Tennessee foods (poisonous, summer, water)

[Creekcat]

Does your bolonga needs to be almost burned to a crisp? As mine does.

[2mares]

Not necessarly a TN food, but has any one had dry land fish?

[Watertown Gal]

Never heard of dry land fish. What is it?

Just got through reading all 28 pages of this thread, so I would like to comment on a few things:

1. In order to make real Southern sweet tea, the sugar has got to be added at the same time it is brewed, not afterwards, and yes, there is a difference. I usually brew mine in the microwave to save time; 2 family size tea bags in 2 cups boiling water, let steep 5-10 minutes and then pour over 1-1 1/2 cup of sugar in a large pitcher and fill up with cold water.

2. LOVE fried bologna and eggs!

3. Fried chicken (skin on) absolutely has to be fried in a cast iron skillet, preferrably in lard, but since lard has so much cholesterol, any good vegetable oil will do. Add about a teaspoon or two of bacon drippings for flavor (to the oil). I usually combine flour and instant potato flakes for the breading and add about 1 tablespoon of garlic salt to the mixture. I also fry the chicken livers and since my husband loves the gizzards, I fry those too.

4. There's a great little catfish place on Hwy 100 just outside of Centerville.....all you can eat with all the fixin's. I think it's called the Fish Camp...it's real close to the Duck River.

5. BBQ: To us Southerners, the term BBQ refers to a pork shoulder that is smoked for several hours (usually all day and night) til tender and served with hot or mild sauce. It does not refer to cooking steaks or other kinds of meat outdoors on an open grill.

6. We don't do Rhubarb down here, but we do have Poke Sallet that grows wild in the woods.

7. We cook our green beans and other vegetables to death, with a good dose of bacon grease added. No sugar in them please.

There's more, but that's all I can think of right now...

[vvixen]

Sweet tea is the best! I make it all year long!

To make real Southern sweet tea, don't dilute it with cold water. Use a big plastic jug (gallon sized). Put in one big Lipton tea bag, or 2 or 3 regular-sized bags (and yes, it has to be Lipton. People in Louisiana use Lusiane, but people in Alabama and Tennessee know you need to use Lipton). Pour in 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar in the jug, then pour in boiling water to fill up the jug. Leave the tea bag or bags in there with the paper part dangling outside the jug. Then leave it on your counter until it cools to room temperature. Once it cools, you may either store it in the refrigerator for later use or pour it over ice and serve it. If you are a real Southerner, you keep a jug of it in the fridge at all times to serve in case people drop in.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by vvixen

Sweet tea is the best! I make it all year long!

To make real Southern sweet tea, don't dilute it with cold water. Use a big plastic jug (gallon sized). Put in one big Lipton tea bag, or 2 or 3 regular-sized bags (and yes, it has to be Lipton. People in Louisiana use Lusiane, but people in Alabama and Tennessee know you need to use Lipton). Pour in 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar in the jug, then pour in boiling water to fill up the jug. Leave the tea bag or bags in there with the paper part dangling outside the jug. Then leave it on your counter until it cools to room temperature. Once it cools, you may either store it in the refrigerator for later use or pour it over ice and serve it. If you are a real Southerner, you keep a jug of it in the fridge at all times to serve in case people drop in.

I make real Southern Sweet Tea 5 days a week and I don't use the method above and I don't use Lipton. I use JFG gallon tea bags; the same ones that Pal's Sudden Service uses. Perhaps it has something to do with the east vs west part of the state?

[joee]

You have not eaten in Tennessee until you have eaten homemade Crappie. If you are wondering, it is fish that has the best flavor around. With homemade hushpuppies and cole slaw, it's the best. And don't forget Apple Stack Cake.
In the south, we eat what we grow, catch, and kill. Vension, frog legs,wild turkey, squirrel , with any vegetable we can grow. We try to save money and eat well.

You got it, some have mentioned jowl heck once ya getta taste o good smoked jowl (not the crap you buy incased in plastic bag) bacon will certainly taste nasty, kinda strange nobody has mentioned oysters either you know the kind ya don/t find in water with no shells, and least not forget the handy dandy deep fryer, dang near forgot a big ol pot o beans with some cornbread to sop up the juice naturally with cracklins in it, and if your gonna bother makin black eyed peas I don’t recall anybody puttin a bit o fatback in there, shoot ya gotta have that.

All the fancy restaurant do dads, heck that ain’t southern cookin you can get that anywere, don’t need no fancy duds get all gussied up for good ol fashioned southern cookin, boots an bibs will be jus fine, chow down while the youngins munch and run in the field and play on the porch.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnGal

I make real Southern Sweet Tea 5 days a week and I don't use the method above and I don't use Lipton. I use JFG gallon tea bags; the same ones that Pal's Sudden Service uses. Perhaps it has something to do with the east vs west part of the state?

May I ask how you make yours?

[ljay42]

Originally Posted by Watertown Gal

5. BBQ: To us Southerners, the term BBQ refers to a pork shoulder that is smoked for several hours (usually all day and night) til tender and served with hot or mild sauce. It does not refer to cooking steaks or other kinds of meat outdoors on an open grill.

While I would agree with your definition of bbq, I would argue that real (traditional) southern pork bbq is whole hog and not shoulders. I realize the Lexington NC people have done a great job promoting dried out smoked shoulders as bbq but anything that NEEDS sauce isn't, imo, great bbq. Whole hog is superior in both texture and taste.

For great whole hog bbq you might have to get over to western TN or eastern NC areas. I'm in the Knox area and would love any recommendations for this area but I'm not currently aware of any place that serves whole hog here.

Opinions vary

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

May I ask how you make yours?

Sure. Take a gallon (or just a touch less) of ice cold water and bring to a boil. At the point of boil add the amount of sugar you want to the water. We use 1.5 to 2 cups. Boil for about 2 minutes (until the sugar is dissolved). Then add tea bag (I buy tea meant for a commercial kitchen so I only use 1 tea bag). If I was using regular tea bags I think I would use 10 but I would have to test to make sure. I steep for 5 minutes and then remove tea bag. I let cool for 5 - 10 minutes and then I pour into a gallon pitcher or two 2 qt. pitchers and place in the refrigerator. When serving I pour over ice cubes, and either lemon or a sprig of mint (the stuff won't stop growing in my yard like a weed), depending on the season.

There is always sweet tea in my fridge.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnGal

Sure. Take a gallon (or just a touch less) of ice cold water and bring to a boil. At the point of boil add the amount of sugar you want to the water. We use 1.5 to 2 cups. Boil for about 2 minutes (until the sugar is dissolved). Then add tea bag (I buy tea meant for a commercial kitchen so I only use 1 tea bag). If I was using regular tea bags I think I would use 10 but I would have to test to make sure. I steep for 5 minutes and then remove tea bag. I let cool for 5 - 10 minutes and then I pour into a gallon pitcher or two 2 qt. pitchers and place in the refrigerator. When serving I pour over ice cubes, and either lemon or a sprig of mint (the stuff won't stop growing in my yard like a weed), depending on the season.

There is always sweet tea in my fridge.

Thanks you. That sounds wonderful!