Southern Cuisine

[Swampnuts]

I think Eastern NC style BBQ is overrated. It's usually dry and served with hushpuppies, slaw, beans, and white wonder bread. Most places mince it so thin that it reminds you of the jerky chew they used to sell in the can. Some of the really good places use a better quality meat and cut into bigger hunks. Good stuff if you can find it, but the majority is below average IMO. There's a few places here in Charlotte that are very good though.

[polksalet]

It sounds totally disgusting which mean it is a must try for me.

[Sugar Magnolia]

look up some Paula Deen recipes on foodnetwork

[Seattle LawDawg]

After living in Atlanta and New Orleans for a few years, I could live without a lot of southern cooking (maybe not pecan pie).

 

Take creole & cajun food away and it would be another story.

[Bier Meister]

bc...it was great. i went a little heavier on the cider in the sauce

[rajncajn]

shrimp and grits

I don't like grits much, but when done right shrimp & grits are awesome.

 

This is not going to win me many friends down this way, but I am really not a fan of southern cooking in general and could seriously live with out Eastern NC BBQ as well.

 

As for the first, it can be tasty enough, but it is not an inspired cuisine that deserves any regional fame. I mean, fry practically anything and it's good.

I'm really surprised you said this, you obviously don't know a whole lot about Southern Cuisine.

[detlef]

I don't like grits much, but when done right shrimp & grits are awesome.

I'm really surprised you said this, you obviously don't know a whole lot about Southern Cuisine.

I've certainly eaten enough to believe that it really doesn't deserve the run it gets. I've eaten enough "modern southern" to know that I could live without that as well. Not saying either is bad. Really. And there are elements that I enjoy.

 

Every time I get into this argument with somebody, they remind me that I must not have had the best. Oh, I've had some very, very good southern food. However, I don't think it's fair to judge a cuisine by how good the very best is. A great cuisine needs to be so fundamentally good that it can rise above less skilled preparations the way other foods can. I mean, Midwestern US food doesn't get any run at all but I'm rather certain that you could have some amazingly good local favorites prepared for you if you sat down at the right table. So what's the difference?

 

Take Spain vs Italy, for instance. If you judged the very best of both against each other, it would be hard to make a clear cut argument for either over the other. I mean, food only gets so good and both of these countries make great food. However, if you go down a notch and compare the food you are likely to be served at some random place, Italy crushes Spain. No contest. You are just as likely to be served a plate of barely edible crap in Spain as not. In Italy, you're basically tripping over great food nearly everywhere.

 

If southern food is so good, why am I more assured of getting a good plate of Mexican food at any number of taquerias here than get a good plate of southern food here in Durham. There's dozens of BBQ places around me, most suck and the sides are often the worst part. The places that have good sides tend to be new school places so I would imagine are a tad less authentic.

Edited January 30, 2008 by detlef

[detlef]

Now that I have the fans of southern cuisine good and pissed off, allow me to discuss my issues with Cajun/Creole.

 

Once again, I've had some delicious food in NO and Baton Rouge as well as delicious regional specialties served to me outside the area. However...

 

When stacked against the big boys, I feel it falls short. I feel the crutch of fat and salt are leaned on too much. Not that I don't love fat and salt any less than the next guy, but, as a chef, you're not going to impress me by serving me something tasty that's loaded with cream, butter, and salt. Open a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup. Add some cream and heat it up. It's pretty damned tasty. I have Paul Proudom's (sp?) first book. There's a recipe for Brie Soup in there. It is basically melted brie, cream, butter, and a bit of stock. Should we be surprised to find this is tasty? A freaking bowl of melted cheese that you can eat with a spoon? Who's not going to like that? However, wouldn't it be nice to be able to enjoy delicious food that won't end up making you look like, well, Chef Paul?

 

Now, I'm not daring to say there's nothing to this food but a bunch of cream and salt. Rather, I would like to compare it to the food of Vietnam. A food I, and many, feel is among the most inspired, beautiful, and noble foods in the world.

 

If you look at the geographic and cultural elements, the two are actually quite similar. Both are warm/hot areas dominated by swamps and coastal environs. Both owe a significant bit of their culture to previous occupation by the French. So, you have a situation where one might find many of the same ingredients (lots of shellfish, peppers...) as well as the benefit of a French touch. However, the food of Vietnam is vast and spectacular. Sometimes rich, sometimes light, always fresh and inspired. So many dishes represent the entire gamut of textures and flavors. I'll take a Vietnamese Banh Mi over a Po Boy any day. NO has gumbo, Vietnam has dozens of variations on curries and clear seafood and meat stews. The thing is, when you finish eating a large meal of Vietnamese food, you feel alive, when I finish eating a large meal of NO regional food, I want to take a nap.

