Friday, November 21, 2014

Southern Comfort Food

Comfort food is a traditional food that is usually easily prepared, and provides feelings of nostalgia to the person who had been socialized in the culture of its origin.  Comfort food is more "feel good" food than healthy food.  This is the food to turn to when you feel blue, or are sick.

I'll restrict my examples to the Gulf Coastal South, the South as I know best.

Grits -- While they can be prepared in a variety of ways, including cheesy grits, I prefer the traditional butter and salt seasoning.  Hash browns at breakfast is a vile experience.  Some bacon or link sausage complements it nicely.

Jambalaya -- A traditional Cajun dish based on rice, some onion and possibly sweet pepper or celery seasoning, and whatever meat is available for adding: andouille, ham, shrimp, chicken, duck.  Maybe not alligator.

Red Beans and Rice -- A traditional washday Monday meal.  The red beans are even better as leftovers!  Use some ham pieces and flavor with a hambone.  Season with Tabasco sauce.

Gumbo -- A dish made of meat or shellfish, a roux, seasoning vegetables, and either okra or filé.

Barbecue pork or beef --  Get this from a barbecue joint, either as take-out or eat on the premises.  I prefer pulled pork or beef, as opposed to chopped.  A variety of sauces is fine, but no mayonnaise-based sauces, please!  Establishments that serve barbecue are referred to as "joints"; this does not imply a negative judgment about them.

Banana pudding -- The recipe is so easy.  Line the bottom of the bowl with vanilla wafers, cut up some ripe bananas, and pour some vanilla pudding mixed with the bananas on the wafers.  Let cool in the refrigerator.

Moon Pie -- This is Southern junk food.  Best with a Co-Cola or a RC.  That sinful, feel-good result is known as a Moon Pie High.

Pecan pie -- Here's a good recipe from The Food Network:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pecan-pie-recipe.html

Hush puppies -- Another term for corn fritter.  Actually, corn muffins are good too.  Serve these with seafood, barbecue, or good ole Texas chili.



10 comments:

Big Sky Heidi said...

I miss some of those.

MarkD60 said...

Southern Comfort Food... I really don't believe in comfort food, but I used to highly belive in Southern Comfort...!

Elvis Wearing a Bra on His Head said...

All sound outstanding, especially the barbecue. I'm not a white sauce lover, either.

Moon pies are overrated and cloying.

TexWisGirl said...

you hit several i've come to like since relocating from the north some 30 yrs ago, but i'd still choose mashed potatoes (from my meat and potatoes upbringing).

Mike said...

BBQ pork. Sweet sauce. Could eat it all day everyday.

Bilbo said...

Grits, Jambalaya, and Red Beans and Rice ... the holy trinity of comfort food. You should try my Baked Macaroni and Cheese, too.

eViL pOp TaRt said...

Mark, I presume you meant the whiskey?

Bilbo, Baked mac and cheese is delicious!

Mike, sweet sauce is good.

TexWisGirl, not for breakfast, though?

Linda Kay said...

Coming originally from the North, I love mac and cheese, and especially au gratin potatoes. So cheese seems to fall into my favorite foods category! All of course being very fattening.

Grand Crapaud said...

Makes me hungry.

Cloudia said...

YUMMY!



ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
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