A State-by-State Guide to the Most Iconic Foods in America

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Arkansas: Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy

While biscuits and gravy is a Southern breakfast classic, Arkansas is known for its own sweet twist on the dish: biscuits smothered in chocolate gravy. This unexpected combination is an Arkansas staple, often enjoyed as a special breakfast or brunch treat. The chocolate gravy is a thick, warm sauce similar to a rich hot fudge (but usually a bit thinner), made from cocoa powder, sugar, butter, and milk cooked into a gravy-like consistency. Its exact origins are a bit of a mystery, but this dish is more closely associated with Arkansas than any other state. Fluffy Southern buttermilk biscuits serve as the perfect vehicle for the velvety, sweet gravy, which some families have passed down recipes for generations. Tucking into a plate of chocolate-gravy biscuits in Arkansas is a nostalgic taste of childhood for many locals and a delightful surprise for visitors with a sweet tooth.