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What, no artichokes?

I also associate artichokes with California, as well as oranges, persimmons and rice (many of the most successful fruit and rice cultivators in California's central valley were - and still are - Japanese, which explains the persmimmons). I would also add asparagus, blackberries, boysenberries and olallieberries.
I can't go any further without mentioning the exquisite tang of San Francisco sourdough bread!
(And cioppino, but I realize we haven't gotten to dishes yet...just ingredients and flavors.)
As a fifth generation Californian and passionate foodie, I feel so blessed and proud to enjoy California's bounty. *sniff*

What, no oranges? The navel orange (after coming from South America) got its start in my home town of Riverside, CA. Oranges certainly have had a massive impact on the culture, cuisine, and economy of California. Southern California is covered in citrus and avocado groves.

I imagine it's tough coming up with a list of essentially Californian ingredients and flavours. So much of this state's culinary history is a massive mix of cultures and diversity.

California = avocado.

hands down.

California = avocado.

hands down.
posted by Amandica

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California = avocado.

hands down.

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I grew up in the Bay Area and San Diego. My senior year of high school, my parents went nuts in the backyard, planting grapes, avocados, persimmons and figs, in addition to the assortment of citrus we already had (Meyer lemons!!).

Naturally, these all came of age when I was away at college and after, in the mountains, 750 miles away. I moved to New York (mid-Hudson Valley) six months ago, and this fall I've been missing figs like crazy... Going to Adams and buying a box isn't quite the same as walking into the backyard, and plucking the warmest fig off the tree...

Citrus!!!

Avocados for sure, especially in Escondido. When I moved to San Diego in 1998 I noticed that Avocado is not only a random snack akin to my eating apples in New England, but you can barely buy a sandwich or other common food that doesn't have avocado in it in socal.

Sourdough bread, cherries, apricots, walnuts, almonds, peaches, citrus, asparagus, spinach, artichokes, and I'm sure I'll think of at least 15 other things as soon as I submit this.

Citrus of all kinds (lemons, limes, grapefruit, & esp. orange). As some mentioned above, the world domination of the navel orange got its start when a couple of cuttings were transferred from Brazil to Riverside, California. Heck, for a long time, SoCal was basically one big orange grove.

Also, I wouldn't exactly call "chicken, beef, pork" as flavors of Cali. I mean, c'mon, you could say that about practically anywhere. Dungenes crab and abalone I'd agree with - to which I would add oysters.