Regional Foods (school, friendly, kitchen)

[knoxgarden]

I grew up in Los Angeles but my mother was from Crossville, TN, and she cooked southern. Staples were ham hocks and lima beans; green beans cooked with some ham and new potatoes; mustard greens, turnip greens.
Can't believe nobody's mentioned grits, fried okra or sweet tea.
I'll pass on the boiled peanuts. I lived in south Georgia for awhile and everyone eats them down there. I think they're awful!

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by piedmont

You all may be familiar with this spot, but I have just discovered Coastal Connections, a fresh seafood market. Location is just east of the intersection of Lovell Road and Hardin Valley.

They are open Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat. More info at Coastal Connections ~ Seafood Market

We had some very nice cobia and royal red shrimp from them last night!

As someone used to getting great seafood from the Atlantic, from various NC sources, it is fun to experience the fruit of another "sea."

Well, all be darned. Fantastic tip! Thanks!

Also try the Shrimp Dock. The seafood is incredible!

Shrimp Dock - Knoxville, TN

For the record, I love fried okra, fried green tomatoes and grits.

JMT talks a lot about chocolate gravy and biscuits.

I have definitely heard of fried pickles but haven't tried them. I pretty sure I'd love them!

[jabogitlu]

Coastal Connections looks divine! I wonder if their shrimp pies, et al are ready to eat or frozen or what?

[etta]

I grew up in southern AL. Fried cornbread...or also called Hot water bread is my favorite. If there is anything I could compare it to, it would be a hushpuppy but ussually larger & denser that a hushpuppy...Mmmmm. Also cornbread dumplings. Just mix cornmeal with water until stiff, form them into dumplings & drop em into a pot of boiling collards. Delicious! Cajun boiled peanuts were my pick. No table is complete with out sweet tea. Okra grows so well in Al. I love fried okra,stewed okra,okra in a gumbo,okra succatash & ofcourse, pickled okra. We always put chowchow on our Lima beans,Mustards or Turnip greens. I highly recommend pickled yellow squash. Squash relish is good too. I'm a big fan of cheese grits. If the grits don't have cheese I don't want em. I think Cobbler is the most common desert. Blackberries grow everywhere. Oh & theres this amazing tiny type of field pea down there that I can't find anywhere else. It looks like a tiny green back eyed pea without the black dot. Damn! Southern Food is so tasty.

[jabogitlu]

My family puts up tons of pickled yellow squash. They all go crazy over it, but I can't figure out why. Ewwwwww!!!!

[hiknapster]

Wow, cornbread dumplings sound awesome!

I forgot about sweet tea. I was never a fan of iced tea, but sweet tea is incredible!

[gemkeeper]

This is beginning to sound like food heaven! I have never heard of so many of these combinations of food. I wish I could eat anything I wanted to - I would be as big as a house!!

Etta, everything sounds so tasty, but chow-chow on Lima beans??? It sounds like it must be a bit like succotash then?

[Beretta]

Ok, that's it. We're off to Cracker Barrel. Neither one of us feels like cooking and down home fare is calling our names.

[hiknapster]

We love Cracker Barrel!

[gemkeeper]

Cracker Barrel is alway hubby's first choice. We arrange our trips on the interstates for lunch and dinner stops at exits with Cracker Barrels!!

I think it is the cornbread and biscuits. They draw you in like a fish on a line.