Arkansas has an exceptional food culture. It is one that is interwoven with threads of politics, religion, the arts, local agriculture, and family life. It is spirited by food festivals and long-standing gatherings around watermelon, tomatoes, mountain oysters, raccoon, berries, purple hull peas, peaches, chocolate, armadillo, catfish, cornbread, pecans, turkey, duck, rice, grapes, apples, cheese dip, chili, legumes, herbs, wine, mushrooms, soup, and barbecue as well as a range of cuisine from religions and places around the world.