Country cookin' and Soul Food (Midland, Odessa: office, oven, dinner)

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Yeah, I'm a bit confused about that one, myself. Where, exactly, were these folks posting from?

Well, I would bet the cotton crop it wasn't anyone from "around these parts" that would make such a pathetic assumption as to associate watermelon (or any other Texas/Southern icon of dinner on the grounds, suppertable, etc, etc!) with "racism." That is a prime example of what I truly believe is the most negative, hateful, and flat out ignorant stereotypes of all. To wit, the image the so-called enlightened bunch from the NE or West Coast have of Southerners. Almost as if they WANT to seize upon anything at all to prove a self-notion of moral superiority...

I never will forget some of the conversations I used to have with one of my college professors(in the political science department). He was a black man originally from North Carolina and, as is often the case in things like this, because we WERE so opposite ideologically (me white conservative member of the SCV and he a black liberal who disdained Confederate icons), we developed a lot of respect and enjoyable relationship with each other.

As relates to this topic, he once told me about when he went to college at Kent State (I think that name rings a bell! LOL ) in the late 60's and early 70's. His roomate was a white guy from Alabama, and they hit it off great (and in fact are still good friends). The reason? Because, as he put it, that they found they shared more in common with each other than they did with the yankees! In fact, it was the yankees who were the problem! The northern kids couldn't understand why this black man from the South didn't hate this white man from the South.

BUT...it was the Southern white and black man that ended up bonding. Both of them far away from home, they came to understand each other in a way that, ironically, they might not have had they met each other AT home. The common denominator was both felt alienated in their own way. The black man because he figured out very quickly he was only a token, and the white because he was shunned as what was perceived in northern stereotype as a rep of the oppressive society that THEY wanted to righteously change. Yet, didn't know a DAMN thing about...

To wind this rather windy thing up -- and connect it to the thread and point -- the understanding of what "soul food" was or wasn't was one of many items that became a source of fun and fellowship when they BOTH figured out "You are the ONLY one up here, who understands me."

They both knew how to skin a buck and run a trot line (as the old Hank Williams, Jr. song goes! LOL), and what was meant by the term "fried cat". Black eyed peas and okra and cornbread and greens had no "name" for it...other than just plain home cookin. What both their granmaws and mommas used to make. And would be waitin' back home for both of them back home, come summer vacation...

The two protagonists could just have easily been from Texas or Tennessee or Mississippi or wherever. The whole "moral" would/will STILL be understood....

[MurphyPl1]

To answer the question, they were posting from the Dallas area but I believe are Yankee transplants. Not that I'm not, but it never occured to me that good food should be the source of discrimination and stereotyping.

[texdav]

I thing of most soul food like I do the difference between new orleans cooking and cajun cooking. The real thing is that soul food is made from garden vegetables and often fresh poorer cuts of meat.It is a way of cooking that made delicious food but from inexpensive or available cuts of meat for example. Much of it was in the method or the spices used.Also this is no quick and easy way of cooking and many times things from cooking one meal are saved to use in another recipe.It also is not the most health to eat but worth it evry so often.

[hypocore]

My husband and I discussed this the other day after I read this thread. I'm white, he's black. We decided that in essence, it simply means the foods which we associate with mom/grandma cooking for the masses of people who would come to the house on any number of occasions.

In my house it was often quite different foods than in his house growing up, but the 'feelings' it brought were the same.
While he grew up on fresh 'greens', I grew up on fresh green beans.
He had ribs, I had brisket.
He had grits, I had cream of wheat.
I love watermelon, he hates it! haha

My dad's been dead over 30 years and I imagine him to to be rolling in his grave at the thought of his daughter growing up to marry a man whom he would have made fun of using those very words mentioned here.....fried chicken, greens, watermelon...yup, my dad used those all the time when he wanted to condemn those different.

Thank goodness I learned from him....to not be such a closed minded, racist pig!! Or I would have never found this darling man I lovingly call my husband!

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

To wit, the image the so-called enlightened bunch from the NE or West Coast have of Southerners. Almost as if they WANT to seize upon anything at all to prove a self-notion of moral superiority...

