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I don't consider most of those food items to be slave food but just southern food in general. Slave food would be the dishes that were almost exclusive to the slave diet: Oxtails, chitlins and hog maws, pigs feet, neckbones, turkey and chicken necks, gizzards, okra, yams, watermelon. Basically the very cheap scraps of meat as well as the fruits and vegetables that came from Africa.I don't consider slave food to be a pejorative term. It is part of our history and nothing to be ashamed of.
My parents were poor white folk from the mountains of North Carolina and, with the exception of chitterlings and black-eyed peas (field peas and b-e peas not grown too much in the mountains), that's what they ate, too.
You lost all credibility when you said "Joisey." Nice anecdote. It doesn't change the fact, that many others have agreed with, that the NE does Italian best and it's one of our specialties.
End of discussion.
I never said that the NE doesn't do Italian best, nor that it's NOT one of your specialities. My exact words were "... apparently you CAN get Italian food just as good in the South ... " which is just as true as the fact that you can get "just as good" southern or Soul Food in the NE ... IF you know where to look.
I think it's entirely safe to say that, in this day and age, no region of the country holds a complete monopoly on types and quality of food.
But then again, we are talking about chains, or at least we were supposed to.
Sorta, with a side trip to Italy, lol.
Speaking of chains, IS there such a thing as a chain of BBQ joints? As in more than just 3 or 4 locations in an area?
Quote:
Originally Posted by KathrynAragon
Them's fightin' words.
If there is ever another civil war I predict it will be over who takes the honor of having the best Q
But then again, we are talking about chains, or at least we were supposed to.
And fried chicken? Well, sir, you can't beat the SE.
Oh, I agree. But you gotta get it at local places because chain fried chicken is pretty awful (with a few exceptions). Zaxby's, of course, is famous for its chicken fingers, which are great (if a bit salty IMO). Chick-fil-A invented the fried chicken sandwich. You can't beat the quality of their food or service. Then there's places like Popeyes and Bojangles, which specialize in spicy Cajun style FC. I don't even know if these brands are available outside the southeast?
KFC is really horrible fried chicken. Yet that's what most people around the country (and the world) judge fried chicken by. If your idea of "good" fried chicken is KFC, then you've never eaten good fried chicken. Period.
Twenty years ago, I had the pleasure of briefly working for Paula Deen when she was between permanent locations for her flagship Lady & Sons. She filled the time by doing lots of catering and private parties, renting whatever commercial kitchens around Savannah she could find. The woman taught me the secret to frying chicken, and I can honestly say to this day that her fried chicken is probably the best I've ever eaten (with Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House in Savannah rivaling Paula Deen).
But as I stated before -- as prevalent and widespread as good southern cooking and soul food is in the south, the REALLY REALLY REALLY great stuff is still something you have to search out.
I have to believe that good ethnic food in any region of the country is the same.
Sorta, with a side trip to Italy, lol.
Speaking of chains, IS there such a thing as a chain of BBQ joints? As in more than just 3 or 4 locations in an area?
Good point. Regional at best. Although, I think the Sticky Bones chain is probably the biggest. Interesting as their food is terrible. Sticky Fingers in the SE is delicious, though.
Difference is Customer Service. They don't teach that here in NY
Ain't that the truth! Restaurant employees in the NE are notoriously abrupt and rude -- unlike the South, where they welcome you with open arms, treat you like one of the family and call you "sugar," "honey" and "sweety" with abandon.
The Chick-fil-A chain is famous for its remarkable customer service. It matters not what you think of their food, their beliefs or their politics -- they treat EVERY customer with dignity and respect, and have pretty much made an institution of the phrase "My pleasure!"
Whenever I visit NYC and the NE, I always dread asking restaurant service people for "extras." I cannot tell you how many times I've been given looks of indignation and outrage simply by asking for a glass of ice. "Ice? Why do you want ice?" Because I WANT it, for crying out loud!
IS there such a thing as a chain of BBQ joints? As in more than just 3 or 4 locations in an area?
Quote:
Originally Posted by rorytmeadows
Good point. Regional at best. Although, I think the Sticky Bones chain is probably the biggest. Interesting as their food is terrible. Sticky Fingers in the SE is delicious, though.
I can think of three right off the top of my head (though I don't know how far they extend beyond the South):
Oh, I agree. But you gotta get it at local places because chain fried chicken is pretty awful (with a few exceptions). Zaxby's, of course, is famous for its chicken fingers, which are great (if a bit salty IMO). Chick-fil-A invented the fried chicken sandwich. You can't beat the quality of their food or service. Then there's places like Popeyes and Bojangles, which specialize in spicy Cajun style FC. I don't even know if these brand are available outside the southeast?
KFC is really horrible fried chicken. Yet that's what most people around the country (and the world) judge fried chicken by. If you're idea of "good" fried chicken is KFC, then you've never eaten good fried chicken. Period.
Twenty years ago, I had the pleasure of briefly working for Paula Deen when she was between permanent locations for her flagship Lady & Sons. She filled the time by doing lots of catering and private parties, renting whatever commercial kitchens around Savannah she could find. The woman taught me the secret to frying chicken, and I can honestly say to this day that her fried chicken is probably the best I've ever eaten (with Mrs. Wilkes Boarding House in Savannah rivaling Paula Deen).
But as I stated before -- as prevalent and widespread as good southern cooking and soul food is in the south, the REALLY REALLY REALLY great stuff is still something you have to search out.
I have to believe that good ethnic food in any region of the country is the same.
Because of your post, I really want to try Paula's restaurant. You should rake in the advertising dollars!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Newsboy
Ain't that the truth! Restaurant employees in the NE are notoriously abrupt and rude -- unlike the South, where they welcome you with open arms, treat you like one of the family and call you "sugar," "honey" and "sweety" with abandon.
The Chick-fil-A chain is famous for its remarkable customer service. It matters not what you think of their food, their beliefs or their politics -- they treat EVERY customer with dignity and respect, and have pretty much made an institution of the phrase "My pleasure!"
Whenever I visit NYC and the NE, I always dread asking restaurant service people for "extras." I cannot tell you how many times I've been given looks of indignation and outrage simply by asking for a glass of ice. "Ice? Why do you want ice?" Because I WANT it, for crying out loud!
In the SE, they are slow, but in the NE they are rude. So It's a trade off. I still will take the SE anyday of the week,.
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