West Virginia - "The Mountain State"

West Virginia  is a state located in the Appalachian region of the United States.  The Appalachian Mountains often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period and once reached elevations similar to those of the Alps and the Rocky Mountains before they were eroded. Appalachia is a cultural region in the Eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. West Virginia is bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the north and Maryland to the northeast. The capital and largest city is Charleston. The state is noted for its mountains and rolling hills, its historically significant logging and coal mining industries, and its political and labor history. The karst lands contribute to much of the state's cool trout waters. It is also known for a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities, including skiing, whitewater rafting, fishing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and hunting.

In 1861, as the United States itself became massively divided over regional issues, leading to the American Civil War (1861–1865), the western regions of Virginia split with the eastern portion politically, and the two were never reconciled as a single state again. The growing differences between Eastern and Western Virginia in the mid 1800's contributed to WV's desire to become a separate state. Issues included: National Political Leaders, Attitudes toward Voting, Geographical influences, and their disapproval of slavery. In June 20th of 1863, West Virginia became the 35th state.

West Virginia cuisine like many other states has a few favorite dish to offer, however the pepperoni roll is know to be a snack popular in West Virginia and some nearby regions of the Appalachian Mountains. It is ubiquitous in West Virginia, particularly in convenience stores, and is arguably the food most closely associated with the state. The pepperoni roll was invented by Giuseppe "Joseph" Argiro at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia, in 1927. The rolls originated as a lunch option for the coal miners of north-central West Virginia in the first half of the 20th century. Pepperoni rolls do not need to be refrigerated for storage and could readily be packed for lunch by miners. Pepperoni and other Italian foods became popular in north-central West Virginia in the early 20th century, when the booming mines and railroads attracted many immigrants from Italy. The pepperoni roll bears a resemblance to the pasty and sausage roll, which originated in the mining communities of Great Britain, as well as the Italian calzone.
As the bread bakes, the spicy oil in the pepperoni melts and oozes into the bread. Sub Bro at O2 Lounge, a bar located in Glendale, AZ takes some liberties with the original design. O2 Lounge is a colorful neighborhood joint where staff is friendly, offers eclectic food and a diverse environment. You can enjoy a variety of bar games, while listening to music played by DJ. The Pepperoni rolls are kept frozen at O2 Lounge and it take some time before it is ready to serve. This maybe the only difference observed between the original recipe from way back in time, however it is somehow in line with the kind of variations you'll find in West Virginia today.