Southern Living Magazine's Top 10 Texas Cities 2014 (Midland, West: moving, kitchen, health)

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Nairobi - Interesting BLACK HISTORY MOMENT coming!

I was looking up the etymology of old, southern words yesterday, words like "hootenanny" and "shindig" and "rapscallion." My grandmother always called us kids, and my kids "Rastus" - as in "Come over here, Rastus, and give me a yankee dime!" (translated as "Come over to me, you little rascal, and give me a kiss!")

Now - here's the interesting part that I had NO IDEA ABOUT (you may know it though): The word "Rastus" was a nickname, and not a particularly positive one (not really negative, just sort of demeaning) for African American men. In fact, THE CREAM OF WHEAT GUY was named "Rastus" in early advertising. There were also several characters in movies and books, etc in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century named Rastus.

I had no idea. So - if your brother in law starts bugging you, you can just say, "Hey, Rastus - what's your problem?"

Lol yes I remember being curious some years ago about how he came to be the face of the brand. That's when I discovered the term "rastus". As it turns out, the picture is supposed to be the likeness of Chef Frank White, a Bajan who lived in Chicago.

[TheOverdog]

I grew up in central Texas and had never even seen grits in real life until I went to Alabama at like 20 years old. That's why this discussion of whether Texas is southern or not is a waste of time - some of it is and some of it isn't. Grits certainly wasn't on restaurant breakfast menus and mom didn't cook it in my part of Texas. We ate oatmeal if you wanted a bowl full of mush for breakfast.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

I grew up in central Texas and had never even seen grits in real life until I went to Alabama at like 20 years old. That's why this discussion of whether Texas is southern or not is a waste of time - some of it is and some of it isn't. Grits certainly wasn't on restaurant breakfast menus and mom didn't cook it in my part of Texas. We ate oatmeal if you wanted a bowl full of mush for breakfast.

The thing is, there is no one single food (including grits) which is a constant throughout all of the South.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by TheOverdog

I grew up in central Texas and had never even seen grits in real life until I went to Alabama at like 20 years old. That's why this discussion of whether Texas is southern or not is a waste of time - some of it is and some of it isn't. Grits certainly wasn't on restaurant breakfast menus and mom didn't cook it in my part of Texas. We ate oatmeal if you wanted a bowl full of mush for breakfast.

Well, you certainly would have found grits on the menu anywhere east of I-35, that's for sure. And that's a lot of Texas!

But I agree that some parts of Texas are more southern in character and culture and customs than others.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

Well, you certainly would have found grits on the menu anywhere east of I-35, that's for sure. And that's a lot of Texas!

But I agree that some parts of Texas are more southern in character and culture and customs than others.

Actually, while I do agree that grits served by default are not the general rule in Texas -- at least west of the I-35 line (which has issues of its own, but that is a different thing! LOL) -- in not many places, no matter where in the state, have I ever found them to be "unavailable" at all.

The even "stranger" thing than that -- so far as lots of Texas being an anomaly to large parts o the rest of the South -- is the general lack of "sweet tea" being the "default" serving in most restaurants/cafes/etc.

BUT? The almost -- at least IMHO -- is that when it comes to how most native Texans brew it up at home? It is almost invariably "sweet tea" and made no different -- recipe wise -- than that in private homes in the Deep South!

I think we have all talked about this one before, but it baffles me, and always has...

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

Actually, while I do agree that grits served by default are not the general rule in Texas -- at least west of the I-35 line (which has issues of its own, but that is a different thing! LOL) -- in not many places, no matter where in the state, have I ever found them to be "unavailable" at all.

The even "stranger" thing than that -- so far as lots of Texas being an anomaly to large parts o the rest of the South -- is the general lack of "sweet tea" being the "default" serving in most restaurants/cafes/etc.

BUT? The almost -- at least IMHO -- is that when it comes to how most native Texans brew it up at home? It is almost invariably "sweet tea" and made no different -- recipe wise -- than that in private homes in the Deep South!

I think we have all talked about this one before, but it baffles me, and always has...

I had to Google it and find a recipe for "sweet tea", made with a simple syrup added.

Is that how y'all made it at home? I have never known anybody who made it like that.

We always added sugar at the table (those who liked it; I always drank mine straight with no sugar). Some of the family liked it so sweet that there was sugar left in the bottom of the glass that wouldn't dissolve.

Yech.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

I had to Google it and find a recipe for "sweet tea", made with a simple syrup added.

Is that how y'all made it at home? I have never known anybody who made it like that.

We always added sugar at the table (those who liked it; I always drank mine straight with no sugar). Some of the family liked it so sweet that there was sugar left in the bottom of the glass that wouldn't dissolve.

Yech.

No, Cathy, what my mother and every other relative and friends I ever knew never used simple syrup. It all pretty much went like: Boil up the tea with tea-bags, bring it to a boil and all...then pour it into a pitcher. THEN add a cup (or whatever), of sugar, and stir it in vigorously, until the the sugar dissolves completely...

LOL about your last statement. Yeah, I knew some friends who made theirs so sweet, one might as well have drunk pure molasses! LOL

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

No, Cathy, what my mother and every other relative and friends I ever knew never used simple syrup. It all pretty much went like: Boil up the tea with tea-bags, bring it to a boil and all...then pour it into a pitcher. THEN add a cup (or whatever), of sugar, and stir it in vigorously, until the the sugar dissolves completely...

LOL about your last statement. Yeah, I knew some friends who made theirs so sweet, one might as well have drunk pure molasses! LOL

So it was added to the hot tea in the pitcher!

We would boil the water first, take it off the heat, add teabags, cover and let it steep in the pot. Then everybody added the concentrate to their glass of ice, added water...and then stirred in sugar if they wanted it.

My mom would make everybody's tea just the strength they liked, 4 glasses at a time.

For some reason, we all stopped drinking iced tea--and had plain water instead the last several years.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

So it was added to the hot tea in the pitcher!

We would boil the water first, take it off the heat, add teabags, cover and let it steep in the pot. Then everybody added the concentrate to their glass of ice, added water...and then stirred in sugar if they wanted it.

My mom would make everybody's tea just the strength they liked, 4 glasses at a time.

For some reason, we all stopped drinking iced tea--and had plain water instead the last several years.

No, wait a minute, actually I have that one a bit backwards. That is, the cup of sugar was added first, then the boiling tea over that, and then stirred! Sorry!

NOW then, I think I am going to go get something to eat! LOL HUGS!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

No, wait a minute, actually I have that one a bit backwards. That is, the cup of sugar was added first, then the boiling tea over that, and then stirred! Sorry!

NOW then, I think I am going to go get something to eat! LOL HUGS!

LOL! Thanks for the clarification!