Of course when it comes to food in Iowa, pork and corn are king. But there are also some tasty surprises that might surprise visitors.

Maid-Rite sandwich

It's an Iowa institution that can be found throughout the state, but perhaps the best-known purveyor of the loose meat sandwiches known as Maid-Rites can be found in Marshalltown. The sandwiches consist of ground beef with spices, pickles and onions on a bun. Die-hards will tell you that it can never be served with ketchup, and many Maid-Rite stores, including Taylor's Maid-Rites in Marshalltown, refuse to offer the condiment on the counter. Founded as a single walk-up restaurant in Muscatine, Iowa, in 1926, Maid-Rite became a phenomenon that is essentially Iowan.

Pork tenderloin sandwich

The Iowa Pork Producers Association estimates that as many as 300 restaurants and cafes offer tenderloins across Iowa. Tenderloins, as far as anyone can tell, were brought to the United States by Czechoslovakians who first started breading pork for schnitzel in the old country. It took off in Iowa and from fairs to restaurants you can find the tender, juicy, breaded sandwiches just about everywhere.

Wine

When you think wineries, Iowa might not be the first area to come to mind, but the state is packed with plenty of locally produced wine. According to the Iowa Wine Growers Association, Iowa now has more than 350 commercial vineyards and more than 65 wineries. The rhubarb wine from the Ackerman Winery, one of eight wineries in the Amana Colonies area alone, made the Des Moines Register's list of "100 Things to Eat In Iowa Before You Die."

Maytag blue cheese

Maytag blue cheese is internationally acclaimed and if you happen to find yourself in Newton, Iowa, you can taste some of the freshest cheese around for yourself. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of the cheese, made fresh from milk from nearby dairy farms, are sent each year to hungry customers all over the United States. Travelers passing through Newton are welcome to visit the farm's cheese shop and cheese-making facilities, sample some cheese and buy some wedges to take home.

Sweet corn

Iowa is known as a farm state and how can you go wrong with a big ear of sweet corn while traveling through the state? Some of the best venues to enjoy the state's harvest include the Iowa State Fair and the Sweet Corn Festival in Adel, Iowa, about 20 miles west of Des Moines, which serves up seven tons of free sweet corn each August.