The best of 11 states - here in NYC

With bonus factoids from our resident quizmaster, Noah Tarnow of the Big Quiz Thing (bigquizthing.com).

Pecan pie from The Little Pie Company.

Photograph: Heami Lee

California | Illinois | Louisiana | Massachusetts | New Jersey
Texas | Hawaii | Colorado | Minnesota | Nebraska | Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is the only state with a certified “state meal,” consisting of fried okra, squash, corn bread, barbecued pork, biscuits, sausage and gravy, grits, corn, strawberries, chicken-fried steak and black-eyed peas. Natives officially cap it off with a slice of pecan pie. Pick up a small piece (pies $7.50–$29) of the Sooner State at The Little Pie Company (424 W 43rd St between Ninth and Tenth Aves; 212-736-4780, littlepiecompany.com).

Mickey Mantle may have been born in Oklahoma, but he’s conveniently best known as a Yankee. His legacy of long balls is nearly matched by his history of bad business investments, including the Mickey Mantle Bowling Center and Mickey Mantle’s Holiday Inn. Yet his lone successful venture—restaurant Mickey Mantle’s NYC (42 Central Park South between Fifth and Sixth Aves; 212-688-7777, mickeymantles.com)—still stands, teeming with baseball ‘bilia and Mickey-approved hickory ribs ($28).

Pick up authentic-and-adorable Oklahoman cast-off clothing at No Relation Vintage (204 First Ave between 12th and 13th Sts; 212-228-5201, norelationvintage.com). The family-run thrift store receives regular shipments from Oklahoman rag warehouses, culling everything from circle-skirt dresses (usually between $15 and $30) to handcrafted cowboy boots (around $50).

With cities named Okmulgee and Cherokee, it should come as no surprise that more than 8 percent of the population are either Native American or direct descendents. Visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian (Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green between State and Whitehall Sts; 212-514-3700, www.nmai.si.edu; free) and soak up some Seminole beauty. Sign up for the NMAI’s Maraca-Making Workshop on July 9 (6–8pm; $25, call for reservations).

Fun fact: Despite its relatively small population, Oklahoma kicks ass in Miss America pageants: six champions, a record matched by only California and Ohio.

California | Illinois | Louisiana | Massachusetts | New Jersey
Texas | Hawaii | Colorado | Minnesota | Nebraska | Oklahoma

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