Jabbur, also am from VA, although was not born here and lived in many states.
Love this entire country and greatly respect the many cuisines. But do love the Old Dominion.
Oh, yes, and please post those recipes.
But, to get to the point which I have trouble doing, this state is famous for three food items. Yep, the afore mentioned peanuts. But also piggies, yep, this is the piggy capital of the country as far as I can tell.
Country hams, if you have never had one you are missing out.
They have nothing to do with the regular, city hams one finds regularly.
They are sublime.
Even for breakfast. Take a ham steak and serve with red eye gravy, some taters and eggs and you know what joy is.
And crabs. We may have to thumb wrestle Marylanders on this one, but this place is truly the home of the blue crab.
I am glad we do not fight duels anymore, because folks here have their own ideas of what a crabcake is all about. As do our friends in Maryland.
And very strong opinions I must admit.
But eat the soft shelled ones, or the regular crabs, or the ultimate culinary experience, the crab cake.
Have lived in many other localities, and will fight about the proper way to make New England clam chowder, Manhattan style clam chowder, good old Forida conch fritters, Washington razor clams, California abalones, and I could go on and on.