The History Behind Soul Food
South food is a compilation of the different cultures that are in the South. The cuisine is a mixture of African American, French, and Spanish dishes. Southern food (or soul food/southern comfort food) are heavier and meant to be eaten with family and friends. People in the south want to enjoy their traditional food and relish in the conversations of their company! Southern women are taught at a young age to start in the kitchen with their mothers, grandmothers, and aunts to learn the traditions of southern cooking and being able to learn from your family. It's about sharing memories, eating with family and friends, and enjoying delicious home cooked meals.
"Southerners can’t stand to eat alone. If we’re going to cook a mess of greens we want to eat them with a mess of people." — Julia Reed |
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Georgia
While I was in Georgia, we went to Thumbs Up diner in Atlanta as our first food destination on the trip. I decided to finally try grits for the first time! I have always heard of grits in movies set in the south, but I never really grasped the concept of what they exactly were. A girl on my CCE was born and raised in South Carolina and she explained to me that they are in-between oatmeal and cream of wheat and tend to be more bland. She loved putting cinnamon or cheese on top of her grits to add a different flavor to it! So, I decided to order grits and I asked for cheese on top like she suggested and my life completely changed. Grits are so delicious and filling, even to this day when it gets cold out I want grits because to me it seems like a dish to have to add some meat on your bones!
Alabama
Southern Grits Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen
Ingredients: Preparation time: 5min
2 cups water Cooking time: 30 min 1 1/4 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup quick cooking grits (not instant) 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter Directions: In a small pot, bring the water, milk, and salt to a boil. Slowly stir the grits into the boiling mixture. Stir continuously and thoroughly until grits are well mixed. Let the pot return to a boil, cover with a lid, lower the temperature, and cook for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more water if necessary. Grits are done when they have the consistency of smooth cream of wheat. Stir in the butter and serve. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grits-recipe3.html |
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Tennessee
Walking around Beale Street in Memphis was an an experience I will never forget. The constant sound of blues and all of that BBQ. Everywhere I looked there was a blues club and a restaurant that served up BBQ! Just the smells from each restaurant took my taste buds into hyper drive and made me want to try every BBQ joint on Beale Street. BB Kings gave me the experience of one of the best BBQ pulled pork sandwiches (with coleslaw on top!) and a great blues band to listen and dance to!
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