I know that we all love food, but what kind of foods interest your taste buds? Maybe you enjoy sweet or salty foods, possibly savory or sea food. What ever you enjoy I can assure you Delaware has something for you to enjoy. Because of Delawares location, close to the ocean and having lots of agricultural land, they have great sea food, well known boardwalk foods and plenty of fresh grown foods. They are known for Capriotti’s Bobbie a thanksgiving sub from a well know restaurant in Delaware, thrasher french fries found on the boardwalk, which is a big bucket of fries with vinegar, and blue crabs cooked in many different ways. Delaware is most well know for their chicken which is their number one agricultural product. One of the ways to cook their chicken is in a slippery dumpling dish.When it comes to fruit, peaches are the way to go in Delaware.
“Delaware is the first of many states on this list alphabetically to declare milk as their official state drink. A cool glass of milk would go well with peach pie, which is the state dessert and the state pie. Or you could make your own strawberry milk, because strawberries are the state fruit. To round out the menu, the blue hen chicken is the state’s official bird and the state fish is the weakfish.” (Harrison) Watermelon is also a top produced item in the state of Delaware, as well as Lima beans. One of the more interesting foods that many Delaware has in a few of their restaurants is muskrat. Some families have a tradition of trapping these animals to eat themselves. On the topic of families many will create a goulash for family gatherings. This is a mix of macaroni noodles, ground beef and spaghetti sauce. A yummy food you will discover all over Delaware is ice cream from local dairy farms in the state. And being close to Pennsylvania people in Delaware do enjoy scrapple a mix of meat scraps usually served with breakfast and covered in ketchup (Katy).
Now that you know about what there might be to eat in Delaware let’s talk about where it comes from. Agriculture is what keeps Delaware’s economy booming. According to Delaware.gov “about 90% of farms are either sole or family proprietorships or family owned corporations”. (Delaware.gov) In the very beginning of Delaware’s history native Americans planted beans and squash. Then in 1631 the Dutch settlers planted crops such as “wheat, barley, Indian corn, and peas, while raising livestock such as pigs, sheep, goats, and cattle for meat and milk”. (Delaware.gov) Then in 1664 the English settlers arrived which brought along “political and economic stability that enabled Delaware agriculture to prosper” (Delaware.gov) During the 1750s Delaware’s grain milling industry built on Quaker families “created demand for grain shipped by farms up the Delaware River” (Delaware.gov) Oliver Evans made soft red wheat the states first important cash crop because of his innovative flour mills (Delaware.gov) In 1770 the growth of tobacco declined and other crops such as wheat, corn, barley, oats, and rye rose up. “In 1850 steamboats were common on the Delaware river” exporting and importing important items for foods. (Delaware.gov) “In the 1890s more than 4 million peach trees covered the state” (Delaware.gov). Delaware has come a long way from the colonial agriculture.
