Recipes and Food Traditions
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series There are snacks, and then there’s the Moon Pie. It’s the kind of treat that holds a certain charm, sitting on the shelves of country stores, its chocolate-coated promise tempting anyone with a taste for something classic. Moon Pies have been around for over a century and are…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series Imagine you’re in an Appalachian kitchen, the aroma of a hearty breakfast wafting through the air. The scent of sizzling bacon mingles with the rich, buttery fragrance of grits bubbling on the stovetop. But grits aren’t just breakfast food. When it comes to dinner, grits can easily step…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series There are few culinary divides in my home. But one is so large you could drive a truck through it: okra. I’m a fan. I love it rolled in cornmeal and fried. My wife? Well, she’s a Colorado girl who can’t stand it. Most folks either love okra…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series I love cooking breakfast; I do so most mornings. It gives a productive start to my day and challenges me creatively. My palette demands variety, so I enjoy trying new variations of old favorites. But whatever I cook must be prepared quickly; I can’t spend all morning in…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series When it comes to Southern comfort food, there are few combinations as iconic and satisfying as pintos and cornbread. These humble ingredients have been a staple of Southern cooking for generations, providing nourishment and a sense of home to countless families. When cooked properly, pinto beans have a…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series I liked this article about the Smoke on the Mountain BBQ contest in Galax so much that I asked The Daily Yonder for permission to republish it. They generously agreed. It was written by Sara June Jo-Saebo and originally titled ‘Mouthwatering and Divine’: A Reunion over Barbecue in…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series They call it that old mountain dew, And them that refuse it are few, You may go ’round the bend, But you’ll come back again, For that good old mountain dew The folks of the Blue Ridge Mountains take their moonshine, aka mountain dew, seriously. Moonshine liquor was…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series Electricity didn’t reach most parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains until the 1930s. No electricity meant no modern conveniences for food storage, such as refrigerators and freezers. So until a couple of generations ago, food was preserved the old-fashioned way: drying and canning. Drying fruits and vegetables didn’t…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series Nothing says “Southern cooking” like a big bowl of hominy grits. Most Americans have never eaten grits; some confuse “grit” with “dirt.” To those folks, I say: thanks! More grits for me. To the uninitiated, let me say: grits are just corn. In gourmet circles, it’s known as…
An installment in our Appalachian Foodways series In England, ramps are known as ramson; in France, they are ail sauvage. Native Americans in the Great Lakes area called the plants Chicagou, for which the city of Chicago is named. Elsewhere in the world, they are known as wild leeks, wild garlic, and spring onions. In…