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What’s a Southern Food Fan?

Southern food

Yes, I’m a big fan of Southern food! I can’t help it – I was born into it. As true Southerners, my whole family loves Southern food. And we’re good at preparing it, too. Cooking is practically a time-honored ritual in my family, just as it is with lots of families from the “Old South.” What do I mean from “Old South”? You know, families that have been in the Deep South for generations – not transplants from other parts of the country.

I’m not sure exactly how long my family has been in the South, but I do know that it’s been for several generations. My great-great-grandmother owned a rice plantation near the coast of South Carolina. Yes, she was a slave owner, which is something I’m not especially proud of, but there’s nothing I can do about it. She had a Gullah cook who prepared the meals for the family. Evidently, this cook was very gifted. She and great-great-grandma Jane became very close, and the African woman taught Jane a lot about cooking techniques. I always like to think that this is what started my family on the road to true Southern food fan status.

Do you think that sounds strange? Most of the foods we now consider “Southern” actually have African roots. Rice, fried chicken, peanuts, okra – many typical foods of the Deep South were grown and prepared in Africa long before they were Americanized.

So what makes me such a Southern food fan? I’m sort of an amateur chef. I love creating new recipes and serving them to my family, friends, and guests to my home. I have my own cooking site, too, which gives me the opportunity to share my love and knowledge of Southern food and Southern recipes.

And waht’s not to love? The Deep South is famous for its fresh seafood, its barbecue, its Cajun and Creole dishes, and its traditional home cooking. Home cooking in the South means fried chicken, homemade biscuits, greens and hocks, cornbread, pound cake, fried green tomatoes, and lots more yummy dishes!

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