by Cj Mitchell

Created on: April 06, 2009

A Taste Of The South

Being born and raised in the Pacific Northwest gave me a special, and unique upbringing from other parts of the country. But then again, what did I know. I grew up loving the big timber, the rugged coastline, the best places to cross country ski, and of course, some of the finest sea foods and micro-brews one could ever know. It was, I thought, the best of everything. But true to the wanderer I am, travel became my life, and the enjoyment of food and culture around the world. Yet for all the many things I've indulged, it's that southern cuisine I miss the most. In the south, they take regular food and drink, and make it better. There's an endless selection of anything fried, from pickles and green tomatoes, to cornbread and candy bars, you name it, they fry it, and it's amazing. Then I was introduced to grits, a corn product much like cornmeal, into which they put cheese, and ham and anything else that sounds good. I tried the alligator, rattlesnake, frogs legs, and pulled pork barbeque, each one offering a unique taste sensation. And if you've never heard of this, you're not alone, they have this treat called boiled peanuts. As weird as it sounds, they're unbelievably good. You can buy them at any store down south, but the best ones are found at the flea markets, jockey lots, and fairs, served steaming hot and salty, it's something you shouldn't miss. Picture walking around at what amounts to a giant yard sale on a cold morning with a huge hot bag of boiled peanuts in your hands, no need for that coffee to warm you up. And if you're looking for some superb crunchy munchies, I recommend cheese sticks, a baked cheddary delight made almost entirely of cheese, and pork rinds which are basically deep fried pig skin, and comes in a variety of flavors. Don't knock it 'til you try it. And don't forget to top off your meal with a piece of peach pie made from the worlds best peaches, found only in the south. And best of all is that magical concoction, sweet tea, a unique southern specialty. Outside the south, most folks don't know what that is, and it's not hot herbal or stash tea served with a packet of sugar. It's typically made with Lipton, Tetley, or Luzianne teas, but name aside, it's in the process. Your tea bags must be boiled and steeped on the stove, then poured into your container of choice, still hot, onto a ridiculous amount of sugar, then well mixed to dissolve all the sugar, and chilled, then served over ice. Voila, sweet southern tea, I guarantee you'll love. Why this hasn't caught on anywhere else I'll never understand. Suffice to say, if I had to choose a last meal, I'd say, "Pile up some grits, smother it with cheese, fried green tomatoes and fried pickles, a side of pulled pork barbeque, corn bread, and boiled peanuts, throw on some cheese sticks, and pork rinds for good measure, and I'll take a huge piece of peach pie, and a pitcher of sweet tea to wash it all down."

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