ISSUE 46, BEST OF 2021, Part 3: Have you Really Eaten the South?
A Checklist of Signature Dishes by State
Have you Really Eaten the South?
A Checklist for the Harvest Season
Kevin Mitchell and I have been promoting the foods of South Carolina in Taste the State but every part of the South has special local foods. In the harvest season we would like to honor these and challenge you to “taste the region.”
Here are 200 Signature dishes from the various Southern States including 15 pan-southern items. [Designated “SO” below] If you sampled 12 of the 15 listed items per state, you are an experienced diner for that place. Perhaps you have covered some states but not others. If you’ve had 170 of the 200 you may brag of your all-knowing tongue. While numbers of these dishes are consumed in multiple states our assigning one to a state (pecan pie to TX for instance) is due to historical priority. If the earliest listing for the item in the print record comes from a place (boiled peanuts in NC) or if there is a particular reason for a state’s connection with a dish (GA for Pimento Cheese since it grew the Perfection Pimento that served as its basis) I have assigned it. You may list your scores by number below.
Apalachicola Oysters FL
Arkansas Black Apple Cake AR
Backbone Stew NC
Bacon & Greens VA
Baked Cushaw Squash GA
Baked Seminole Pumpkin FL
Baked Stuffed Rockfish VA
Banana Pudding TN
Bananas Foster LA
Barbecue Hash SC
Barbecued Brisket TX
Barbecued Chicken with White Sauce AL
Barbecued Squirrel AR
Beaten Biscuits MD
Black Eyed Lima Beans AL
Boiled Peanuts NC
Boiled Turnips & Greens GA
Boudin LA
Bourbon Balls KY
Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce KY
Broiled Spanish Mackerel GA
Brown Gravy SO
Brown Sugar Crowder Peas AL
Brunswick Stew VA
Butter Beans/Sieva Beans SC
Butter Cake KY
Buttermilk TN
Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage Gravy AL
Calabash Fried Fish NC
Candied Hayman Sweet Potatoes VA
Candy Roaster Squash NC
Cane Syrup LA
Caramel Cake SO
Cathead Biscuits NC
Cheese Biscuits AL
Cheese Straws MD
Chess Pie TN
Chicken Bog SC
Chicken Fried Steak TX
Chicken Mull GA
Chili Con Carne TX
Chinquapins TN
Chocolate Gravy AR
Chow Chow SO
Cider Pie MD
Clam Fritters VA
Clanton Peach Salsa AL
Cole Slaw SO
Collard Kraut NC
Comeback Sauce MS
Conch Chowder FL
Conch Peas FL
Corn Cake MD
Corn Pudding KY
Cornbread SO
Country Fried Steak AL
Courtbouilon LA
Crab Cakes MD
Crab Rice SC
Crab Salad MD
Cracklin’ Bread GA
Crawfish Boil LA
Cream of Peanut Soup VA
Creamed Maryland Chicken MD
Cured Mullet Roe FL
Dancy Tangerines FL
Delta Kibbe MS
Derby Pie KY
Deviled Eggs SO
Deviled Oysters MD
Dilly Beans AL
Duck Gumbo AR
Duck & Turnips SC
Egg Nog VA
Etouffee LA
Figs SO
Fish Pepper Sauce MD
Fried Catfish MS
Fried Chicken VA
Fried Green Tomatoes MD
Fried Hominy Chips MD
Fried Dill Pickles MS
Fried Pie TN
Fried Pork Skins AL
Fried Whiting SC
Frito Pie TX
Frogmore Stew SC
Garden Sandwich AR
Georgia Blue Collards & Jowl GA
Grapette AR
Grilled Pompano FL
Grits SO
Gumbo LA
Haden Mangoes FL
Hickory Nut Custard Pie KY
High Bush Eggplant FL
Hoe Cakes VA
Hoppin’ John SC
Hot Brown KY
Hot Water Cornbread VA
Hull Pie NC
Hush Puppy FL
Iced Tea SO
Jam Cake TN
Jambalaya LA
Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans KY
Key Lime Pie FL
Kolaches TX
Kool-Aid Pickles MS
Kush-Kush LA
Lane Cake AL
Limestone Bibb Lettuce KY
Liver Mush NC
Mac & Cheese SO
Mayhaw Jelly MS
Memphis Style Barbecue Ribs TN
Mint Julep KY
Mirliton LA
Moon Pies TN
Moravian Sugar Cake NC
Mud Pie MS
Muscadine Wine NC
Nashville Hot Chicken TN
Norton Grape Wine VA
November Beans KY
Okra Soup SC
Old Bay Seasoning MD
Orange Pie FL
Orange Rolls AL
Owensboro Mutton Barbecue KY
Oyster Omelet VA
Oyster Pie VA
Peach Cobbler GA
Peanut Butter Pie TX
Pecan Pie TX
Peck Salad AR
Pecos Cantaloupe TX
Persimmon Pudding AL
Pimento Cheese GA
Pine Bark Stew SC
Pinkeye Purple hull Peas AR
Pinto Beans TX
Po’ Boy LA
Pork & Greens on Grits AL
Pork Chops SO
Possum & ‘Taters GA
Possum Pie AR
Pot Likker GA
Potato Doughnuts AR
Potato Salad SO
Praline LA
Ramps TN
Red Beans & Rice LA
Red Eye Gravy TN
Red Rice GA
Rice Calas LA
Rice Pudding SO
Rice Waffles SC
Roasted Breast of Canvasback Duck MD
Roasted Tennessee Red Peanuts TN
Sally Lunn Bread VA
Sea Island Red Peas GA
She Crab Soup SC
Shrimp & Grits SC
Shrimp Pie SC
Smoked Turkey Sandwich AR
Soda Biscuits SO
Soft Shell Crab SO
Sorghum Syrup TN
Sourwood Honey NC
Spoonbread VA
Stack Cake TN
Strawberry Fritters MD
Stone Crab Claws FL
Stuffed Ham MD
Sugared Rice AK
Summer Squash Casserole TX
Sweet Onion/Granex TX
Sweet Potato Biscuits NC
Sweet Potato Pie NC
Tabasco Sauce LA
Tennessee Green Pod Beans TN
Terrapin a la Maryland MD
Texas Cream Peas TX
Texas Toast TX
Tomato Pie SC
Tomato Sandwich SO
Tupelo Honey FL
Venison Sausage TX
Vidalia Onion Tart GA
Vinegar & Pepper Barbecued Pig NC
Virginia Country Ham VA
Watercress AL
Watermelon Rind Pickle SC
Whippoorwill Peas VA
White Acre Peas AL
Wilted Lettuce KY
Yaupon Tea SC
Yellow Cabbage Collards NC
Yellow Yams GA
I scored 76, which is not very high but not bad considering I haven't eaten meat since I was a teenager. I did score well on a lot of the Louisiana dishes after living in the state as a child and also working at Oak Alley Plantation for two years where I enjoyed moonlighting with a great chef and caterer...the late "Johnny Jambalaya."