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The Ravenous Guide to Southern Cooking

Ranked #8,619 in Food & Cooking, #156,227 overall

This lens will focus on Southern Cooking in all it's glory.  We'll look at some history, some recipes and break it down to it's basic parts, Soul Food, Country Cooking, Cajun, Creole, Low Country and BBQ.

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VIDEO: How to Eat a Crawfish

From Les Blank's documentary Always for Pleasure.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

Archived by the University of California Berkeley Media Resources Center.

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Key Southern Recipes from Saveur Magazine

Whenever, I start a new cooking project or inquiry, I always start with my back issues of Saveur magazine.

Their recipes are always authentic, delicious and sound.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
From the article Mama Lou's Thanksgiving
Mashed Potatoes
From the article Mama Lou's Thanksgiving
Candied Yams
From the article Mama Lou's Thanksgiving
Corn Pudding
From the article Mama Lou's Thanksgiving
Artichoke Dip
This quintessential appetizer is served all across the South, from New Orleans to Norfolk, Virginia. The recipe, from John T. Edge's A Gracious Plenty, originally appeared in a community cookbook called Among the Lilies, published in 1992 by the First Baptist Church of Atlanta.
Barbecue Ribs
From the article: The Belly of Soul Memphis traditions run deep and true, in cooking as in the blues.
Fried Catfish and Tartar Sauce
From the article: The Belly of Soul Memphis traditions run deep and true, in cooking as in the blues.
Turnip Greens
From the article: The Belly of Soul Memphis traditions run deep and true, in cooking as in the blues.
Gus's Fried Chicken
From the article: The Belly of Soul Memphis traditions run deep and true, in cooking as in the blues.
Cornmeal Fritters
From the article: The Belly of Soul Memphis traditions run deep and true, in cooking as in the blues.
Georgene's Fluffy Rolls
From the article: The Belly of Soul Memphis traditions run deep and true, in cooking as in the blues.
Boudin Balls
From the article East of Houston, West of Baton Rouge.
Crawfish Etoufee
From the article East of Houston, West of Baton Rouge.
Smother Fried Mashed Potatoes
From the article East of Houston, West of Baton Rouge.
Benedictine Sandwich Spread
Benedictine sandwiches may not have the universal appeal of the mint julep, but they are, nevertheless, a rich Louisville tradition-especially during Derby Days, the height of Kentucky's tea-party season. Based on a green-tinged cucumber-onion-cream cheese spread, Benedictine sandwiches are named not for an order of monks, but for Miss Jennie C. Benedict. . . . In 1893, she expanded her business to include a tea shop, and it was there that the sandwiches first appeared.
Pimento Cheese
There are as many variations on pimento cheese as there are opinionated southern cooks. Worcestershire sauce, green olives, even water chestnuts are just some possible additions. This version comes from Doris Kemp, owner of Mammy's Cupboard in Natchez, Mississippi.
Sweet Potato Casserole
A classic done right for the Thanksgiving table.
Jay Bob Grelen's Sweet Tea
From the article True Blue Don't Mess With a Southerner's Tea.

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Key Southern Dessert Recipes from Saveur Magazine

Sweet Potato Pie Filling
From the article Mama Lou's Thanksgiving.
Pecan Pie Filling
From the article Mama Lou's Thanksgiving.
Vinegar Pie
From the article The Belly of Soul Memphis traditions run deep and true, in cooking as in the blues.

A Few More Key Southern Desserts

Red Velvet Cake
Patricia Mitchell brings home a fine, well-written recipe for Red Velvet Cake and throws in an interesting parallel between an old urban myth about Red Velvet Cake and a current urban myth about Neiman Marcus cookies.
Joe's Key Lime Pie
Trad recipe from Joe's Stone Crab in Miami.

In 1913, Joe Weiss opened up a small lunch counter on Miami Beach. Back then, Miami Beach was just a quiet, backwater town. Folks stopped in to chat and for a top-notch fish sandwich and fries.

