Alabama’s White Sauce BBQ Chicken
Most people think of red barbecue sauce when they picture Southern cooking, but Alabama threw me the ultimate curveball. I discovered that Alabama’s unique contribution to the art form is a creamy, mayonnaise-based white sauce served over smoked chicken, and if you’ve never heard of it, you’re not alone: white sauce is rarely found outside Alabama.
The first bite literally made me stop in my tracks. Bob Gibson, the founder of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, is credited with having invented white sauce back in 1925, and his original Decatur location has been making it ever since. This tangy, almost ranch-like creation completely transformed my understanding of barbecue. It was like discovering a secret that the entire state of Alabama had been keeping for nearly a century.
Vermont’s Maple-Everything Revolution
I thought I knew maple syrup until I hit Vermont. Sure, I’d drizzled the store-bought stuff on pancakes, but Vermont takes their maple game to an entirely different level. Vermont produces dark and amber Vermont maple syrup, smoked maple syrup, rye whiskey barrel-aged Vermont organic maple syrup, maple candy, and maple butter.
The life-changing moment came when I tried their maple barbecue sauce. Using pure maple syrup and their own maple vinegar, they add a balanced blend of secret spices to craft a rich, tangy sauce that adds deep flavor to all sorts of meats and veggies. It wasn’t just sweet – it had layers of complexity that made me rethink everything I thought I knew about regional flavors.
Kentucky’s Hot Brown Sandwich
Walking into Louisville, I had no idea what a Hot Brown was, but locals kept insisting I had to try one. The Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich of turkey breast and bacon, covered in creamy Mornay sauce and baked or broiled until the bread is crisp and the sauce begins to brown. Honestly, it sounded like a glorified turkey sandwich until I actually tasted it.
The dish is a local specialty and favorite of the Louisville area, and is popular throughout Kentucky. The combination of that rich, cheesy Mornay sauce with perfectly crispy bacon created this incredible comfort food experience that felt like getting a warm hug on a plate. I couldn’t believe something this good had been hiding in Kentucky this whole time.
Louisiana’s Soul-Stirring Gumbo
Louisiana gumbo isn’t just food – it’s basically liquid storytelling. What goes in the pot may vary: chicken, sausage and/or seafood, sometimes tomatoes, occasionally okra, but this soulful stew is steeped in regional pride and family nostalgia no matter what’s included. Every spoonful felt like diving into generations of culinary history.
The version I tried in New Orleans had this incredible depth of flavor that seemed impossible to achieve. Gumbo is a robust stew-like dish of seafood, sausage, vegetables, and other ingredients, along with flavorful Cajun seasonings that dates back to the 19th century and is rumored to have flavors stemming from Native American, African, Caribbean, Spanish, and French cuisines. It was like tasting the entire cultural melting pot of Louisiana in one bowl.
Kansas City’s Burnt End Barbecue
I thought I understood barbecue until I reached Kansas City. Across Kansas City, skilled pitmasters with handed-down expertise ensure this slow-smoked indulgence is always on ‘cue, and for an extra dose of comfort, don’t sleep on those crispy, caramelized pieces of brisket known as burnt ends. These little nuggets of heaven completely redefined my barbecue expectations.
The burnt ends weren’t just leftovers or scraps – they were carefully crafted pieces of art. Each bite delivered this perfect combination of smoky, sweet, and savory flavors that practically melted in my mouth. I found myself ordering seconds, then thirds, completely abandoning any pretense of trying other menu items.
Montana’s Bison Meatloaf
Montana surprised me in the best possible way. Big Sky Country goes big on its bison meat since the state is one of the nation’s top producers, after all, and this tender meat is the star of ketchup-glazed, bacon-wrapped and gravy-topped meat loaves throughout Montana. I was skeptical about bison at first, but this dish completely converted me.
The meat had this incredibly rich, almost sweet flavor that was completely different from regular beef. It was leaner but somehow more satisfying, and when combined with that bacon wrapping and savory gravy, it created this perfect comfort food experience that felt uniquely American yet totally unexpected.
Maine’s Lobster Mac and Cheese
Maine lobster is legendary, but their lobster mac and cheese took it to another stratosphere. The already-decadent dish gets an indulgent upgrade with hunks of sweet and succulent lobster—likely pulled out of the Gulf of Maine in the last 24 hours. This wasn’t just comfort food – it was comfort food wearing a tuxedo.
Every forkful delivered these massive chunks of fresh lobster meat mixed with the creamiest, most luxurious cheese sauce I’d ever experienced. It felt almost criminal to eat something this good, like I was somehow getting away with culinary robbery. The ocean-fresh sweetness of the lobster against that rich, cheesy backdrop created pure magic.
South Carolina’s Shrimp and Grits
Many states in the South will argue that they make the best shrimp and grits, but it was South Carolina that put this comfort dish on the map, and the restaurant Magnolias in Charleston is famous for turning the meal from a basic breakfast into a fancy dish. I’d heard about shrimp and grits for years but never understood the hype until I tried the real deal.
This rich, satisfying dish of tender shrimp cooked with smoky bacon, then spooned over a creamy porridge of cheesy grits, is a Lowcountry classic. The combination of textures and flavors was absolutely mind-blowing. The creamy grits provided this perfect base for the smoky, slightly spicy shrimp, and every bite felt like discovering Southern comfort food for the first time.
Arizona’s Accidental Chimichanga
Sometimes the best discoveries happen by complete accident. This deep-fried delight was created at El Charro Café, the oldest Mexican restaurant in the nation, when one day in the mid-1950s, El Charro Café’s founding chef, Monica Flin, accidentally invented the chimichanga when she dropped a burro (a big burrito) into the deep fryer.
That happy accident created one of the most satisfying comfort foods I’ve ever experienced. They provide everything you could want in a classic comfort food: satisfying crunch, hot savory filling, and mouth-watering toppings like sour cream, hot sauce, and guacamole. The crispy exterior gave way to this incredible filling that seemed to capture the entire essence of Mexican-American fusion cuisine in one perfect package.
