So here I sit, day after day, week after week, writing about my favorite local foods and places, like The Craftsman in Minneapolis, Flatbush Farm in Brooklyn, and Peace Coffee, roasted in the Twin Cities. But what I really want to know is: what about you? What are the local foods you can't be without? Do you crave bread from Turtle Bread in Minneapolis? Junior's Cheesecake from New York? Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams from Columbus, Ohio? I want to know! 
Living in the Twin Cities, loads of foods come to mind. I don't want to live in a world without Rogue Chocolate, Rustica cookies, St. Pete's blue cheese, Cossetta's pasta sauce, or Thousand Hills Cattle Company grass-fed beef. But that's just me. There are hundreds of Twin Cities foods I haven't heard about or tried, and - obviously - many more outside of Minnesota. I want to know about them all. Please let me know what local foods you love. I want to experience them, celebrate them, and write about them. Use the comments section below to tell the rest of us the name of each food that comes to mind and where it's from. If you'd like, you can also write why you love it. Thanks a lot for sharing!
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Comments
Wow, what a great poll! Here in Connecticut my local favorites list includes:
Wave Hill Bread (Wilton, CT): It's artisan bread and it's hard not to eat the entire loaf before I get it home.
Goat cheese by Beltane Farm (Lebanon, CT): the fresh chevre rolled in fresh herbs is great, but they make some ripened cheeses too.
Bridgewater Chocolate (Brookfield, CT): I wasn't much of a chocolate fan until I tried their chocolates. The dark chocolate turtles are just so good!
Double Twister Ice Cream (Danbury, CT): There hasn't been a flavor I haven't liked.
I'm sure there are more places, but these are definitely a of my few favorites.
Thank you so much for sharing your favorites. I suddenly have an incredible urge to take a road trip to Connecticut!
Here in central Vermont, my family loves:
1. Craig Line's maple syrup (all grades) - friend and neighbor w/ sugar bush (trees) and shack (where he boils down sap into gold)
2. Patchwork Farm breads (any kind)
3. Jasper Hill Farm Bayley Hazen Blue cheese
4. Strafford Organic Creamery milk - sold in returnable glass bottles; a special treat
5. Rock Art Brewery
6. Boyden Valley Winery
7. Kismet Restaurant - in Montpelier across the street/tracks from Hunger Mt. Coop
I could go on and on given Vermont's many food artisans, but I will leave it here for now.
This is a great list, Rob, thanks a lot.
-Lee
There are many local foods I love...here are a few:
Neuske's Bacon - not strictly local - made in Wisconsin - but at least regional and FANTASTIC.
Honeycrisp Apples - many are now grown out of state, but they were developed here in MN, and many are grown here.
Patrick's Bakery - 66th & Xerxes, fabulous French baguettes, pastries, and savory foods as well.
Turtle Bread Bakery - I mostly love their breads and rolls.
Walleye - this magnificent fresh-water fish is not available in many parts of the country. Most of what's available in stores here in the Twin Cities comes from our state.
Summit Brewery beers - real beer is a food, and a good local microbrews are always great to support. Summit was a real trailblazer in that industry, and continues to be one of the best local breweries.
Land-o-Lakes unsalted butter - all of LoL's products are good quality, but their sweet creamery unsalted butter is award-winning and preferred by many chefs. Their heavy cream is excellent as well.
B.T.McElrath Chocolates - this chocolatier is located in NE Mpls and they make some of the most delicious high-end chocolates I've ever had. Their passionfruit truffles are in the top 5 chocolates I've eaten anywhere on earth, including in Belgium.
I'm sure there are more, but these are certainly some of my favorites! -Chuck
Chuck, thank you so much for sharing this great list. I'm happy to be able to personally attest to the exceptional tastiness of each of these items. I especially like your mix of small, local companies alongside bigger, national ones. Thanks again for sharing!
-Lee
And down here in Des Moines somewhat of an Italian theme...
Graziano's Italian Sausage - Still hand-made in the back of the Graziano Bros. Italian Grocery (in the same store since 1912) on the south side of Dsm. Just the smells in this store when you walk in will fill you up.
South Union Bakery - Incredible focaccia & ciabatta breads.
La Quercia Prosciutto - Artisan meats from a local farm being used by top chefs all over the States.
And I have to add Maytag Blue Cheese - Creamy texture, my favorite on burgers
Thanks so much for your great list, Kurt! I'm anxious to come try those foods - I've only had Maytag so far. Can I find Graziano's sausage in the Twin Cities?
Is this not like picking your favorite child? I like them all!!
OK, here's some fav's:
- Death's Door Spirits (gin and vodka)
- Fantome Farm fresh goat cheese
- Trader's Point Creamery yogurt
- Vienna hot dogs (does that count??)
- Milk and Honey granola
- Nicole's crackers
- Hoosier Mama pies
- Nice Cream ice cream
Many, many more including Quercia, Nueske cited above.
Thanks a lot for your terrific list, Rob! Are these all Wisconsin favorites? Where do I need to go to find the yogurt and pies? :-)
[...] week, Lee Zukor inspired us with a post on how local food changes you. This week, Lee asks what local foods do we love. My problem about making a whole column stealing Lee’s work (again), is the question, is [...]
I just found your website today through Heavy Table, and I really like it. My favorite local foods and restaurants here in the Twin Cities are:
1) Pumphouse Creamery. Far and away the best ice cream in town with the most uniquely delicious waffle cones. Plus, the owner focuses on local ingredients. I just had a single scoop of Local Buckwheat Honey yesterday, and I'm already ready to go back for more.
2) Tanpopo Noodle Shop. I've never been to Japan, so I can't personally attest to the food's authenticity, but I do know that it's delicious. The broth for the noodle bowls is amazing. And I believe the owner here sources locally and organically when possible.
Thanks for a great site!
Thanks Jessica, your favorites are some of mine too. Thanks for visiting the blog and including a note. Your blog looks great too - terrific recipes and pictures. Thanks again!
-Lee
I love Connecticut's fresh, local, all natural milk (and half-and-half) by The Farmer's Cow (www.thefarmerscow.com). They also offer delicious seasonal beverages such as lemonade, ice tea and a half-lemonade, half-ice tea blend. Their apple cider is also great. In addition to being tasty, their seasonal beverages are all natural and do not contain high fructose corn syrup.
Check out their eggs, too.
And last but not least, meet them this summer during their summer farm tours.
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