40. New Mexico
Every state has its local pride, whether its Kentucky Fried Chicken for Kentucky, or Budweiser for Missouri, and for New Mexico this pride is their hot green chile. First of all, they call it “chile” rather than “chili,” and they take it very seriously if you get it wrong. They also hold an annual chile festival – the Hatch Festival (photographed below).
Aside from the chile, people from outside of New Mexico seem to think the Breaking Bad character of the bored chemistry teacher who becomes a drug dealer involved with the Mexican cartels is the embodiment of New Mexico, so it was a close competition between that and the chile. But ultimately, there’s almost nothing they value more in New Mexico than their green chile.