Southern Food Appreciation Thread

all this food sounds amazing. there must be some pretty damn fat people in the south!

Originally Posted by dizzhizz

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all this food sounds amazing. there must be some pretty damn fat people in the south!

Unfortunately yes. We are not a region known for its health; the South always ranks highest on studies of obesity. I may be wrong, but I think Mississippi is the worst in the U.S. The ridiculously high calorie food was fine when everyone in the South worked on a farm 12 hours a day. All that manual labor required tons of calories. The problem is that a lot of people here still eat like they're going to spend all day picking peanuts, but they don't actually do the peanut picking. It doesn't help that there is a lot of poverty down here, as poverty and obesity generally go hand-in-hand.

The key to this food, as with most other great things, is moderation.

Originally Posted by jpeirpont

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Friday fish fries were great as a kid, no one seems to do it anymore though. Fried bass, carp, blue gills, white bread, red hot sauce and Sam Cooke. Good times.


They still happen all over the place down here in the poor black areas.

When I was a kid growing up in East Texas, the town's school (K through 12 all under one roof) made the first day of squirrel hunting season a school holiday because so many students would skip class anyway that they'd lose state funding.

The first week of squirrel season, everyone would bring in their squirrels and the local Masonic Lodge would host a squirrel stew supper. Man, that was delicious stuff!

Originally Posted by HORNS

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When I was a kid growing up in East Texas, the town's school (K through 12 all under one roof) made the first day of squirrel hunting season a school holiday because so many students would skip class anyway that they'd lose state funding.

The first week of squirrel season, everyone would bring in their squirrels and the local Masonic Lodge would host a squirrel stew supper. Man, that was delicious stuff!

Originally Posted by MrG

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Unfortunately yes. We are not a region known for its health; the South always ranks highest on studies of obesity. I may be wrong, but I think Mississippi is the worst in the U.S. The ridiculously high calorie food was fine when everyone in the South worked on a farm 12 hours a day. All that manual labor required tons of calories. The problem is that a lot of people here still eat like they're going to spend all day picking peanuts, but they don't actually do the peanut picking. It doesn't help that there is a lot of poverty down here, as poverty and obesity generally go hand-in-hand.

The key to this food, as with most other great things, is moderation.

Actually, if the pay was much higher for manual labor I'm one of those people who would probably do it. Beats sitting in front of a desk bored all day. I've got my flame suit on.

Originally Posted by edinatlanta

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gravy made from the drippings of pan fried country ham

according to Wikpedia, with coffee. I don't remember ever having it, but boy I want some now!!

I travel the Carolinas for business, and seek out the best southern food, soul food, and BBQ restaurants for occasional cheat meals. Here is a short list of my favorites:

* Best fried chicken (by FAR) = Jestine's Kitchen, downtown Charleston, SC

* 2nd best fried chicken (recommend chicken tips dipped in Texas Pete) + awesome green bean casserole and field peas = Kinch's, downtown Rock Hill, SC

* Best soul food = tie between Gullah Cuisine in Mount Pleasant, SC, and Sarah's Kitchen in Greenville, SC

* Best barbecue = Lexington BBQ ("sliced brown" is so awesome, but it is not on the menu - special request only) in Lexington, NC, and B's Barbecue in Greenville, NC. B's also has amazing baked barbecue chicken... go for the combo plate. Sweatman's BBQ in Eutawville, SC, also has excellent mustard base Q, but it is only open 1 or 2 nights per week.

* Best shrimp and grits = Sidewheeler in Conway, SC - unfortunately, the restaurant was recently sold

* Best quail = Benton Lee's in Uvalda, GA - scary place and ugly people, but lip smacking good fried quail... also known for their massive steaks served on a TV tray, no plate. Listen for the dueling banjos.

* Honorable mention = Marina Variety Store Restaurant in Charleston, SC, for their beautiful harbor views, delicious okra soup, collard greens and smothered grilled pork chops... they also have a killer Sunday brunch menu and tasty bloody mary's

* Best not-really-southern-food in the Carolinas = Mama Kwan's Grill and Tiki Bar in Kill Devil Hills, NC, on the Outer Banks. I could eat there 3 times a day and never get tired of it.

As for iced tea, I go for unsweet or the Arnold Palmer with half unsweet tea + half lemonade

Originally Posted by robertorex

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Actually, if the pay was much higher for manual labor I'm one of those people who would probably do it. Beats sitting in front of a desk bored all day. I've got my flame suit on.

I sometimes feel this way as well.

Originally Posted by RLlikes

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* Best quail = Benton Lee's in Uvalda, GA - scary place and ugly people, but lip smacking good fried quail... also known for their massive steaks served on a TV tray, no plate. Listen for the dueling banjos.

Georgia SF meetup?
This review really intrigues me.

I'm blaming this thread for the mammoth pile of calories I just ingested. My late lunch included: fried chicken, pulled pork, creamed corn, mac and cheese, and cornbread from one of my favorite restaurants in town. It was magnificent.

Originally Posted by robertorex

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Actually, if the pay was much higher for manual labor I'm one of those people who would probably do it. Beats sitting in front of a desk bored all day. I've got my flame suit on.

Agreed - far be it from me to criticize a hard day's work. I just can't picture supporting the lifestyle to which I've become accustomed (and to which I aspire) by hanging sheet rock or working on cars.

Originally Posted by RLlikes

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* Best barbecue = Lexington BBQ ("sliced brown" is so awesome, but it is not on the menu - special request only) in Lexington, NC, and B's Barbecue in Greenville, NC. B's also has amazing baked barbecue chicken... go for the combo plate. Sweatman's BBQ in Eutawville, SC, also has excellent mustard base Q, but it is only open 1 or 2 nights per week.
Sweatman's Someone once told me that the best BBQ is only upon 3 days a week (Thursday - Saturday).

If you're ever in Orangeburg, SC, try Duke's. The BBQ is a notch below Sweatman's, but it serves great fried chicken and hush puppies in addition to BBQ.

I have never tried Duke's. There are 2 more top tier BBQ joints about an hour from O'burg in Batesburg-Leesville - Jackie Hite's and Shealy's. Both are buffets with family style seating. I think Hite's has a slight edge, but Shealy's also has better than average fried chicken.

Originally Posted by robertorex

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Actually, if the pay was much higher for manual labor I'm one of those people who would probably do it. Beats sitting in front of a desk bored all day. I've got my flame suit on.

QFT, and it would keep me in much better shape for mountaineering than sitting behind a desk staring at I-85/75 all day.


Do boiled peanuts count as southern? Because I could go through a pound of those at a time.

For the folks in San Francisco, Eureka Restaurant in the Castro has delicious Southern Cooking. The chef's from Alabama and did several year's training at Commander's Palace. They always have fried okra as an appetizer and fried catfish as an entree. I mentioned to him to make up a batch of pepper vinegar to put on the mustard greens, which he does now.

As for BBQ in San Fran, I highly recommend Memphis Minnies in the Lower Haight. The owner there has done an excellent job at providing meats cooked with styles from Eastern and Western N. Carolina and Texas. Their pecan pie is some of the best I've ever eaten - bar none.