[driveby]

Det,

 

Not really on topic, but your mention of Vietnamese food brought this to mind.

 

What do you think about Andrew Zimmern, and specifically his Bizarre Foods show?

 

I'm the first to admit I have a limited palette and pretty much stick to the 5 basic food groups; fast, pizza, tex-mex, deli sandwiches and bbq. (oh, and General Tso chicken ) But I find the show fascinating, sort of like rubbernecking a bad wreck.

 

Anyways, I'm wondering if you think that show has turned people off to regional/ethnic/diverse cuisines because of all the nasty critters, bugs, body parts, and rancid plants he eats?

 

TIA

[detlef]

Det,

 

Not really on topic, but your mention of Vietnamese food brought this to mind.

 

What do you think about Andrew Zimmern, and specifically his Bizarre Foods show?

 

I'm the first to admit I have a limited palette and pretty much stick to the 5 basic food groups; fast, pizza, tex-mex, deli sandwiches and bbq. (oh, and General Tso chicken ) But I find the show fascinating, sort of like rubbernecking a bad wreck.

 

Anyways, I'm wondering if you think that show has turned people off to regional/ethnic/diverse cuisines because of all the nasty critters, bugs, body parts, and rancid plants he eats?

 

TIA

I actually do not know of whom you speak.

 

However, I do urge you to try vietnamese food. If you see a vietnamese sandwich shop, do not hesitate. Get a roast pork or roast chicken sandwich and then you can come back here and thank me.

 

Also Pho. Perhaps the tastiest noodle soup you will ever enjoy. There are plenty of strange versions with tendon, tripe, etc. However, every place has a basic version that simply has thin strips of lean beef poached in broth. It is by no means weird, and by every account absolutely delicious.

[driveby]

I actually do not know of whom you speak.

Not a fan of the travel channel?

[Bier Meister]

Not a fan of the travel channel?

 

 

i've seen it once or twice...... i don't think it changes much for people into food........ it may deter more conservative palattes

[detlef]

Not a fan of the travel channel?

I actually don't watch the food channel either. TV means basically two things to me: Sports and movies (either commercial laden ones on AMC. etc or DVDs).

[Kid Cid]

I actually do not know of whom you speak.

 

However, I do urge you to try vietnamese food. If you see a vietnamese sandwich shop, do not hesitate. Get a roast pork or roast chicken sandwich and then you can come back here and thank me.

 

Also Pho. Perhaps the tastiest noodle soup you will ever enjoy. There are plenty of strange versions with tendon, tripe, etc. However, every place has a basic version that simply has thin strips of lean beef poached in broth. It is by no means weird, and by every account absolutely delicious.

I loves me some Pho. Quite tasty.

 

Back to teh topic at hand. Isn't a Turducken a Southern thing?

[driveby]

However, I do urge you to try vietnamese food. If you see a vietnamese sandwich shop, do not hesitate. Get a roast pork or roast chicken sandwich and then you can come back here and thank me.

Got a vietnamese pork sandwich here on my way home today.

 

Have to say, contrary to the glowing reviews, I wasn't impressed.

 

I guess when she took a handful of pork out of a large baggie that should have been a tip-off.

 

It wan't terrible, in fact, it was pretty good the more I ate, but the pork was dry and chewy.

 

I guess I need to try a "real" vietnamese place next time.

[Sugar Magnolia]

When I was in Berkeley, CA there was a great Burma (Burmese?) restuarant. It reminded me of a blend of Vietnamese, Thai and Indian-out of this world. Unfortunately it only stayed in business about a year, if that.

[SheikYerbuti]

I actually don't watch the food channel either.

 

You should!! THIS CHEF has a show that you'd love!!

[detlef]

Got a vietnamese pork sandwich here on my way home today.

 

Have to say, contrary to the glowing reviews, I wasn't impressed.

 

I guess when she took a handful of pork out of a large baggie that should have been a tip-off.

 

It wan't terrible, in fact, it was pretty good the more I ate, but the pork was dry and chewy.

 

I guess I need to try a "real" vietnamese place next time.

