"Just an old sweet song..."
Truth be told, it's actually more like an old sweet pie keeping Georgia on my mind. This born and raised Georgia Peach has been in New York for almost two years now—and what do I miss most about home? THE FOOD...and, like, my family. Maybe. Though Southern-style cookin' is a popular fad among NYC eateries, I have to say it: the Yankees just can't make soul food like the Georgians. Allow me to showcase my Peach-state pride with this list of 15 foods we do better in the "Empire State of the South."
1. Fried Chicken
"You know [we] like our chicken fried."
I agree whole-heartedly with Georgia-boy Zac Brown and his band. There is no other way to do chicken, and Georgia does it best. There are two secret ingredients to fried chicken that is slap-yo-grandma good: buttermilk and Crisco. We also can't talk about Georgia fried chicken without recognizing Chick-Fil-A as the inventor of the chicken sandwich, and Lord bless 'em for that.
2. Pecan Pralines
"Peh-cahn" or "Pee-can?" My Papa Tom says a "PEE-can" is something you keep under your bed at night ... Though Georgians can't agree on pronunciation, there's a statewide consensus that we know exactly what to do with these rich, buttery nuts: put them in desserts. See pecan pie, butter pecan ice cream, and pralines. Check out thesepositively perfect praline recipes, or you can wander around River Street Sweets in Savannah for free samples, which I've done approximately 400 times thus far in my life.
3. Sweet Tea
I'm of the belief that sweet tea doesn't actually exist above the Mason-Dixon. For the perfect tea-to-water-to-sugar ratio, I learned 3-2-1 growing up: Three family sized tea bags, 2 cups of water, and 1 cup of sugar. In Georgia, we take our sweet tea so seriously that in a 2003 April Fool's prank, our state legislature introduced a bill requiring that any food service establishment which serves iced tea must serve sweet tea, and any person who violates this code shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
4. Biscuits (N Gravy)
Traditional South Georgia biscuits are hand-formed, not rolled, but the constant among is buttermilk—REAL buttermilk. Buttered biscuits slathered in hearty, sausage gravy was the breakfast of my childhood.
5. Fried Green Tomatoes
Remember Fried Green Tomatoes—that heartwarming film circa 1991 with Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, and a young (but still sexy) Chris O'Donnell? The Whistle Stop Cafe from the film is located in Juliette, Ga.
We can only assume film scouters chose Georgia because when it comes to fried vegetables, we are obviously experts. These fried green tomatoes from Georgian Recipes are further proof.
6. Peach Pie
Well, you knew this one was coming. We're known as the "Peach State" for a reason. Although the fuzzy succulent tastes good in almost any dessert, (See 14 Sweet Summer Peach Desserts (That Aren't Pie)) peach pies will always be a genuine Georgia delight.
7. Pimiento Cheese
I know some of you Northerners are wondering, "What the heck is Pimiento cheese?" Affectionately referred to as the "caviar of the South," this delight from the Dixie gods is typically made from sharp cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pimiento peppers, salt and pepper. In fact, Delish loves it so much, we figured out how to eat it for every meal.
8. Brunswick Stew
Brunswick County, Virginia tries to claim ownership of this stew, but Georgians know that's a bold faced lie. Thank Brunswick, Ga for this tomato-based legend—they even have an entire festival dedicated to the stuff.
9. Chicken N Waffles
The concept of chicken and waffles came out of Harlem, New York in the 1930s, but Delish deemed it the "must-try food" of Georgia and I'm not one to argue. If you ever find yourself in downtown Atlanta, you've gotta head to the original Gladys Knight's Chicken & Waffles. The "Empress of Soul" and her son Shanga Hankerso are responsible for the "Midnight Train" plate that comes with four southern fried jumbo chicken wings and one original waffle. Pro tip: Add hot sauce.
10. Vidalia Onions
Grown in, duh, Vidalia, these onions are especially sweet because of the low amount of sulfur in the area's soil. Vidalia Onions have been Georgia's official state vegetable since 1990, but four years prior, Georgia's state legislature actually trademarked them. That's a seriously good onion, y'all.
11. Shrimp N Grits
Every September, Jekyll Island hosts Shrimp & Grits: The Wild Georgia Shrimp Festival because those two food items are a big frickin' deal to us. Such a big deal that in 2002, Georgia declared grits its official prepared food. Feel free to throw in all the good stuff: butter, cheese, bacon, shrimp, hot sauce, or all of the above.
12. Blueberry Cobbler
Peach State, Schmeach State. Did you know, according to a 2013 report, blueberries are actually our most valuable fruit crop? The cobbler (also known in the South as a pandowdy, grunt, slump, buckle, or bird's nest pudding) is an all-American deep-dish dessert incorporating fruit, butter, and crumb topping so obviously Georgia has that on lock.
13. Coca-Cola
Yes, there is a secret formula for Coke. Yes, we keep it in a vault. No, I will not be revealing it here. In 1886 Dr. John Pemberton supposedly brewed the very first batch of Coca-Cola as a cure for his morphine addiction. When Asa Candler bought the formula in 1887, he allegedly insisted no one write it down ever again. "Merchandise 7X flavoring" gives Coke its trademarked taste and bubbly burn, and the company has always said that no more than two people know how to mix the ingredient at any given time. The best I can offer you are these four recipes incorporating the soda classic. The good news is: you don't have to know what's in the bottle in order to "open happiness."
