Cuisine of the Southern United States
The cuisine of the Southern United States is the historical regional culinary form of states generally south of the Mason–Dixon line dividing Pennsylvania and Delaware from Maryland as well as along the Ohio River, and extending west to southern Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
Global Influences - African American, English, Scottish, Irish, German, French, and Native American cuisines.
Types include: Tidewater, Appalachian, Cajun (colloquial for Acadian, referring to the Acadians deported south in 1755-63), Creole, Lowcountry, and Floribbean .
Who Brought What to the Table? Stone Soup!
· Southeastern American Indian tribes such as the Caddo, Choctaw, and Seminole brought squash, tomatoes, corn (and its derivatives, including grits), as well as the practice of deep pit barbecuing.
· The Europeans brought: sugar, flour, milk, eggs (many kinds of baking or dairy products such as breads and cheeses)
· The peoples of African brought: Black-eyed peas, okra, rice, eggplant, benne (sesame) seed, sorghum, and melons, as well as the spice.
Mix it together and what do you get?
· Much of Cajun or Creole cuisine is based on France, West Africa, Caribbean and on Spain.
· Floribbean is more Spanish-based with obvious Caribbean influences
· Tex-Mex has considerable Mexican and Native American influences.
Traditional Southern dishes
A traditional Southern Dishes:
· Pan-fried chicken,
· Chicken fried steak
· Country ham
· Fried catfish,
· Pit barbecue (especially Pork),
· Pimento cheese, "the caviar of the South"
· Cornbread or corn pone,
· Grits,
· Hushpuppies,
· Buttermilk biscuits
· Greens (such as collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, or poke salad),
· Fried green tomatoes,
· Okra (fried, steamed, stewed, sauteed, or pickled)
· Butter beans, pinto beans, and black-eyed peas.
· Sweet tea,
· Traditional Southern Pies - sweet potato, chess, shoofly, pecan, and peach are
· Cobbler - (peach, blackberry, or mixed berry are traditional cobblers
To learn more about the Foods and Cuisine of The US South visit The Southern Foodways Alliance.com
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