I grew up in Webster City and belonged to 4-H where huge incredible tomatoes were a prize project. Left Iowa at 18 but never forgot those tomatoes. A must have when I come back for class reunions!!! BTW - Maid Rite just isn't the same as it was when I was in school - - 20 centuries ago - lol.
I can confirm Iowa tomatoes are something special. My grandma, who lived on a farm between Webster City and Fort Dodge always had a huge garden at it seemed like her supply of tomatoes for BLTs was endless. ❤️
So nice. I'd love to try that food even the mushrooms🍄 😂. I had sweet corn 🌽 with butter 2 days ago 😅 and I hope to find Ranch dressing the next time I go to the grocery store. Thanks for the video 🙏. Take care 😊. Greetings from Colombia 🇨🇴.
Glad you enjoyed the video, Julio! I know you’ve been waiting on a food-focused video for a while. Morel mushrooms are very good...but finding them is half the fun.
Using the voice of Bubba from Forest Gump, Pork is the shrimp of the prairie. Barbecue while not as popular as in Texas and some southern states is popular in Iowa, with pork ribs and shredded smoked pork and thin sliced smoked brisket probably being the most popular items. My favorite is Smokey D's which started as a store front on 2nd Ave in Des Moines and expanded to a large restaurant a few blocks down the street. I've previously in other videos mentioned the diversity in Iowa, more in the larger cities. But in several small cities, mostly in county seats, you will find an Asian restaurant or two, there are a lot of Hispanics in Iowa, bringing their own family recipes as well as modern Hispanic staples to the larger cities and some of the smaller ones. Similarly with black owned restaurants, you may not find them in every county seat, but you can find them scattered across the larger cities. In the exurb of Des Moines I moved to 16 years ago there are two Asian restaurants. All of the national fast food chains are represented in Iowa. There is the gas station convenience store Casey's that usually has a pizza oven and fresh made pizzas and sandwiches.. Some of the slightly higher dinner chains are also well represented in the larger cities in Iowa. There are lots of family owned bar/restaurant/steakhouses across Iowa in the county seats. It is not uncommon on a Friday night to see a diverse age crowd including families with children at some of these places away from the larger cities. Grocery shopping, Probably the biggest grocer in Iowa is Hy Vee, employee owned, with 167 stores in Iowa. They are well stocked, and include large aisles of very divers products. Fairway is probably the second largest grocer with 138 stores, typically smaller and without as much diversity, but well stocked, of course, Wal Mart, has 69 stores. Aldi, 36 stores, most in the larger cities and suburbs. At the Iowa State Fair you will find a array of deep fried foods, this year includes Deep-Fried Brisket Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese, Deep Fried Strawberry Shortcake on a Stick are two of the newest. People work on these concoctions during the year to debut them at the state fair. (I don't make em, or eat em, I just report 'em.) During the Lenten season many Catholic churches in Iowa will have a fish dinner on Friday nights. Some small towns also have a Thanksgiving dinner offered either at a church or the local school. Many small towns will have a family owned ice cream store downtown. In the summer evenings it is not unusual to see people walking to these to have an ice cream and socialize. Finally, there are the small town festivals, Adel Iowa, sweet corn festival, 10,000 ears of sweet corn, Tulip time in Pella, get your Dutch pastries while marveling at the arrays of tulips in town, Ice Cream Days in Le Mars, Nordic Fest in Decorah and so on. There are hundreds of these, and they all have food.
Thanks for commenting, Phil! We have an ice cream store here in Iowa City called Heyn's Ice Cream. My favorite scoop is Monster Mash...it's like an oatmeal monster cookie in ice cream form.
There used to be a DQ in Davenport, on Hickory Grove near the 5 forks intersection, that had the BEST pork tenderloin sandwiches. Recently had really good ones at The Filling Station, too. And try the Machine Shed for all around good chow.
Aww, thanks! I’m glad you’ve found them to be helpful. Where will you be moving from? Feel free to reach out if I can be of assistance in helping you find a home! 🥰
I grew up near Des Moines. I never tried a maid-rite until I was in my 40s, now one of my favorites. I thought the first store was in Marshalltown? Could be wrong. The tenderloin sandwich at Millie's restaurant in Des Moines (now closed I think ) was huge and very good!
@@ellytrue2005no loose meat was made first in Ottumwa IA, before it was a brand Maid rite.You guys always make it soundike it was invented here, you are wrong , sure maid rite was started there but not inventeded there!
Anderson Erickson small curd cottage cheese! I hate any other cottage cheese. CORN FED BEEF! Steaks in Iowa are THE BEST! Moving back soon- can’t wait!
