Are These Michigan Foods Delicious Or Just Plain Weird?

Recently, a post from a local Kalamazoo area favorite, Schultz's Treat Street, made me wonder: Do Michiganders love weird foods?

The post in question details their latest creation: The Canoli Dog. Described as a hot dog wrapped in a maple bacon waffle cone with candied maple bacon on the inside and a homemade caramel dipping sauce on the side. Take a look:

Hot dogs and caramel? That can definitely be described as an odd food combination but, people seem thrilled about it. Comments on the above post include:

You’ve got this pregnant momma drooling. That caramel dipping sauce….. - Erin M. 

I need this rn - Shannon L. 

Yay!!!! - Cindy W. 

Curious about what other odd food combos or dishes Michiganders might love, I took to the internet to see what I could find. Here are the first few that caught my attention:

1. Muskrat Casserole

Yup, that's a thing. If you don't know, a Muskrat is a semi-aquatic rodent indigenous to North America and countries like Europe, Ukraine, Russia, and more. According to a recent article from The Gander, Muskrat Casserole is a popular dish in SE Michigan, especially during Lent. Usually served with mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, and sauerkraut, you can learn how to make your very own Muskrat Casserole below:

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2. Cudighi Sandwiches

As far as "weird" dishes go, this one is pretty mild. Cudighi sandwiches are trendy in the U.P. and are comprised of spiced meat topped with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. While The Gander listed it as 'adventurous', the curiosity about this sandwich recently inspired an in-depth article from our own Lauren Gordon. Read all about it below:

Or, follow this Youtube tutorial to make your own:

3. The Olive Burger 

The Olive Burger was suggested as a Michigan staple on a recent Reddit thread. The post was asking for signature Michigan dishes which is why u/theyburnedmyfriend said,

Olive burgers! There's still debate as to where the original comes from. Most enthusiasts would say Kewpee, a small Midwest sandwich shop, started it back in the 60's before it began selling off locations to other owners. The Lansing area has a bunch of great olive burgers at various eateries, I'm sure other places across the state do too.

A typical olive burger is a combination of ground beef, mayo, and green olives atop a white burger bun. According to tasteatlas.com, "the meat patties are fried, topped with a mixture of olives and mayonnaise, then placed in a burger bun with no other condiments." Delicious to some, I'm sure. Definitely an odd combination to others. Learn how to make your own below:

4. The Coney Paczkis 

A Coney Dog is, surely, the most popular staple in the Detroit area. A Coney Dog is a hot dog topped with chili sauce (no beans), raw onion, and mustard. A Paczki, on the other hand, is a Fat Tuesday tradition that originated in Poland. Generally, they're a sweet donut-like treat that's usually filled with jelly and topped with sugar. With all of that being said, combining those two could definitely seem weird to those that live outside of the Midwest. I haven't been brave enough to try it myself but, Michiganders seem to love it! Curious about the calorie count on those bad boys? Sometimes ignorance is bliss but, a few years ago WXYZ out of Detroit listed everything you would have to do to 'burn off' a Coney Paczki...

So what do you think? Are these dishes delicious or just plain weird?

You can see even more Michigan dishes labeled as "adventurous" at gandernewsroom.com.

Whether you like your hotdogs wrapped in a waffle cone, stuffed in a Paczki, or on a regular hot dog bun with some ketchup and mustard...everyone loves the Weiner Mobile. And, it's coming to West Michigan: