The cuisine of New Jersey reflects the diversity of its ethnic population. Thus it is futile to suggest any one dish as "typical" of New Jersey, for one can find Cuban food in Union City, Portuguese food in Newark, Jewish food in West Orange, and Hungarian food in New Brunswick. In fact, nearly any ethnic cuisine one can think of is prepared and consumed on a daily basis somewhere in New Jersey. Most people who have attempted to characterize New Jersey's cuisine have focused on this rich ethnic diversity. There is another way, however, to view the topic- through a regional approach.

New Jersey stretches from the mountains in the northwest through the urban corridor in the center to the Pine Barrens in the south. South Jersey is particularly different, lacking the population density of the rest of the state. In the middle of the Eastern Megalopolis the Pine Barrens - ironically named since they comprise a vast wilderness forest of oak and pine, occupying nearly a quarter of the state. A few of the people who live in this area have been there for many generations, some of them tracing their family history to preRevolutionary days. These people have evolved a distinct lifestyle; their way of life is based on a small co1nmunity in a rural setting which has been relatively isolated for many years. As a result, their culture is very tightly knit and homogeneous.