If you’ve ever seen Man VS Food you’ll know that the USA have some wacky but, dare I say it, ingenious food combinations and challenges of epic proportions. Their food phenomena might be a heart attack on a plate, but boy do they sound delicious! Here are North America‘s 12 most calorific strokes of culinary genius (or madness).
1. Luther Burger
This legendary combination of a burger, cheese and bacon rashers with glazed double doughnut buns is a whopping 1,900 calories – not including the sides. The burger was apparently named after Luther Vandross who was a big fan of the mouthwatering mash-up. Some even say that Vandross was the inventor.
2. Loco Moco
Unique to Hawaii, this breakfast masterpiece offers a heinous helping of food definitely not for the faint hearted. At its base is a mountainous portion of white rice, topped with two meaty hamburger patties and two fried eggs. The whole plate is then dolloped in gravy.
3. Chocolate Covered Bacon
This salty-sweet concoction saw to it that bacon and chocolate would forever be regarded a dynamic duo. The dish is pretty self explanatory- crispy bacon dunked in chocolate, however toppings can include sprinkles, syrup, caramel, crushed pistachios, walnuts or almonds.
4. Chicken and Waffles
This Southern favourite introduces us to another unexpected but utterly genius blend of sweet and savoury. The waffles are served exactly as you would expect – smothered in butter and maple syrup – the unexpected twist is the crispy fried chicken sitting proudly beside them. The combo is often presented as a sandwich featuring the nations favourite ingredient… bacon.
5. Chocolate Chicken
Mexican ‘mole’ sauce may have demonstrated that chocolate can be used in savoury food and taste delicious, but Choco-Chicken takes it a step further. This Los Angeles restaurant breaks the rules by deep frying chicken in chocolate. The chocolate fried chicken is complemented by chocolate ketchup and the menu’s list of sides includes mash potato with white chocolate chive butter. Choco-Chicken is a must do for any chocoholic on a holiday to LA.
6. Burnt Ends of a Brisket
While most people would throw out the fattiest part of the meat and avoid serving it to guests at their barbecue, this dish celebrates it! Burnt ends were popularised in Kansas City and have become an American barbecue delicacy. The fat-filled chunks are either given as an appetizer or smothered in sauce and served atop doughy white bread with a side of beans, onion rings and fries.
7. Mac Attack Burger
Another revolutionary burger makes our list, and this one is absolutely outrageous! The monster meal consists of deep fried mac n’ cheese as the bun, two meat patties, more cheese, bacon (obviously), onions, and mayo atop the second deep fried mac n’ cheese bun. We’ve got to give it to them, its the most inventive bread bun alternative we’ve ever seen.
8. Clam Chowder in a Bread Bowl
Once you have scooped out every last remnant of the creamy clam soup, you can literally eat the bowl too! It may be carbs galore but the marriage of warm, rich soup and fluffy bread makes for excellent winter comfort food.
9. Chicken Fried Bacon
Bacon strikes again! This Texan appetizer consists of bacon dipped in batter and deep fried as though it were chicken, hence the name. It is a dish that defies all good sense (and good health). The delicacy is topped in a cream gravy made from flour, milk or cream and bacon drippings – you know, all those sinfully delicious fatty juices left behind when you fry bacon.
10. Milkshake Cheeseburger
Just when you thought you’d heard it all! Florida‘s State Fair made the news with this wacky creation. It comes with cheese, pickles, bacon (no surprise there) and finally a huge scoop of deep fried ice cream sprinkled in corn flakes and drizzled in cinnamon – all sandwiched between bread buns of course.
11. Funnel Cake
This beloved American fairground treat is essentially deep fried cake batter served with powder sugar, cinnamon, chocolate, caramel or jam. Rumour has it that at the 2015 Florida State Fair a funnel cake cheeseburger will be launched… why am I not surprised?
12. Deep Fried Butter
Should I get the defibrillator? This one may send you over the edge. A stick of deep fried butter is just the tip of the iceberg as believe it or not deep fried near enough anything can be purchased from US county fairs; they have mastered the art of deep frying to perfection.
Experience the fun loving American spirit for yourself with Kenwood Travel ‘s USA holidays.