California, with its mild climate and fertile soil, produces more asparagus, avocados, broccoli, carrots, grapes, lettuce, olives, pears and wine than any other state in the Union.

The state's rich immigrant history has led to the creation of many great foods. Early Italian Americans started cheese businesses, developed the region's fishing industry and built many of the wineries. Chinese immigrants worked the shrimp boats, opened restaurants and established Chinatown communities in most of the big cities in California, including the largest such area in San Francisco. In addition, Hispanics have opened numerous groceries, restaurants and food manufacturing companies.