When students depart from their hometowns to come to school in Athens, they leave not only their cities and their families behind but the cuisine they've come to love.
Mark Cimarolli, a junior mechanical engineering major, said he craves the Primanti Brothers' Pittsburgher sandwich when he is away from home.
The sandwich, composed of a mass of grilled meat, cole slaw, fried egg, fresh tomato and french fries all stuffed between two slabs of Italian bread, is a full-course meal on a sandwich
said Antona Haggarty, manager of Primanti Brothers Restaurant for 31 years.
Since the 1930s, the colossal sandwich has satisfied Pittsburgh's tendency to douse dishes with french fries.
In Cleveland, the regional specialty is custard. Originating in Euclid Beach Park, custard became popular in the 1920s. After the Coney Island-like amusement park closed in 1969, custard survived only in small shops around Cleveland.
Barry Lieberman, an Ohio University alumnus, moved from Athens to Cleveland and opened an East Coast Custard after tasting Euclid Beach Park custard as a child.
What makes custard different from ice cream is its creamier texture, said Ivan Platt, the founder of East Coast Custard.
And then there's Cincinnati.
Since 1870, Graeters has mixed the 'Nati's famous ice cream. It is the only ice cream made with the French pot method, which accounts for the ice cream's dense, creamy consistency.
People in Cincinnati don't say 'Let's go get ice cream;' they say 'Let's go get Graeter's
' said Richard Graeter, executive vice president of the company.
Goetta, another Cincy institution, is a mixture of pork, beef, steel-cut oats and seasonings, packaged into sausage-like one-pound rolls. Often compared to breakfast sausage or scrapple, goetta is a common breakfast side dish.
Goetta is a product that is pretty much indigenous to Cincinnati
said Dan Glier, president and owner of Glier's Goetta, which was established in 1946 by Robert Glier.
The tradition of goetta has expanded and become popular enough to warrant its own celebration, Goettafest.
Cincinnati is also home to Skyline Chili, which now has spread to 135 shops throughout the nation.
This is the mecca of Skyline. It's an institution here
said Sarah Lapham, spokeswoman for Skyline.
Referred to as Cincinnati-style chili, Skyline Chili differs from traditional Texas-style chili in its consistency. A more viscous, pourable chili, it is used mostly as a topping to Skylines' cheese coneys and classic 3-way chili.
The secret recipe of Skyline chili was originally Greek, according to www.skylinechili.com. It was passed down through generations and made public by original founder Nicholas Lambrinides in 1949.
When asked what he would do for some Skyline, Chris Chambers, junior aviation major, said, I'd sprint down Court Street wearing nothing but my birthday suit on.
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