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Southern Cooking Resources Online

The Southern Foodways Alliance
Located in Mississippi, their mission is to celebrate, preserve, promote, and nurture the traditional and developing diverse food cultures of the American South. Membership information, scheduled events and reading recommendations
Southern Foodways Alliance: Oral History Project
An oral history project that covers a number of subjects:
Barbecue
-Memphis BBQ | --Rural TN BBQ

Bartenders of N.O. | Birmingham Greeks | Kentucky Bacon

Mississippi Delta
Doe's Eat Place | Greenwood MS | Tamale Trail

Ole Miss Cooks | Oxford Restaurants

SFA Founders
Recipes from Hoppin John's
Recipes from Charleston, S.C. author John Martin Taylor. I believe Taylor is the finest southern cookbook author out there. In fact after Maida Heatter, he might be the best cookbook author I know of.
Wikipedia: Cuisine of the Southern United States
Excellent overview of the ingredients, history and cultural influences of Southern cooking with brief looks at Creole, Cajun and Appalachian cooking.
Wikipedia: Soul Food
A well put together backgrounder on Soul Food.
Wikipedia: Barbecue
Not as authorative as some Wikipedia entries, this is still a good place to start for background on barbecue.
Wikipedia: Cajun Cuisine
Answers to the questions - why is Cajun cooking spicier outside of Louisiana? and what's the difference between Creole and Cajun?
Wikipedia: Louisiana Creole Cuisine
Very basic primer. Lot's of links in the text to flesh out concepts like: Beignets, Red Beans and Rice and Oysters Rockafeller.
Wikipedia: Floribbean
A brief look at the Caribbean and Southern influence in Florida cooking and cuisine.
The Creole and Cajun Recipes Page
From Chuck Taggart's The Gumbo Pages. Start off links to discussions of the difference between Cajun and Creole cooking and why a hamburger dredged in cayenne pepper isn't really a Cajun Burger.

Then move on to the recipes, some of which are his from his site and others he points to on other websites. Solid, sound recipes.
Great Cajun Cooking
This is a damn good site for recipes.

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Potlikker

A Southern Food Blog

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Mac and Cheese

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Southern Cooking from About.com

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BOOKSTORE: Cookbooks I Swear By

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BOOKSTORE: John Taylor Martin Cookbooks

Cookbooks by the finest cookbook author in the South

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BOOKSTORE: Time/Life Foods of the World

Southern cooking titles from the Time/Life series Foods of the World. I contend that the Foods of the World series is the best kitchen resource (aside from a Chinese cleaver) in the world for the serious cook.

Time/Life Foods of the World: Southern Style . . . Time/Life Foods of the World: Creole and Acadian
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BOOKSTORE: Cornbread Nation

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BOOKSTORE: Barbecue

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BOOKSTORE: Cajun and Creole

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BOOKSTORE: Soul Food

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BOOKSTORE: Country Cooking

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BOOKSTORE: Low Country

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Sound Off

Share your thoughts and experience.

Point us towards a great recipe, a good book or let us know about something that went horribly awry.

  • Adrijan Feb 16, 2012 @ 5:56 am | delete
    great lens tnx
  • Mickie_G Feb 17, 2011 @ 7:48 am | delete
    Check out my "Green Tomatoes Recipes" lens.

    I like the way you made personal comments about the links that you give us in your "link lists".
  • Wbisbill Feb 12, 2009 @ 3:51 pm | delete
    Great Lens - looks delicious! 5 stars from a new fan!
    I feature your lens on mine!

    Mama Ruby Old Fashioned Cornmeal Pie / Cornmeal Cake Recipes
    http://www.squidoo.com/mama-ruby-easy-old-fahioned-cornmeal-pie
  • LoveSimpleThings Feb 6, 2009 @ 2:00 pm | delete
    Love great food. Always looking for great "dinner" ideas and easy recipes for a busy, busy, busy day! :-)

    Asaneagifts.com

    Lensrolled it to my food related lenses:
    http://www.squidoo.com/MINIATUREFOOD
    http://www.squidoo.com/quickeasydinners
    http://www.squidoo.com/EASY-QUICK-DINNER
    http://www.squidoo.com/Miniature-TeaPots
  • OhMe Sep 24, 2008 @ 12:28 pm | delete
    Great links to some good Southern eating. I am from South Carolina so know my Southern food. 5*
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