What is the best part of any vacation? The food, of course! The highlight of a trip to Maryland is soft shell crab cakes. A visit to Idaho is not complete without a variety of potato dishes and vacationers plan whole trips around the Cajun delicacies of Louisiana. A trip to the south means a mess of fried catfish and black eyed peas. Every state in this great country has its own culinary specialties. Now you can taste your way across the country without leaving your own dining room table!Eat Your Way Through the U.S.A. is more than just a cookbook. It is a taste buds-on approach to geography. Each state has its unique geographical features and agricultural products. These influence both the ingredients that go into a recipe and the way food is prepared. This unique addition to your U.S. Geography program will allow you to experience a different meal from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Learn about the dairy and beef industries in Wisconsin, then use this resource to help you cook a dinner of garlic cheese rolls and ribs and sauerkraut. Study about the rise of farming in California during the Great Depression, then enjoy a dinner of fresh fruits and vegetables. What better way to bring the importance of geography home!Eat Your Way Through the U.S.A.includes a full meal of recipes from each state. In some cases, there is a salad, main dish and dessert. In other cases, main dish, vegetable and bread. Some states include bonus recipes for breakfast foods and snacks. Recipes are easy to follow and, though they aren't written at a child's level, you should feel free to include your children in the preparation of these dishes. This provides life skills and is a source of bonding and pride for your children. All pages are printed in two colors for added interest and there is a set of interesting food facts from each state to supplement your cooking experience. Add this book to your geography curriculum and Bon Appetit! (Or should we say Chow Down?!)