SOUTHERN INTRO

• All states were among the first to join the union
• States seceded from the union to form the confederacy

HOSPITALITY

• Manners are taken very seriously in the south.
• It is educate to make everyone feel comfortable as possible.
• Kindness matters

AFRICAN INFLUENCE

• The African slaves were the original cooks of the south.
• Slaves would cook American recipes with African ways of cooking.

RICE

• Rice became known as "California gold"
• The production required many laborers

MAIZE

• Columbus brought back maize from his first journey to America.
• Maize(corn) was an important food supply for the slaves.
• Maize was a starch that could be stored.

TRADITIONAL AFRICAN COOKING

• The slaves majorly influence southern diet
• Many things are fried in the south, which was originally an African way of cooking
• Fried chicken (ex)

BLACK EYED PEAS

• Black eyed peas are brought from Africa
• Traditionally eaten on New Year's Day to encourage "wealth"

HOPPIN JOHN

• One of the oldest American dishes
• Children would "hop" in excitement of the meal being served

OKRA

• Vegetable, close kin to the cotton plant
• Slimy when cut
• Thickener of stews

GUMBO

• Louisiana had many different tribes
• This seafood owes it's origin to the mix of cultures.

RED BEANS AND RICE

• Ham dinner was common for Roman Catholics on Sundays
• The leftover ham bone would be cracked on Monday
• It would add to the beans and rice

CATFISH AND HUSHPUPPIES

• Catfish are one of the modern day south's main crops
• Catfish fries are eaten at outdoor events
• Corn bread balls (hush puppies) were made to hush the howling puppies
• The dogs would be satisfied eating something, rather than just smelling the meal

PORK BARBECUE

• Common to cook a pit over night and adding sauce
• Plate or sandwich
• A plate is a heaping serving of pork
• Sand which is served on a hamburger bun

HAM

• Smoke houses were for making country ham
• Smithfield hams are often purchased at a daughters birth
• The ham is eaten at her wedding

BISCUITS&CORNBREAD

• The Smithfield ham was often accompanied with biscuits.
• Before baking powder, the cook would have to hammer the dough to make the biscuits rise.
• Cornbread is also a very popular bread.

MEAT AND THREE

• Vegetables are very popular in the south
• Meat and three is a meal consisting of a meat, cornbread, and vegetables
• Greens are very popular
• Okra, green beans, summer squash, mashed potatoes, cinnamon apples, and cole slaw
• ^commonly served

HOMINY GRITS

• It's not unusual to find eggs, country ham, biscuits, red eye gravy, and grits on a breakfast plate
• Grits are white corn treated with lye
• The end product is hominy ground into cereal

PIES

• Instead of pumpkin pie at thanksgiving, sweet potato pie is popular.

COBBLERS

NANA PUDDING

• Banana pudding is a popular adaptation to English pudding.

SWEET TEA

• Style of ice tea (lots more sugar)
• The tea is served cold, and often times flavored.
• In the 1900s sweet tea was a luxury.

CREOLE& CAJUN CUISINE

• Creole and Cajun cuisines consist of a lot of seafood
• Fruits, pecans, and peanuts also became common to the region

MARDI GRAS

• Mardi gras is a celebration on fat- shrove Tuesday
• The season between lent and Easter is called carnival (farewell to meat)
• Many residents in New Orleans are served elaborate meat meals on Fat Tuesday