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Father-Son Duo Complete All 50 States in Their Pun-Fueled Food Map of the U.S.

Just a little over a year ago, Chris Durso (creator of Foodiggity) and his then-8-year-old son Cameron embarked on a fun, visual collaboration known as Foodnited States of America. Together, the Durso duo planned to recreate all 50 states of the U.S. out of various, edible ingredients with a pun-fueled theme.

The project began with “New Jerky” (a lean piece of beef jerky cut into the shape of New Jersey), followed by “Kaleifornia” (a fibrous piece of kale shaped into the sunny state of California) and “Pork Lo Maine” (the northernmost state of Maine made from a carefully shaped batch of pork lo mein). From there, the father-son duo took their time rolling out each newly named state.

We marked the halfway point of this project earlier this year. Today, Chris and his son have officially completed this extraordinary project with their final state–New Pork (the concrete jungle where dreams are made of… pork). “When my son, Cameron, came to me with the idea for ‘States made out of food,'” Chris explains, “it was his idea of ‘New Pork' that got the ball rolling. So, although this is the last State in the series, it was the first that had a name, and was the inspiration for the entire project.”

Chris also assures everyone that though the project is officially complete, it isn't the end. “The project will live on in various forms… including a complete Foodnited States map that you can hang on the wall of your choice, and each State available individually in various forms. Because, much like the actual United States, the Foodnited States are all about capitalism.”

UPDATE: Chris has officially composed all 50 Food States into one map. Scroll to the bottom of this post to see the full map, and to purchase a print, head over to Foodiggity's shop.

And here's the full Foodnited States map:

Foodiggity: Website | Instagram | Shop

Pinar

Pinar Noorata (she/her) is the Editorial Director at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, New York. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. She also runs her own art & culture newsletter called The High Low. She first joined the My Modern Met team in 2011 as a Contributing Writer, pitching and publishing articles about a wide range of topics. Her expertise in visual media lends itself to in-depth analysis of varied art forms, including but not limited to painting, illustration, sculpture, installation, design, and photography. Pinar has a particular affinity for spotlighting up-and-coming artists, affording them a platform and offering a voice to lesser-heard individuals looking to break through, especially BIPOC creatives. She has helped multiple artists make a name for themselves and reach a wider audience over 10+ years as a writer and editor (both through long-form articles and short-form videos). When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching films and TV, reading, crafting, drawing, frequenting museums and galleries, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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