What things you assumed to be universally true, but were specific to your area?

[LadyStitch]

I'll bet trying to find a fanny pack was even more embarrassing 

Yeah they have them.  They are called  "Bumm bags"  Seriously the most embarrasing thing was trying to borrow a "cooler" from some one.  After 5 minutes of frustration I finally said ' I need a small retangular container with a lid that I can fill with ice and keep my food cool, when I am on a picnic or something'.  Then their light bulb went on , "Oh you mean a CHILLY BIN!  Sure we have several you can borrow."

[Hausfrau Monica]

As a Canadian chef, I am always interested in food from different areas.  I have a great time on the chat with several people from many different areas of the states when we get talking about food.

Dustin mentioned "Canadian bacon" on his pizza the other night....we just call it what it is...peameal bacon.  We were then talking about steaks and he mentioned that what we call a New York strip steak isn't called that in New York.  I am trying to track down a reference I saw to a steak cooked "Phillidelphia"...anyone know what that is?

and yeah...they're called flip-flops here and it is pop, not soda...we know it is an American if they ask for a soda

chilly-bin.... LOL

[LadyStitch]

I have to say the funniest food confusion i have had since I came back to the states was when we asked for "Sweet Chili sause" and was given a tomato based spicy cup of stuff we would put on hot dogs.  What we wanted was a orange almost smooth jelly  that was sweet asian chili's in it.  We love it on french fries, and chicken tenders/nuggests.
We were able to get it for a while at McDonalds during the winter olympics, but they stopped because people were saying "That aint no Chili sauce!"

In NZ the only real food off up happened on our first trip.  We were making a pasta dinner and gave our host a grocery list.  We put "a jar of pasta sause" and "a can of tomato sause" on it.  When we were making the pasta sause we had it simmering, but just as we were about to dump in the can of tomato sauce a friend grabbed my DH's arm, and asked "Did you mean 'tomato sause' or 'a very fine puree of tomato's'.  Giving her a funny look, she took the can from our hand , and gave us another one that said 'Tomato puree' on it.  Turns out we were about to dump 16oz of very bland KETCUP into our spagetti sauce!  Regardless we ended up using the 'tomato sauce' the next night when we had a family style meal of REAL fish and chips  :: goes off with her mouth drooling remembering::

[Elennare]

Just discovered one that I *think* might be regional, but I'm not sure.

Clinking silverware on glasses at a wedding reception until the bride and groom kiss.  Is this a mid-west/Michigan thing only, or have people from other parts of the country heard of this?

At every wedding in Michigan I've ever been to, this has been done, but my friend from the West Coast hadn't heard of it, and it didn't happen at the wedding somewhere down South my mom just went to, so now I'm trying to figure out if this is just a regional thing.

[Valiss]

Just discovered one that I *think* might be regional, but I'm not sure.

Clinking silverware on glasses at a wedding reception until the bride and groom kiss.
Is this a mid-west/Michigan thing only, or have people from other parts of the country heard of this?

At every wedding in Michigan I've ever been to, this has been done, but my friend from the West Coast hadn't heard of it, and it didn't happen at the wedding somewhere down South my mom just went to, so now I'm trying to figure out if this is just a regional thing.

I've seen this done weddings before, but usually it's for a speech, not a kiss.

[will paisley]

Dustin mentioned "Canadian bacon" on his pizza the other night....we just call it what it is...peameal bacon.  We were then talking about steaks and he mentioned that what we call a New York strip steak isn't called that in New York.  I am trying to track down a reference I saw to a steak cooked "Phillidelphia"...anyone know what that is?

Are you referring to Philly cheesesteak, or something else?  That's the only association of steak in reference to Philadelphia I've ever heard of (and Google agrees with me).  If so, this should answer all your questions (including the Great Pat's vs Geno's Debate).

[Rani Zemirah]

Here in Oklahoma I grew up mixing peanut butter with maple syrup to spread on crackers for a snack, but it seems most people I've come across in my travels have never heard of it.  

Then there's cornbread and milk.  Large tea glass filled with cornbread pieces, then covered with milk, heated in the microwave, or fresh out of the oven, and eaten with a spoon.  

And what about eating black eyed peas for good luck on New Years Day?  I thought everyone, everywhere did that, but I guess it's just down here in what was the "dustbowl" region, and I've been told that it started during the Depression, when people had to eat whatever they could find, and "cow peas" became people food instead of livestock feed, then when things started getting better people just kept eating them because they were good!  Now every year we eat them with ham, fried potatoes and cornbread on NYD to remind us that things can always be worse than they are... and to be grateful for the things we have.  And to ensure that we'll have good luck in the coming year...

[Auryn]

Lets see,
in the region of Italy my grandmother (Veneto- general region of Northern Italy near Venice) is from you are supposed to eat Lentils on new year's eve.

I didn't realize sweet tea was a southern thing until I went up to Massachusets and West Virginia and the waiters looked at me like I had 3 heads when I asked for sweet tea. They brought me iced tea and a bunch of sugar packets.

Hehe speaking of language mis communication.
When I went to England a few years back I went to my first English grocery store (that is my favorite thing to do in a new country/ area). Went looking for a shopping cart to put my purchases in and couldn't find it. Asked 3 people for a "cart" and they all said they didn't know what I meant until an employee asked me if I wanted a trolley.
I was so embarrassed. I now call it a trolley or a cart- depends the mood I'm in.

[Rani Zemirah]

Oh, the iced tea thing is different everywhere, it seems!!!  In British Colombia they bring you brewed iced tea flavored with juice of one sort or another, orange or berry, but not sweetened, and in other places they bring it either with lemon already in it, or a wedge on the side of the glass.

[Rowan MacD]

Just discovered one that I *think* might be regional, but I'm not sure.

Clinking silverware on glasses at a wedding reception until the bride and groom kiss.
Is this a mid-west/Michigan thing only, or have people from other parts of the country heard of this?

At every wedding in Michigan I've ever been to, this has been done, but my friend from the West Coast hadn't heard of it, and it didn't happen at the wedding somewhere down South my mom just went to, so now I'm trying to figure out if this is just a regional thing.

I've seen this done weddings before, but usually it's for a speech, not a kiss.

I think it might qualify as regional...
 In So. California until the later part of the last century,  I had never attended a wedding where 'clinking' was done at all, for speeches or kisses.
 The best man, bridesmaid, etc. just stood and raised their glass to get everybody's attention, then made an announcement.  The married couple would kiss whenever ceremony called for it.  
  Now that I live in the Midwest-I have seen it at every wedding.

[Zaubon]

First time we heard of pulled pork in Texas, we thought that was how you got the pig out from under the tractor.

LOL.....In So Cal we grew up thinking BBQ  was always made from ground beef, like a Manwich.
Don't ever recall seeing it made from pork until I moved to the Midwest.   
 

BBQ is beef brisket slow smoked in a pit. What is this other stuff you are refering to?

Zaubon

[will paisley]

Then there's cornbread and milk.  Large tea glass filled with cornbread pieces, then covered with milk, heated in the microwave, or fresh out of the oven, and eaten with a spoon.  

And what about eating black eyed peas for good luck on New Years Day?  I thought everyone, everywhere did that, but I guess it's just down here in what was the "dustbowl" region, and I've been told that it started during the Depression, when people had to eat whatever they could find, and "cow peas" became people food instead of livestock feed, then when things started getting better people just kept eating them because they were good!

My Alabama grandmother liked cornbread with cold buttermilk, in a bowl, along with turnip greens.

The black eyed peas tradition has been alive and well in the Deep South for decades, if not centuries, usually accompanied by hog jowls.  Upon investigation, it seems to date back to 500AD or so, as recorded in the Babylonian Talmud, and was brought to Georgia by Spanish Jews in the 1730s.

[Valiss]

First time we heard of pulled pork in Texas, we thought that was how you got the pig out from under the tractor.

LOL.....In So Cal we grew up thinking BBQ
was always made from ground beef, like a Manwich.
Don't ever recall seeing it made from pork until I moved to the Midwest.

BBQ is beef brisket slow smoked in a pit. What is this other stuff you are refering to?

Zaubon

BBQ is a cooking method and has nothing to do with that type of meat you cook, specifically. It simply refers to a 'low and slow' style of cooking, as opposed to 'grilling' which is what most people are doing when they say they are BBQing. 

[groomporter]

Just discovered one that I *think* might be regional, but I'm not sure.

Clinking silverware on glasses at a wedding reception until the bride and groom kiss.
Is this a mid-west/Michigan thing only, or have people from other parts of the country heard of this?

At every wedding in Michigan I've ever been to, this has been done, but my friend from the West Coast hadn't heard of it, and it didn't happen at the wedding somewhere down South my mom just went to, so now I'm trying to figure out if this is just a regional thing.

In Minnesota it's usually for a kiss, although some couples are rebelling against it these days.

Speaking of weddings... how common is the "Dollar Dance" you pay a dollar (or more if you want) to dance with the bride or groom as a way to give them some extra cash for the honeymoon.

Something I had never seen before is a couple who auctioned off the bride's garter in stead of having a dollar dance, but I think they both had small town origins so it might be a rural thing.

[Rani Zemirah]

Then there's cornbread and milk.  Large tea glass filled with cornbread pieces, then covered with milk, heated in the microwave, or fresh out of the oven, and eaten with a spoon. 

And what about eating black eyed peas for good luck on New Years Day?  I thought everyone, everywhere did that, but I guess it's just down here in what was the "dustbowl" region, and I've been told that it started during the Depression, when people had to eat whatever they could find, and "cow peas" became people food instead of livestock feed, then when things started getting better people just kept eating them because they were good!

My Alabama grandmother liked cornbread with cold buttermilk, in a bowl, along with turnip greens.

The black eyed peas tradition has been alive and well in the Deep South for decades, if not centuries, usually accompanied by hog jowls.  Upon investigation, it seems to date back to 500AD or so, as recorded in the Babylonian Talmud, and was brought to Georgia by Spanish Jews in the 1730s.

Oh, that's some great info, Will!  Thanks, I think I'll print some of that and read it to my grandpa next Sunday!  He's the one who told me about the Depression stuff, and he lived through it, but I'm guessing there are lots of stories about why they're eaten, although I think most good-luck symbols have ancient roots...