Hey! I’m glad you’re here! This post is part of a 31 Day writing challenge hosted by The Nester. During the month of October, I’m writing on Southern A Way of Life. I will be back to my ‘regular’ posts in November. Consider pushing that follow button to the right for all my latest posts. Thanks y’all!
Day 4
I like Italian and Tex Mex. I like Costa Rican, Caribbean, Greek, Cajun and Japanese. But when it comes to American food, I like Southern best. In fact, I had a summer southern feast which you can read about here and find out how I fry veggies.
I love fried chicken. I know it’s bad for me, my cholesterol and my waistline, but sometimes, a little grease is needed for the soul. Southern cooking is comfort food and makes your body all happy inside. I don’t indulge often, but growing up we had this type of cooking all the time. The problem came when people started talking about how bad it was for you and my mother went to work for the American Heart Association and went healthy on us. Drat it all!
Beyond the frying of everything, including candy bars and doughnut burgers they offer at the state fair, the other complaint I’ve heard regarding southern cooking is that vegetables are cooked until no nutrients are left. My question is, ‘Have you ever tasted them?’ I mean, please, they melt in your mouth. Sure, they’re devoid of all essential nutrients but they’re filled with bacon fat and butter. What’s not to love?! Vegetables cooked this way are also now only eaten on special occasions due to the above mentioned cholesterol and waistline. Somehow, I feel the media may be to blame.
I visited a friend up north and she said the women don’t cook. They don’t know how and they even buy jello salad in the grocery store. They’re skinny as a rail and buy takeout food. I can’t imagine. I think if all non southerners came to the South and started trying our food, they’d never want to go back to their ways.
Comeback Dressing
This dressing was invented in the Greek restaurants of Jackson, MS. You can use it as a salad dressing, as a dip for fried seafood and fried veggies, on burgers and even on crackers — it’s just that good.
Ingredients:
1 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/2 cup Chili Sauce
1/2 cup Cottonseed Oil
1/2 cup Yellow Onion, grated
3 tbl Lemon Juice
2 tbl Garlic, minced
1 tbl Paprika
1 tbl Water
1 tbl Worcestershire
1 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
1 tsp Salt
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and mix well.
Yield: 3 1/2 cups
Recipe is from Robert St. John, a well-known Mississippi chef.
His original post can be viewed here.
I have one question for you, ‘What’s for supper?”
Blessings,
Mimi
“And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.” Leviticus 2:7 KJV Bible
Mimi this was great! I love your accents! I am going to try that recipe, it sounds delicious. I am not big on fried foods with the exception of (Good) fried chicken, fish(halibut) and chips and crispy hash browns, which are hard to find in restaurants up here in the Pacific Northwest.
Thanks! I hope you like it : )
You have now made me hungry! Also, I love how you find a scripture to tie in with all your topics.
Sorry about that! ha! And thanks for noticing about the scripture. It’s a fun treasure hunt to find one.
I’m glad I had lunch ready to go before I watched this – you two made me hungry! There’s a Popeyes that just opened somewhat near me, and I hope to try it sometime soon(ish). I’m curious as to how it compares to some of the other fried chicken I’ve had.
Ha! Popeye’s is a little spicier to me — a Cajun taste. Their biscuits are huge and buttery. You can tell a difference between them and KFC if you’ve had KFC.