Philadelphia Foods

What do all vacations have in common? The answer: food! No matter where you go chances are you are going to want to eat! Food is an exciting part of experiencing a new city. Many cities have several dishes, entrees and snacks that are unique to that city alone. When traveling in Philadelphia there are several foods that are important to try. But where to start?

• The most obvious answer is to start with a cheese steak. Cheese Steaks are probably the food that has achieved the most fame in Philadelphia. The sandwich was created in 1930, and the basic recipe for a cheese steak is simply shredded beef placed on an Italian roll and topped with cheese. Variations of the cheese steak include sandwiches with onions, peppers or tomato sauce.

• "Chicken Steaks" and vegetarian alternatives are always an option, but be warned that they are not the "real deal." The most famous places to get a Cheese Steak are Pat's and Geno's Steaks, but due to their popularity, Cheese Steaks can be found at hundreds of smaller bakeries, delis and restaurants.

• For a quick snack in between meals, try a Philadelphia soft pretzel. The pretzel probably originated in Germany. As Philadelphia has strong German roots, the pretzel probably made its appearance as far back as the 1700's. There are several pretzel factories in Philadelphia, but probably the best way to obtain a truly authentic pretzel is simply to buy it from a street vendor.

• Another popular food in Philadelphia is Water Ice. Water ice is a frozen dish that is similar to Italian Ice. It is blended by the same process in which ice cream is made, giving it a creamy consistency, rather than a "shaved ice" texture. Like the soft pretzel, water ice can be found at numerous street vendors. It is great way to beat the heat during a summer vacation, and makes a great snack or dessert.

• Travelers with a greater sense of adventure might enjoy scrapple. This dish originated in the farmlands of Pennsylvania, and is basically a fried pork mush. It is typically served for breakfast, in the place of bacon or sausage, but can also be served with horseradish and ketchup (a Philly favorite!), or on a sandwich. The basic recipe calls for pork, cornmeal and various spices. The ingredients are combined to form a mush, and the fried in butter or lard. So while this is a culinary treat to many in Philadelphia, it is probably only for travelers truly adventurous taste buds.

• So here are some basic foods that you might like to try while in Philadelphia. The city has hundreds of other exciting foods and cuisines, so be sure to try out as much as possible. The exciting thing about food is that you get to eat it three times a day (more if you like snacks!). So while you only will probably only want to see the Liberty Bell once, you can experience the tastes of Philadelphia over and over again!