Only in York County

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Stuffing – at least so far?

In our official poll on stuffing vs. filling vs. dressing, stuffing is winning, at least as of now.

I’m leaving the poll open for a while longer, though, so consider this a “midpoint check-in.” If you feel strongly about filling or dressing, encourage your friends to come vote!

I’ve gotten a ton of passionate comments, too.

Michele, who grew up about a street over from where I did (in the rural sense), says “When you’re in PA Dutch country it is FILLING … Doesn’t matter what the other 49 states and/or chefs say.”

Lorie agrees. “My MOM called it filling, my mother-in-law makes filling balls, so I vote for filling. True PA Dutch!”

Amanda says “Stuffing. It’s only filling if you put it on the bird, and dressing? Isn’t that for a salad or are you putting the bird in a dress?” (Literalist!)

Ashley seems to agree. “Stuffing is inside the bird, filling is outside, dressing is what you put on it like gravy.”

Crystal had a question. She writes, “I would love to know where everyone originally grew up. I wonder if it’s an ‘area’ preference as to what it is called?”

Deb seems to suggest it is a product of geography. She writes, “Filling now that I live in PA but it was stuffing for me growing up on the west coast.”

Linda H. says “I voted for DRESSING! I swear I never heard ‘filling’ until I married somebody from PA and moved here. But then I’d never heard of hog maw either. After an Easter meal at his grandparents I made him take me to get something to eat!! Still think it’s vile.” She had a fun afterthought, too – “Oh and I don’t have that husband any more.”

Bill claims “It’s filling if you are a Yorker. Now a Kentuckian I have educated my wife and kids about this vernacular.”

More to come next week at this time – including some thoughts about how it should be made, not just what it should be called! Please continue to comment!

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