND.

http://heritagerenewal.org/suppers/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_North_Dakota


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## Dawgluver (Sep 8, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> I would put "hotdish" for MN. For ND...Rocky Mountain Oysters?  I glanced at this page:
> 
> Seems there are a fair number of Lutefisk and meatball Church suppers in ND.
> 
> ...




We lived close to the Minnesota border, and there was plenty of hotdish served!  Swedish meatballs at church potlucks too.  I think the Lutherans served lutefisk.


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## CWS4322 (Sep 8, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> We lived close to the Minnesota border, and there was plenty of hotdish served!  Swedish meatballs at church potlucks too.  I think the Lutherans served lutefisk.


Where I grew up in MN, they still do! As does the Sons of Norway (only they rent the Episcopalian church basement!).


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## Claire (Sep 8, 2014)

*SPAM and Hawaii*



Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> Ya know dan, Taylor's Ham (as DH calls it) here in AZ is pushing $10, and yet Spam is still under $3...some folks on the 'mainland' don't seem to care for Spam... can't figure why


 
When hubby and I were travelling the US in our camper, we stopped in Minnesota just to go to the SPAM museum.  We'd lived off-and-on for ten years in Hawaii.  After our pilgrimage to the museum, we sat in a local bar and commented on having to go to the SPAM museum because of our stints in Hawaii.  The bartender said, "OMG!  Really?  I thought they just told us that SPAM was popular in Hawaii as propaganda!"  Nope!  Hawaiian pizza?  Put away your Canadian bacon, and put on the SPAM.  SPAM kabobs.  SPAM and eggs. SPAM on your saimin.  SPAM ...  Threw a Hawaiian themed party here, and people were astonished that a feature dish was SPAM and pineapple kabobs.  Actually, it was pretty popular with our 70+ year old crowd!


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## JanetMlr (Sep 11, 2014)

Very interesting. I didn't look at them all yet because I stopped at Connecticut, which is where I live.  I don't know if I should be embarrassed or not. Steamed burger???!!! What the heck is that?  All I know is, it sure isn't impressive. I've experienced many great burgers in Connecticut, but I guarantee that NONE of them were steamed. Maybe they steam them at MacDonald's?  That's FAR from comforting. I think of comfort foods as things like beef stew and biscuits, or home made soup, or mac & cheese.


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## Addie (Sep 11, 2014)

JanetMlr said:


> Very interesting. I didn't look at them all yet because I stopped at Connecticut, which is where I live.  I don't know if I should be embarrassed or not. Steamed burger???!!! What the heck is that?  All I know is, it sure isn't impressive. I've experienced many great burgers in Connecticut, but I guarantee that NONE of them were steamed. Maybe they steam them at MacDonald's?  That's FAR from comforting. I think of comfort foods as things like beef stew and biscuits, or home made soup, or mac & cheese.



Yup! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujrhGVpM8os

And here ya go!


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## CWS4322 (Sep 11, 2014)

Dawgluver said:


> We lived close to the Minnesota border, and there was plenty of hotdish served!  Swedish meatballs at church potlucks too.  I think the Lutherans served lutefisk.


Whereabouts did you live?


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## Dawgluver (Sep 11, 2014)

CWS4322 said:


> Whereabouts did you live?




I'll PM you.


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