Community Chat

[On It]

I think the most distinct thing about old-time Southern cooking is there is no recipe. My grandmother showed you how to make something. Her yeast rolls do have a list of the necessary ingredients, but it says to work the dough until "it feels right." She stood there with you and would say "it feels right now." That's how we learned.

I make really good chicken fried steak that is pan fried. The depth of the Cisco is crucial to its being perfect. I can tell by its sound when to turn the steak. It is only turned one time. The steak cooks until it sounds done and is then removed from the skillet. The grease is drained and cream gravy is made from the crumbs. That is again done by experience and practice to get that ideal homemade taste but not too thick or too thin or too greasy.

I see the true regional differences in our food preparation are disappearing. Just because it is called Southern and has the correct ingredients doesn't make it so. The families are scattering and the person who shows how to make a dish is not available. The internet and cookbooks cannot get an accurate result.

[on the bay]

@On It

That is all so true.

[chickenbutt]

Where is the line for that chicken fried steak?      I love a good chicken fried steak (or cf chicken) with country gravy.

My thing with the gravy, however, since I got old and lazier, is that I just buy these packets of Southeastern Mill Country Gravy.  I swear, that stuff is so good that I could not do better.  You don't even add a grain of salt - it's perfect as is.

[on the bay]

@Carmie,

Well, I guess then they are kinda southern!😄

It is a small world.

[on the bay]

woops didn't mean to post twice!

[on the bay]

How could I have forgotten to mention grits!

My father made them with just butter salt and pepper (the staples).

Then a few years ago I saw shrimp and grits with cheese.

Well that is just not right.Thought my daughters like them that way. 

No.

Grits are so good they should be plain and not messed with. Just like pb and j and yes that should be cut on the diagonal!

[chickenbutt]

I've never had grits.

Granted, I was born and raised in California but both parents (fwiw) were from the south.  I don't really know where I picked up some of my southern cooking favorites as the mother never cooked since I was 6.  I learned on the job.

As I got older and one time was invited to her house for TG, it hit me why.  She's not so good at cooking.  The turkey was raw in the middle.  gack!

Never had grandparents or any other secondary family members so all my recipes I've either gotten from others or I wrote them myself.

[on the bay]

@chickenbutt,

lol! "Gack" is such a great word. It kinda says it all!

[webbgarner1]

@on the bay  So true. As I said earleir i love grits and eggs, or just grits alone with butter salt and pepper. And I love shrimp. But sorry my SC neighbors I just can not do the shrimp and grits together. The flavors do not mesh well to me. 

As far as the accents go, you are right. I am a NC  girl. People that are not from here know I am southern. But a lot of people that are from here say I sound like I am fromsomewhere else like California . The accent  around the virginia border of NC are different from those at the southern beaches or those in the mountains, or those from Robeson county NC.  And i grew up saying Y'all but do say you all also.

As far as grits go, I have had some people from the north say the only way they can eat grits is added sugar to them more like an oatmeal.

[Duckncover]

My mother was the queen of the pressure cooker. Oh the things she could make in it! I know that rocker valve on top of it scared me to death when she would be using it, but her meatloaf, pork roast, and Swiss steak was better than I have ever tasted since. Chess pie is what my great aunt did best. She did coconut chess, lemon chess, or chess custard pie. There are easy recipes out there; southern living magazine is my favorite source for them. 
Tennessee has three different accents since east, middle and west Tennessee are very different in culture as well.  They all sound very different.