Congressional Quarterly’s Roll Call is once again promoting a NCAA-style bracket pitting the favored foods of the states and territories against each other.

This year, Hawaii’s entry was macadamia nuts. In the first round, we managed to defeat American Samoa, whose entry was banana cake.

Unfortunately, we lost out to Oregon’s blackberry pie in the second round. Round three, which begins this week, pits Oregon against Montana, whose entry is steak.

Others making it to the Sweet 16 are crab cakes from Maryland, pork chimichangas from Arizona and deep dish pizza from Illinois — which, because it’s a big state, apparently was also allowed to submit Italian beef, which also remains in the running.

The foodie bracket is sponsored by the American Frozen Food Institute and America’s Beer Distributors. Winners will be announced June 11.

I have no idea how the foods were selected, by the way. But mac nuts do pair well with beer.

Flickr: Roadsidepictures