SOUTHERN CUISINECultural Cuisine – USA Regions

SOUTHERN STATES AND CAPITALS

Alabama (Montgomery)

Arkansas (Little Rock)

Florida (Tallahassee)

Georgia (Atlanta)

Kentucky (Frankfort)

Louisiana (Baton Rouge)

Mississippi (Jackson)

North Carolina (Raleigh)

South Carolina (Columbia)

Tennessee (Nashville)

Virginia (Richmond)

West Virginia (Charleston)

GEOGRAPHY

Rolling hills

Mountains

Forests

Plains

Coastline

Rich soil from deltas

Rivers

Lakes

CLIMATE

Mild winters

Warm summers

Abundant rainfall

Average yearly

precipitation is

40’’-60’’

AGRICULTURE

Lack of grazing land

Chicken and pigs are common meat items

Cows and sheep are NOT readily available

Oceans and lakes/rivers

Fish and seafood make up a large portion of southern diet

Climate is good for cotton, rice, and sugarcane

HISTORICAL CULTURE/NATIONALITIES

French

British

Irish

Scottish

Spanish

African (mostly slaves brought to the US by other early settlers)

Native Americans

COMMON FOOD ITEMS

Corn (staple food of the south)

Corn bread

Fried chicken

Ham

Turnip Greens (major ingredient in soul food)

Hopping John (black eyed peas and rice)

COMMON FOOD ITEMS

Peanuts

Fish and seafood

Brunswick stew

Hominy

Chitterlings (made from intestines)

Hush puppies

Okra

Jambalaya (Creole dish)

Gumbo

EARLY MEALTIME CUSTOMS

Soul food was developed by African slaves,

Native Americans, and European sharecroppers

who used whatever available foods or scraps of

food they could find.

EARLY MEALTIME CUSTOMS

Creole cuisine comes from New Orleans and is

a combination of French, Italian, Spanish,

African, and Native American influences.

Characterizes by butter or cream sauces

Includes a variety of separate dishes - each having

their own set of flavors

Considered to be a “city oriented” cooking since

people in the cities has access to markets and

foods.

More sophisticated the Soul and Cajun cuisines

EARLY MEALTIME CUSTOMS

Cajun cuisine combines common foods of

southern Louisiana and French Acadian

influences.

Strong, hot flavors with wild game and seafood

Considered “country orientated” food since it was

often made by individuals who did not have access

to markets in the city – instead using what was on

their local lands

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Common thickening agent:

Filé– made of sassafras leaves

BISCUITS AND GRAVY RECIPE

Biscuits 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup shortening 3/4 cup milk

Gravy 12 oz. pork sausage 1/3 cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground black

pepper 3 cups milk