Best maid rite: Taylor's, Marshalltown (also best cherry pie!) best pork chops: small bar in Charles City, best coleslaw on the planet: EV malt shop , North English, best Sunday breakfast buffet: truck stop, Williamsburg across from the outlet mall. Cannot wait to retire out there!!!
Taylor's Maid Rites are terrific, and would definitely say they are a highlight and a definate place to visit if you ever come to Marshalltown. (Also our water is some of the best in the state.)
I'm originally from Iowa and I miss these foods so bad. Try explaining hot beef sandwich to anyone in Texas. Try finding a pork producer sandwich with mustard and pickles or a pork tenderloin like what you get at the county fair. You can't. I dream about them sometimes. I didn't know taco pizza as an Iowa thing which explains why I can't find it! We have an interpretation of it here called Mexican pizza but I prefer taco pizza. Just found cheese curds here in Texas. I got them at Chili's and when I found them I honestly cried. Mozzarella sticks are Not! The! Same! There is a brand that sells them in the groc store but you can't even buy them or squeakies to make them here. Chili's charges over 7 dollars for a double handful. I guess they know the Iowans will pay it. Something you didn't mention. I remember when I grew up in Nashua we could get pizza burgers? It was like two thin pork patties with mozz cheese in the middle seasoned with Italian herbs bread crumb coated and deep fried. Came with pickles on a bun...which doesn't sound right but it's really good. I have lifelong trauma from morell mushrooms. My parents used to drive around the backroads smoking in the car with me carsick in the backseat for hours. Then we'd get home, me queasy and them hungry, with bags of asparagus and mushrooms and my parents would stink up the house cooking it. To this day I can't eat either. The smell of them makes my stomach lurch. A mom story. My mother was from near where I live now in east Texas. (My dad took work in Iowa and moved his new wife North before I was born.) Here if you order a burger with everything they call it "all the way". It will have ketchup mustard mayo pickles onion lettuce and tomato. That's a term used by teens in Iowa to mean something all together different! 😳 so I didn't know what to expect from it when talking about a burger! Likewise when my mom saw vegetable burger on the menu in iowa she thought it would have peas and carrots on it. Later she saw one and said to herself...it's just all the way. The little differences are so funny to me! I haven't been back in years but I think if I did it would just be a food tour. For real. I would get a big ol bag of Iowa only food and take it to the little brown church and sit on the porch and get fat.
@@EmilyFarber I like Mexican Food so I imagine it to be good. We even own a pizzeria in CO! New York style but I bet there are people who would try it and like it. Maybe I’ll make one as a special. I got used to Hawaiian pizza where back in NY they would probably send me to the psych ward! Got to keep an open mind right?
I will be moving to NE Iowa soon. Looking for a broker and agent in the "Driftless region" all the foods sound yummy! ×from Houston (but Midwestern parents)
![🎤 จับฉลากร้องเพลง x P’ #XXSIVK [EP.1] (2/2) เพื่อนจับได้คำไหน..ต้องร้องคำนั้น เริ่ม! 💓🎶 #MXFRUIT](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1bJvMJXmeS4/mqdefault.jpg)
What are your Iowa food fan favorites?
The hot beef sandwich is an Upper Peninsula favorite as well!
I grew up in Webster City and belonged to 4-H where huge incredible tomatoes were a prize project. Left Iowa at 18 but never forgot those tomatoes. A must have when I come back for class reunions!!! BTW - Maid Rite just isn't the same as it was when I was in school - - 20 centuries ago - lol.
I can confirm Iowa tomatoes are something special. My grandma, who lived on a farm between Webster City and Fort Dodge always had a huge garden at it seemed like her supply of tomatoes for BLTs was endless. ❤️
The Short Stop in New London for tenderloins.
Hello? Kolaces from Sycora's Bakery, Czech Villiage, Cedar Rapids.
Great additions to the list!
I fully expected you to include one of Iowa's most popular foods; Casey's Pizza!
So nice. I'd love to try that food even the mushrooms🍄 😂. I had sweet corn 🌽 with butter 2 days ago 😅 and I hope to find Ranch dressing the next time I go to the grocery store. Thanks for the video 🙏. Take care 😊. Greetings from Colombia 🇨🇴.
Glad you enjoyed the video, Julio! I know you’ve been waiting on a food-focused video for a while. Morel mushrooms are very good...but finding them is half the fun.
What about tasty taco's and graziano hot sausage sandwiches
Ooohhhh. Tasty Tacos are good. I've never had a Graziano sandwich. Where are they located?
Using the voice of Bubba from Forest Gump, Pork is the shrimp of the prairie.
