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Hungry For MO

Chinese food, Missouri-style

By Jenny Vergara,
Natasha Bailey, Mackenzie Martin
Published August 24, 2021 at 3:00 AM CDT
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Springfield cashew chicken and the St. Paul sandwich are both dishes created by immigrants in Missouri – and now help define the state's cuisine.
Crysta Henthorne
/
KCUR 89.3
Springfield cashew chicken and the St. Paul sandwich are both dishes created by immigrants in Missouri – and now help define the state's cuisine.

Missouri claims the creation of two iconic, innovative Chinese dishes — but Springfield cashew chicken and the St. Paul sandwich in St. Louis are more than local curiosities. Each dish tells a story of immigrants who arrived in Missouri and “cooked to survive.”

Read more about how Missouri's immigrants created the St. Paul sandwich 80 years ago or how David Leong turned Springfield cashew chicken into a uniquely Missouri phenomenon from KCUR's Mackenzie Martin.

Tags
Hungry For MO ChinaPodcastSpringfieldSt. LouisimmigrationMissouri historyfoodMissouri bicentennial
Jenny Vergara
Jenny Vergara is one of the hosts of Hungry For MO.
See stories by Jenny Vergara
Natasha Bailey
Natasha Bailey is one of the hosts of Hungry For MO.
See stories by Natasha Bailey
Mackenzie Martin
As senior podcast producer for KCUR Studios and a host of A People’s History of Kansas City, I interview everyday people and dig through old newspaper articles to unearth stories of the visionaries and renegades who created this region. I focus on bringing the past to life, so we can all better understand the city we live in today. Email me at mackenzie@kcur.org.
See stories by Mackenzie Martin
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