But I now realize there were a number of things I ate (or decidedly didn't) that say 'Southern':
- barbeque - I never liked this as a kid but love it as an adult. The only experience of this I had as a kid was a drive up that my mom liked. I got the burger. But now I really appreciate it.
- cornbread - The kind I had as a kid was dry and dense, almost peppery, coming in small fingers made from a metal indented pan to make them look like corn cobs. What I consider edible cornbread now is almost cake, sweet and thick.
- greens - collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, creamed kale, I loved them all, cooked with with salt pork.
- fried chicken - my mom was into health and stuff, so she didn't make it with batter or skin. Popeye's is the best ever, but you can't have it too often without having a piece of your heart die. Literally.
- okra - never had it as a kid and rarely as an adult. Some people hate it and some love it. I don't care.
- brunswick stew - the best way to burn your tongue. Great from a can or made from scratch.
- mac and cheese - never had it as a kid (did I mention my mom was into health and stuff). I still don't understand what's so great about it. But this is southern?
- watermelon - it was around -all- the time as a kid. It was OK, but made a sticky mess, sort of like cotton candy but wet. also seeds are a pain. I'm still ambivalent about it
- Krispy Kreme donuts - like Kleenex, these are the canonical donuts. But I didn't care for them. Again a little messy. DD donuts are real donuts. Sorry, South.
- grits - hell yeah. As a kid I had the instant kind where you add boiled water, which if you add the a little grated cheese and hot sauce are great (ooh and a boiled egg). Waffle House and diner grits have so much extra ... something... that they feel like something else. Not bad but just ... too much.
- roasted tomato halves - best thing ever at fancy buffet events (after all the others). Fried green tomatoes is just weird like some foreigner thought it would be a good idea for the title of a quirky movie, and then people thought it was an actual thing. It's not a thing. Roasted (red) tomato halves are a thing, a real thing that is actually good.
- sweet tea - ugh...who would put that much sugar in their tea? I mean, unsugared is a little too ascetic but sweet tea? ugh.
- crab cakes ... ugh.
- pecan pie - that's southern? I thought it was just pie. Anyway, banana pudding kicks its ass. Not that pecan pie is bad. Just if you had to choose.
- fried pickles - ? hunh? That's a thing? And a Southern thing? I've never heard of that. Ever. Why try to gild the lily?
- hush puppies - mmm. Only ever had them on vacation, Virginia Beach or Nagshead at a seafood restaurant
- sweet potatoes and yams (there's a difference?) - ugh. These things look funny! And taste funny! No way! Potato or sweet potato? Take the potato.
- tofu - a versatile basis for any... haha, just kidding. That stuff is so bland, you add it to dishes to take away taste. Also, not Southern.
- pig maw - eww. pass.
- black-eyed peas, lima beans, just beans - I avoided these every New Year's. Ugh. It's not that they taste bad, it's just that they don't taste good.
- biscuits - these are southern? They're not universal? I have nothing against them, they're OK (when not greasy)
- chitlins - that's just a funny word that people use on old west shows. Nobody actually eats that stuff.
- smithfield ham - as a kid, tasted funny, why would you ruin a biscuit sandwich with weird meat. Now I appreciate it a lot.
- apple butter - if this is at all a southern thing, it's great. It's great anyway.
- deviled eggs - also, this is southern? They're great, but don't have too many, especially if they've been lying in the sun
Some of these items were off the top of my head. Some I was reminded of by the wiki list. Those on the list that are not here I just don't recognize, didn't think of as southern, or just don't care about. Also, I find it funny to go to a 'soul food' restaurant and wonder what's going on because it's just food.
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