Southern cooking, like Southern hospitality, has become a legend. Hush Puppies, Hog Jowls, Turnip Greens and Corn Bread are all part of the pre-Civil War Southern traditions which came into the mainstream during the Reconstruction when money was short and food even scarcer. As times passed, cooks relied more on native products and their own folk traditions, developing a soul-ful, simple and tasty way of cooking. Fried chicken, hams, stews, collard greens, grits, black-eyed peas and sweet potato pie are all familiar examples of Southern food. But the distinguishing of all Southern cuisine results from preparing with love the foods that have been favorites for generations.
Southern Fried Chicken, certainly a byword in the United States, comes close to being the ideal all-purpose, all-occasion dish. Oddly enough, even within the South, its preparation and its accompaniments differ from state to state, which just proves how very specific regional preferences can be. Whether it be Smithfield or Country, the preparation of ham for the table also stirs heated debates. It may be boiled, baked, stuffed or glazed, but the classic accompaniments are pickled peaches or watermelon rind. Freshly baked, beaten biscuits are also considered with ham.
Short on eye appeal but long on flavor, catfish is a much-fished-for-food in the South. A steaming kettle of Catfish Stew or a sizzling skillet of golden-fried catfish fillets are both Southern delights. Turnip greens, collards, mustard greens --- all the greens that have a slightly tonic bitterness are the essence of Southern home cooking, usually with a bit of browned fatback added to the pot. For dessert, open-faced pies that flaunt their fillings are Southern favorites. Pecan Pie, with its rich, nutty flavor is a classic in the South where pecan trees abound. Sweet Potato Pie has a filling made from boiled, sieved sweet potatoes which are mixed with eggs and milk, sweetened with sugar and spiced with cinnamon and ginger. The color and texture are not unlike that of the pumpkin pie so popular in New England. Cornbreads are legion throughout the South and run a gamut from simple mush-like mixtures to delicate Southern spoon breads. Hush-Puppies, deep-fried corn cakes, are usually served with fish. The story goes that they were originally used to quiet the hounds.
Some Southern favorites that have made culinary history are Brunswick Stew, Cream of Peanut Soup, and Ambrosia (a dessert of citrus slices, sprinkled with shredded coconut) from Virginia; Georgia Peach Cake and Watermelon Pickles from Georgia; Mississippi Mud Cake and Biloxi Shrimp Stew from Mississippi; Sausage and Baked Hams from from Tennessee; Kentucky Burgoo and Bourbon Balls from Kentucky; Okra Soup and Black Bottom Pie from Alabama; Ozark Pudding (made from chopped apples and nuts) and Simmon Beer from Arkansas; Shrimp Pilau and Scuppernong Wine from North Carolina; and Crackling Corn Bread and Hopping John from South Carolina. Legend says Hopping John was named after the custom of inviting a quest to eat by saying "Hop in, John." It is made from ham hocks, blackeyed peas and onions, and tradition in the South guarantees good luck if a bowl is eaten on New Year's Day.
THE SOUTH
page 5 of 13
By Mary Eccher
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