Careful now, not all of us Westerners are ignorant of the ways of the South and Southerners, there are at least one or two of us out here that aren't!

Always enjoy reading your posts!

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

Careful now, not all of us Westerners are ignorant of the ways of the South and Southerners, there are at least one or two of us out here that aren't!

Always enjoy reading your posts!

I stand humbly and properly corrected, embarassed, and chastised, Seattle. My apologies, sir!

And thanks for your kind words!

BTW -- going off topic a bit, your screen name reminded me of something I was thinking about the other day and can't for the life of me remember. Maybe you (or anyone else for that matter) can help me out with it. There was an old television series back in the late 60's starring Bobby Sherman (wonder what ever happened to him?) of which the title song was "Seattle" (The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle...."). My next younger sister had a crush on him and used to watch the show diligently. What was the name of that program????

[seattlerain]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

I stand humbly and properly corrected, embarassed, and chastised, Seattle. My apologies, sir!

And thanks for your kind words!

BTW -- going off topic a bit, your screen name reminded me of something I was thinking about the other day and can't for the life of me remember. Maybe you (or anyone else for that matter) can help me out with it. There was an old television series back in the late 60's starring Bobby Sherman (wonder what ever happened to him?) of which the title song was "Seattle" (The bluest skies you've ever seen are in Seattle...."). My next younger sister had a crush on him and used to watch the show diligently. What was the name of that program????

That would be "Here Comes the Brides".

I haven't thought about that show in years and years...now I have that song stuck in my head!

Funny you should ask, as my oldest sister was very good friends with Bridget Hanley who played Candy Pruitt in the show...

Hope I didn't embarrass you too much!

BTW earlier in the thread I mentioned that my grandmother was from NC. She was part of sort of a migration from North Carolina to Washington State that began in the late 1880's and lasted right up to the outbreak of WWII. The majority of them came in the 1930's when the decline in the logging industry in North Carolina began.

Most of them came from Jackson County and the surrounding counties with my grandmother's family coming from just outside of Sylva, NC. To this day the town of Darrington, WA and Sylva, NC are sister cities and if you are lucky enough you can still find some very elderly people in Darrington with what's left of a Southern Mountain Dialect.

Mailboxes are still emblazoned with names like Queen, Dills and Guffey, names that are common throughout Jackson County, NC. Also, Darrington, WA still celebrates its Southern heritage with Tar Heel picnics and the Darrington Bluegrass Festival, which I have attended without fail for years.

Well, I didn't intend on going off on such a tangent, but looks like I have. I guess in a roundabout sort of way this is still related to "Country cookin' and Soul Food"...

[blueskies49]

Btw, sweet post up there from hypercore!

I don't know if I remember that show but I do remember that song! My gosh, haven't heard or thought of it in ages and ages. I love it! Now it'll be stuck in MY head, too!

Seattlerain, I'd heard that there were lots of Southerners who migrated to Washington state and that's why there's a Southern flavor to certain communities. Just like when they migrated during the Depression and the Dust Bowl to places in California and other states.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by seattlerain

That would be "Here Comes the Brides".

I haven't thought about that show in years and years...now I have that song stuck in my head!

Funny you should ask, as my oldest sister was very good friends with Bridget Hanley who played Candy Pruitt in the show...

Hope I didn't embarrass you too much!

LOL In fact, I called my "next" oldest sister with the answer you gave and SHE said something like "I knew this all the time.." NO, she didn't...and I dont care WHAT she says! LOL

BTW earlier in the thread I mentioned that my grandmother was from NC. She was part of sort of a migration from North Carolina to Washington State that began in the late 1880's and lasted right up to the outbreak of WWII. The majority of them came in the 1930's when the decline in the logging industry in North Carolina began.

Well, I didn't intend on going off on such a tangent, but looks like I have. I guess in a roundabout sort of way this is still related to "Country cookin' and Soul Food"...

On the contrary, Seattle, you OBVIOUSLY have a lot of Southern blood in that you can naturally take a tangent and tell a good story and refer to your grandmomma in a very affectionate and familiar way.

[case44]

Okay, guys, when do we get back to the food part????