Barbecue while not as popular as in Texas and some southern states is popular in Iowa, with pork ribs and shredded smoked pork and thin sliced smoked brisket probably being the most popular items. My favorite is Smokey D's which started as a store front on 2nd Ave in Des Moines and expanded to a large restaurant a few blocks down the street.
I've previously in other videos mentioned the diversity in Iowa, more in the larger cities. But in several small cities, mostly in county seats, you will find an Asian restaurant or two, there are a lot of Hispanics in Iowa, bringing their own family recipes as well as modern Hispanic staples to the larger cities and some of the smaller ones. Similarly with black owned restaurants, you may not find them in every county seat, but you can find them scattered across the larger cities. In the exurb of Des Moines I moved to 16 years ago there are two Asian restaurants.
All of the national fast food chains are represented in Iowa. There is the gas station convenience store Casey's that usually has a pizza oven and fresh made pizzas and sandwiches.. Some of the slightly higher dinner chains are also well represented in the larger cities in Iowa.
There are lots of family owned bar/restaurant/steakhouses across Iowa in the county seats. It is not uncommon on a Friday night to see a diverse age crowd including families with children at some of these places away from the larger cities.
Grocery shopping, Probably the biggest grocer in Iowa is Hy Vee, employee owned, with 167 stores in Iowa. They are well stocked, and include large aisles of very divers products. Fairway is probably the second largest grocer with 138 stores, typically smaller and without as much diversity, but well stocked, of course, Wal Mart, has 69 stores. Aldi, 36 stores, most in the larger cities and suburbs.
At the Iowa State Fair you will find a array of deep fried foods, this year includes Deep-Fried Brisket Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese, Deep Fried Strawberry Shortcake on a Stick are two of the newest. People work on these concoctions during the year to debut them at the state fair. (I don't make em, or eat em, I just report 'em.)
During the Lenten season many Catholic churches in Iowa will have a fish dinner on Friday nights. Some small towns also have a Thanksgiving dinner offered either at a church or the local school.
Many small towns will have a family owned ice cream store downtown. In the summer evenings it is not unusual to see people walking to these to have an ice cream and socialize.
Finally, there are the small town festivals, Adel Iowa, sweet corn festival, 10,000 ears of sweet corn, Tulip time in Pella, get your Dutch pastries while marveling at the arrays of tulips in town, Ice Cream Days in Le Mars, Nordic Fest in Decorah and so on. There are hundreds of these, and they all have food.
Thanks for commenting, Phil! We have an ice cream store here in Iowa City called Heyn's Ice Cream. My favorite scoop is Monster Mash...it's like an oatmeal monster cookie in ice cream form.
There used to be a DQ in Davenport, on Hickory Grove near the 5 forks intersection, that had the BEST pork tenderloin sandwiches. Recently had really good ones at The Filling Station, too. And try the Machine Shed for all around good chow.
I remember that DQ. Good memories
good weather is coming, time for the dragstrip & tenderloins from the snack shack.
My dear grandma had her own sweet corn field in her yard
Lifelong Iowan here 😁
As someone who grew up in Nebraska i miss my Iowan neighbors. That taco pizza looks AMAZING.
We are looking forward to moving our family to Iowa City and soon. We are LOVING all of your videos. Thank you!
Aww, thanks! I’m glad you’ve found them to be helpful. Where will you be moving from? Feel free to reach out if I can be of assistance in helping you find a home! 🥰
@@EmilyFarber We are moving from Geelong, Australia :)
Great educational video. Stay strong 💪 Ms Farber.
Thank you, Ted! I appreciate the comment.
@@EmilyFarber you are very welcome 😊 miss Farber. Have a wonderful day
Thanks for all this information! I'm moving to Iowa City this fall to start a PhD in Iowa University and all your videos are AMAZING!!
Awww, thank you! I’m happy to hear you’ve enjoyed my videos while researching the area.
I grew up near Des Moines. I never tried a maid-rite until I was in my 40s, now one of my favorites. I thought the first store was in Marshalltown? Could be wrong. The tenderloin sandwich at Millie's restaurant in Des Moines (now closed I think ) was huge and very good!
I'm from Muscatine. The maid-rite was invented in Muscatine in 1926 by Fred Angell and he opened his first maid rite restaurant here in Muscatine
@@ellytrue2005 cool
@@ellytrue2005no loose meat was made first in Ottumwa IA, before it was a brand Maid rite.You guys always make it soundike it was invented here, you are wrong , sure maid rite was started there but not inventeded there!
I lived in iowa my whole life never knew that taco pizza was a staple of iowa I just thought it was everywhere
The rest of the world is missing out, eh?
@@EmilyFarber for sure!
