Eat in All 50 States Without Leaving the Valley of the Sun: Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania, a northeastern U.S. state and one of the 13 original colonies, is known for its diverse terrain, which includes wide stretches of farmland, national forests and major waterways. The state's five most populous cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie and Reading. The state capital is Harrisburg. Pennsylvania has 51 miles of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary.

Why Pennsylvania has a nick name of "Thy Keystone State"? Like most nicknames, it is not known, for certain, where this name originated. A keystone is a central wedge in an arch that locks all other pieces of an arch in place. It is the part of an arch that all other parts depend upon. It's reported that Pennsylvania was toasted as "...the keystone of the federal union" at a Republican presidential victory rally for Thomas Jefferson in 1802. Regardless of its origin, the nickname has come to represent Pennsylvania's geographic, economic, social and political impact on development of the United States.

The state was named for its founder, William Penn, who was a member of the Christian sect known as Quakers, or Society of Friends. Penn received the land in a grant from King Charles II, and decided to create a haven for the Quakers, who faced religious persecution in England. The colony saw a large influx of English settlers during the late 1600s, followed by Germans and Irish immigrants who also sought religious freedom. These immigrants brought foods and traditions from their homelands, and have innovated and invented many specialties that reflect the modern, or in some cases old-fashioned, lifestyles of the people of Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Pepper Pot (Beef and Vegetable Stew in Pepper) and Pretzels are among a few Pennsylvania signature food. However,

the Philadelphia cheesesteak or Philly Cheesesteak is Philadelphia's icon. It is a sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of steak and melted cheese in a long hoagie roll. This sandwich is an all-American dish, but created by Italian immigrants to the United States. Brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri created the sandwich for their hot dog cart, while trying to incorporate some variety into their shop. The sandwiches, which they simply called steak sandwiches, were a hit and the brothers opened up their restaurant, now called Pat’s King of Steaks, specializing in cheesesteaks, located in South Philadelphia.

The steak is cooked with onions and sometimes peppers to enhance the flavor. Cheesesteak purists only consider the sandwiches served on Amoroso (a Philadelphia-based baking company) rolls to be authentic Philly cheesesteaks. The type of cheese used on a Philly cheesesteak varies, though it is usually provolone, American, or even Cheez Whiz. Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steak are two of the most famous Philadelphia establishments that serve Philly cheesesteaks.

Is there is a good establishment in Arizona to try Philadelphia's icon? Absolutely! Although it is easy to get the choice of cheese in Arizona, when making a regional sandwich away from it ancestral home, the hardest thing to get right is the often the bread. National distribution is usually impractical for such a highly perishable, low margin product, and replicating the précis texture and flavor of signature bread in a restaurant kitchen is a technical challenge. Local substitute may not quite capture the soft, chewy texture of Amoroso or Vilotti-Pisanelli rolls that are used throughout Philadelphia, but the steak at Philly's Famous, located in Chandler, AZ is griddled up hot and fresh to order, which puts them a step ahead of most other cheesteakes establishments in the valley. The food is indeed delicious there, even to the patrons of the restaurant who are PA natives.