The Arc Mower County’s eighth annual Taste of Mower County is tomorrow, and as the Herald’s resident foodie and unofficial official food writer, I would be remiss if I didn’t write a food column leading up to the event.

As I wrote about the Taste of Mower County in my Best Bets article earlier this week, my mind began to wonder into the realm of flavor combinations, more specifically those that some find unusual. It stemmed from a conversation I had earlier that morning with other media members as we waited for the morning police report. And, as my mind is so wont to do when food involved, my thoughts formed themselves into this column.

I was born in New Orleans, a city known the world over for its remarkable food. The food culture there is a melting pot of multiple culinary backgrounds, primarily French, Spanish, African and Native American, though Creole and Cajun cooking encapsulates many ethnicities. I grew up in Atlanta, a land of soul food, which I genuinely believe is good for your soul (though not so much for your waistline). I worked in Mississippi, a state that prides itself in its abundance of farm-raised catfish, its fried pickles, and where I was introduced to comeback sauce (a spiced sauce of mayonnaise and chili sauce, similar to Louisiana rémoulade) and a true soul food staple, the pig ear sandwich.

I would not recommend the latter.

I began to think about those combinations that some find unusual but, in my personal opinion, are delicious. So, without further ado, here are a few unusual food pairings that actually work well.

Pineapple on Pizza

While this combination may not seem too unusual for some people, it is rather divisive. I can honestly say that my friends are split even on whether or not to put pineapple on pizza.

Chef Gordon Ramsey made his opinion on the matter clear when he described pineapple pizza as “salty, sweet cardboard,” declaring, “This isn’t a pizza… it’s a mistake.” And while I’m sure Chef Ramsey would call me a string of colorful adjective and noun pairings that I couldn’t print in this paper, the good chef and I will have to agree to disagree.

Admittedly, I was hesitant the first time I tried pineapple on a pizza. I was a teenager working at Papa John’s and said pizza was not sent out because of a mistake. In the event a pizza was messed up, the staff got to eat it, and when you’re working on a busy food line, you get hungry. Nevertheless, I was concerned that the sweetness of the pineapple would overpower the pizza, but I was pleasantly surprised. I would definitely recommend a salty meat pairing as a topping, such as pepperoni, bacon or ham, as I find the blend of sweet and salty establishes a state of flavor equilibrium.

There’s only one thing that irks me, and that is when people call pizza with pineapple “Hawaiian.” Pineapples are indigenous to South America, not Hawaii.

Chicken and Waffles

While commonly associated with soul food, this delectable combination originated in Harlem after partiers, leaving the nightclubs in the early morning hours, went out to eat, but didn’t know if they wanted dinner or breakfast. It is also a combination that I have heard people express disgust towards, for whatever reason.

If you like waffles and you like fried chicken, this should not be a hard combination to accept. Sure, if you’re too scared to eat them together, you have the option of eating them separately, but why deprive yourself? You get the savory and the sweet, a winning bite under any circumstance. And there is nothing, I repeat NOTHING, wrong with having syrup on fried chicken. I find this dish works best when the batter is very crispy or of a consistency that dissolves instantly in your mouth.

I’m sad to say that I have had no luck so far in finding a restaurant in Southeast Minnesota that offers chicken and waffles. If anyone knows of a place, please let me know.

Shrimp and Grits

Another dish I have had no luck finding in Minnesota (no surprise since Minnesota is not a grits-heavy state), shrimp and grits can vary. If the grits is watery, it is virtually inedible, and you surely can’t throw plain shrimp on top (sadly, this has happened to me).

Shrimp and grits is another dish that I’ve seen several Minnesotans sneer at, which is pretty hypocritical considering this is the land of lutefisk. Maybe it’s an unfamiliarity with grits or possibly an aversion to shrimp mixed with anything other than pasta. Either way, you’re missing out if you don’t give it a shot.

I prefer shrimp and grits made with cheese grits topped with crumbled bacon and the shrimp prepared in a butter garlic sauce.

Peanut butter on a burger Bear with me on this one people

Owning and operating a restaurant is tough. The food industry is competitive and many restaurants close their doors within their first year or shortly thereafter. With this in mind, you’ll find that many chefs will try to offer something different in an effort to make their restaurants stand out. The burger has served as an excellent blank canvas for many chefs, and there are numerous burger restaurants out there that offer what many would consider non-traditional, unconventional burgers.

I have tried many burger concoctions over the years. Some have excelled, such as macaroni and cheese on a burger; others have failed, especially the doughnut burger, which, as readers of my columns know, consists of glazed doughnuts in place of the bun and is the antichrist of burgers.

I was first introduced to peanut butter on a burger in Mississippi. Usually a burger with peanut butter served in Mississippi is named after Elvis, whose favorite sandwich consisted of peanut butter, grape jelly, bacon, pickles and bananas. Fortunately, I’ve never come across a rendition of this burger that features bananas.

While the combination of peanut butter and burger is unusual, it really does work. If the burger is hot enough, the peanut butter becomes less butter and more sauce. Still don’t believe that it’s good? Go to B&J and try their Skippy Burger.