Anderson Erickson small curd cottage cheese! I hate any other cottage cheese. CORN FED BEEF! Steaks in Iowa are THE BEST! Moving back soon- can’t wait!
Don't forget the Puppy Chow snack and Muscatine is also known as the watermelon capitol of the world.
KETCHUP goes on everything- even Maidrites!
Hot Beef Sandwich also known as an Iowa Salad....
Best maid rite: Taylor's, Marshalltown (also best cherry pie!) best pork chops: small bar in Charles City, best coleslaw on the planet: EV malt shop , North English, best Sunday breakfast buffet: truck stop, Williamsburg across from the outlet mall. Cannot wait to retire out there!!!
Wow! That's quite the specific list, Mark! Thanks for the suggestions!
Taylor's Maid Rites are terrific, and would definitely say they are a highlight and a definate place to visit if you ever come to Marshalltown. (Also our water is some of the best in the state.)
How is Iowa for a retirement destination? Currently living in PA.
I'm originally from Iowa and I miss these foods so bad. Try explaining hot beef sandwich to anyone in Texas. Try finding a pork producer sandwich with mustard and pickles or a pork tenderloin like what you get at the county fair. You can't. I dream about them sometimes.
I didn't know taco pizza as an Iowa thing which explains why I can't find it! We have an interpretation of it here called Mexican pizza but I prefer taco pizza.
Just found cheese curds here in Texas. I got them at Chili's and when I found them I honestly cried. Mozzarella sticks are Not! The! Same! There is a brand that sells them in the groc store but you can't even buy them or squeakies to make them here. Chili's charges over 7 dollars for a double handful. I guess they know the Iowans will pay it.
Something you didn't mention. I remember when I grew up in Nashua we could get pizza burgers? It was like two thin pork patties with mozz cheese in the middle seasoned with Italian herbs bread crumb coated and deep fried. Came with pickles on a bun...which doesn't sound right but it's really good.
I have lifelong trauma from morell mushrooms. My parents used to drive around the backroads smoking in the car with me carsick in the backseat for hours. Then we'd get home, me queasy and them hungry, with bags of asparagus and mushrooms and my parents would stink up the house cooking it. To this day I can't eat either. The smell of them makes my stomach lurch.
A mom story. My mother was from near where I live now in east Texas. (My dad took work in Iowa and moved his new wife North before I was born.) Here if you order a burger with everything they call it "all the way". It will have ketchup mustard mayo pickles onion lettuce and tomato. That's a term used by teens in Iowa to mean something all together different! 😳 so I didn't know what to expect from it when talking about a burger! Likewise when my mom saw vegetable burger on the menu in iowa she thought it would have peas and carrots on it. Later she saw one and said to herself...it's just all the way. The little differences are so funny to me!
I haven't been back in years but I think if I did it would just be a food tour. For real. I would get a big ol bag of Iowa only food and take it to the little brown church and sit on the porch and get fat.
Thank you for sharing your memories of Iowa and the food you loved (and didn't 😝), Lethia! What a trip down memory lane. ❤
I grew up eating pizza burgers in Iowa! SO GOOD!
My Italian grandmothers just rolled over in their graves with the taco pizza!
...and it's really good! ☠
@@EmilyFarber I like Mexican Food so I imagine it to be good. We even own a pizzeria in CO! New York style but I bet there are people who would try it and like it. Maybe I’ll make one as a special. I got used to Hawaiian pizza where back in NY they would probably send me to the psych ward!
Got to keep an open mind right?
@@kurtisjsk8 Here’s a copycat recipe to point you in the right direction: www.letsgoiowa.com/iowa-taco-pizza-recipe/
Should have mentioned sterzing's potato chips. Out of state people clear out whole stores because you can only get them on iowa
Oohhh. Good one! I may need to make a food 2.0 video!
You forgot Ham Balls! I recently found out that not all of Iowa knows what they are
I know what they are...and I make them sometimes!
I will be moving to NE Iowa soon. Looking for a broker and agent in the "Driftless region" all the foods sound yummy! ×from Houston (but Midwestern parents)
pizza from Caseys
But.....is it actually REALLY GOOD pizza, or just the only game in town for a lot of small towns?
Ottuma IA made it first, loose meat sandwich, maid rite copied it
80 percent corn grown isn't for humans
If u like bland boring food with no imagination it dosent matter where in iowa u go its all BAD!!!
The world is full of opinions, isn’t it? Thanks for watching! 😊
@@EmilyFarber yes mamm. And that's why I'm moving back to Florida.
Yikes man. Farewell 👋
Get out then
@@ryanmcadams1737 left 2 months ago.