Traditional southern food remains a major part of the history of the region where economics and history are reflected in the food and how it is prepared.
Southern food was (and is) generally local and very seasonal is origin. - I love this about the good ol South!!!!
We didn't have wheat farms so corn became a major staple. Cornbread one of the best known example of southern food, right???
Historically, southerners ate off of their land..
Mostly Chicken and hogs for meat, and the crops they raised were so greatly influenced by many cultures- mainly native americans and african slaves.
We inherited corn from the native americans who lived on this land first.
When the Africa slaves came they also brought some new crops, and greatly influenced much of what we today consider Southern...They brought seeds for collards, okra, benne (sesame seeds), black eyed peas, and sweet sorghum.
Our flavors where also touched by the Spanish and the french settlers.
The Spanish brought the PIG... and boy did the Southerners learn how to use every last square inch of those hogs!!! Just ask any Southerner to talk PIG.. BBQ is sacred here.... and BBQ is not grilling. Southerners take great offense to that!!!.
Its a method.
SMOKING a pig low and slow.....and we make our own sauces too, different down to the region!
Such a varied heritage, formed a type of cooking that is unique. People talk of the French cuisine, the Italian, and I really feel the Southern American fits into a catagory also that people wish to emulate, and we wish to PRESERVE.
There are so many wonderful Southern Cookbooks out there...but each southern grandma has her own way of biscuits, of fried chicken, greens....
Thats part of whats so wonderful to me...
Southern Cooking is more a method, not an exact recipe often!
Just search Biscuit, and there are so many different types, and even when someone gives an exact recipe...
well there is an art to it.. Its in the feel, the touch...
this is the most exciting part of exploring Southern Cuisine to me!
I grew up in GA and SC. I know good. I still strive to create the southern excellence in my own home. There are a few ladies in my life that I learned much from. Mostly church ladies--that is another Southern thing I think... Church and FOOD are so int wined. We use food to take care of people, to encourage, to heal, food is even big when someone dies!
Sweet tea at Mrs.Harmon's!!!! I had her make it special for me by the gallon for parties!
Man was it good! I wish I could duplicate it, but somehow hers is special! She made it by the gallons and we drank it fast! ( lots of sugar I know!!!!!)
Really anything she made was going to be purely perfectly Southern. She is the Southern Momma I would love to be. My "mom" hero. She always looked great, had a clean house and wonderful treats for us kids. She was on top of it all. I wonder what she would think if she read this??? Did she feel like she had it all together?? Did she know I idolized her??- Still do really!
I don't think I will ever be the Southern Momma she is, but I try- boy do I try!
So as I turn towards Paleo, I find that while I will have to adapt, really not too far! Southern food truley FEEDs the body and SOUL! and thats what we want to do when we feed people, right?
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