“The foods of Delaware are primarily English with some German influences. The Germans who settled Pennsylvania also settled in the northern part of Delaware and continued to prepare their traditional German dishes, which eventually intermingled with those of Delaware. After the broiler chicken industry started, broiled chicken with sour-milk biscuits became a favorite. Shrimp steamed over a pan of spiced vinegar and served with tartar sauce was a traditional seafood dish. Cooks prepared cauliflower with a custard sauce and creamed-corn pudding as accompaniments to meat dishes. There was also a fish stew, called Muddle, which included fin and shellfish and was cooked in a Dutch oven. Lemon butter and lemon jelly were used as sandwich fillings. Steamed crabs were cooked at beach picnics. Ham smoked to a rich brown, almost the shade of mahogany, and aged at least a year has been a Delaware specialty. Delaware has also contributed to the cooking and packaging of food. Cellophane was invented by the E.I. Du Pont de Nemours Company of Wilmington.” (Olver)
Where should you go to eat some of these delicious foods you may ask? Well if your looking for a juicy burger head to ‘Farmer and the Cow’ They use high quality ingredients to ensure you get the best burger. Try their FTC created with bacon, fried onions, a special sauce and good ol’ American Cheese. If you are looking to brunch try Deerfield. They serve brunch at certain times of the year at this 111 foot brunch spread and it is located in golf club/ wedding ceremony building. Must be fancy! Want some mouthwatering chocolate? Head over to Govatos Candies. they have been in business since 1894 so they must be doing something right. They will serve you chocolates in all kinds of fun shapes. While on the topic of sweets, if you are in the mood for a cupcake ‘Sweet Somethings Desserts’ is said to have the best ones in the state! ” The menu is packed with sweet options that range from a chocolate cupcake with Oreo cookie mousse to a light toasted coconut option.” (The Daily Meal Staff) And if you are going to be eating cupcakes might as well indulge in a doughnut as well.. Gooey Donuts will swerve you anything from a “chocolate-covered strawberry doughnut, a caramel-frosted doughnut, and a variety of doughnuts topped with your favorite childhood cereals. Beyond the inventive flavors and frostings, these doughnuts are fried fresh, so you’ll always be getting a fluffy, perfectly hot pastry” (The Daily Meal Staff).
A lot of people survive on coffee, especially college kids. Come enjoy a fresh coffee from ‘Drip Cafe’ they are “determined to bring their customers ethical, fresh, and delicious coffee and food. The café is both coffee-novice friendly and eco-friendly, using a full, single-stream recycling program as well as composting all their filters, grounds, and vegetable waste to help save the planet” (The Daily Meal Staff). The best place to buy beer is the well known Dogfish Head Brewery. “Since 1995, this brewery has been creating craft beer that is approachable and relatable to all tastes. Their dedication to quality is what garners the brewery such a respectable reputation in the Rehoboth Beach area and around the country” (The Daily Meal Staff). Need a food truck for your event? Try Kapow a Thailand, Korea, and Hawaii cultured truck. “They are committed to using only quality, fresh ingredients in all of their dishes, spending the extra money to ensure they’re using free range chicken and beef and locally grown produce” (The Daily Meal Staff). Delaware’s best fried chicken is found at ‘Lettie’s Kitchen’ owned by Susan and Tom Alexander, a mother and her son. Their chicken is pressure fried creating a crunch outside and juicy meat on the inside. The best place to buy a hot dog is at ‘Dearhead Hot Dogs’. “It’s the sauce” that keeps customers coming back to Dearhead, which has been serving Delaware since 1935. They have a special meat sauce on their everything dog. Look no further than ‘Woodside Farm Creamery” for the best ice cream in the state.They “use an entire apple pie in a batch of their cinnamon apple pie ice cream. The shop also has a flavor called Motor Oil made with coffee ice cream swirled with green caramel and fudge” They also serve burgers if you are looking to eat a meal. (The Daily Meal Staff)
No matter who you are, what kind of foods you like, or how picky you are you will most definitely find foods you enjoy at the many restaurants in Delaware!
Katy. “These 18 Iconic Delaware Foods Will Have Your Mouth Watering.” OnlyInYourState, 5 Mar. 2016, http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/delaware/iconic-delaware-foods/.
“Delaware Agricultural History.” Delaware Department of Agriculture – State of Delaware, agriculture.delaware.gov/agricultural-history/.
Olver Lynne. “Traditional State Foods & Recipes.” The Food Timeline History Notes–State Foods, 30 Jan. 2015, http://www.foodtimeline.org/statefoods.html.
Harrison Sidney. “Delaware from United States of Food: Official State Foods (Slideshow).” The Daily Meal, 25 Mar. 2015, http://www.thedailymeal.com/entertain/united-states-food-official-state-foods-slideshow/slide-8.
“Best Grocery Store: Janssen’s Market from The Best Food and Drink in Delaware.” The Daily Meal, 20 Dec. 2018, http://www.thedailymeal.com/best-food-drink-delaware-gallery/slide-15.
All About Delaware 