Well, that's too bad. To be honest, I've certainly been to a few bad places myself. My guess is that there's likely a section of town that has a strip mall that's pretty much all vietnamese. Look for one in there. You might know by now that one may not do the trick but, since they're usually about $2...

 

At Jujube, we do a varation on them where we put a bunch more meat and stuff in each sandwich and charge accordingly, so one sandwich is a proper meal.

[polksalet]

Well, that's too bad. To be honest, I've certainly been to a few bad places myself. My guess is that there's likely a section of town that has a strip mall that's pretty much all vietnamese. Look for one in there. You might know by now that one may not do the trick but, since they're usually about $2...

 

At Jujube, we do a varation on them where we put a bunch more meat and stuff in each sandwich and charge accordingly, so one sandwich is a proper meal.

 

so, could you make some Vietnamese shrimp grits?

[detlef]

so, could you make some Vietnamese shrimp grits?

We actually make a dish on many tasting menus that we call "Shrimp and Grits". Like other dishes that we make a point of using quotes around the name, it's sort of a whimsical homage to the real thing.

 

The basis for the dish is the similarity between crispy daikon cake and grits cakes. That is, what results from cooking grits (or polenta), pouring it out, letting it cool and harden and then cutting it into squares before frying it. Daikon (or turnip) cake is a traditional chinese dim sum dish made from grated and boiled daikon radish mixed with chinese sausage, chopped shrimp, Athenaake mushrooms, duck fat, and rice flour. That mixture is poured into a pan and steamed for about an hour until it sets up firm (again, like grits or polenta do). After it cools, you can cut it into squares and fry it.

 

We take a tempura prawn, a fried daikon cake and serve it with oyster sauce.

 

That is Jujube "Shrimp and Grits" and it's crazy good.

[polksalet]

We actually make a dish on many tasting menus that we call "Shrimp and Grits". Like other dishes that we make a point of using quotes around the name, it's sort of a whimsical homage to the real thing.

 

The basis for the dish is the similarity between crispy daikon cake and grits cakes. That is, what results from cooking grits (or polenta), pouring it out, letting it cool and harden and then cutting it into squares before frying it. Daikon (or turnip) cake is a traditional chinese dim sum dish made from grated and boiled daikon radish mixed with chinese sausage, chopped shrimp, Athenaake mushrooms, duck fat, and rice flour. That mixture is poured into a pan and steamed for about an hour until it sets up firm (again, like grits or polenta do). After it cools, you can cut it into squares and fry it.

 

We take a tempura prawn, a fried daikon cake and serve it with oyster sauce.

 

That is Jujube "Shrimp and Grits" and it's crazy good.

 

so where can I acquire duck fat?

[Hugh B Tool]

We actually make a dish on many tasting menus that we call "Shrimp and Grits". Like other dishes that we make a point of using quotes around the name, it's sort of a whimsical homage to the real thing.

 

The basis for the dish is the similarity between crispy daikon cake and grits cakes. That is, what results from cooking grits (or polenta), pouring it out, letting it cool and harden and then cutting it into squares before frying it. Daikon (or turnip) cake is a traditional chinese dim sum dish made from grated and boiled daikon radish mixed with chinese sausage, chopped shrimp, Athenaake mushrooms, duck fat, and rice flour. That mixture is poured into a pan and steamed for about an hour until it sets up firm (again, like grits or polenta do). After it cools, you can cut it into squares and fry it.

 

We take a tempura prawn, a fried daikon cake and serve it with oyster sauce.

 

That is Jujube "Shrimp and Grits" and it's crazy good.

 

 

One tempura prawn over one turnip cake for how much? Presentation must be key huh?

[detlef]

so where can I acquire duck fat?

Well, the best way is to render it yourself. If you buy a duck and butcher it yourself, there's a ton of fat to trim away. You can braise the legs in stock and wine, reduce the resulting braising liquid and finish with some jam or chutney and butter and serve along side the pan-roasted breasts.

 

In the meantime, like I said, trim away as much fat as you can off the carcass, cut it into small bits and place in a 300 degree oven for several hours. Eventually, all the fat will be rendered out and any water will have evaporated. Then you can strain the liquid fat away from what will essentially be, duck cracklins. Well, they'll be cracklins once you return the strained bits to the oven to crisp up and then season.

 

You can buy duck fat from on-line gourmet purveyors and may also be able to special order it from nicer butcher shops. however, it's pretty expensive. The way I described above gets you a really nice meal for you and your lady and enough duck fat to last a while.

 

One tempura prawn over one turnip cake for how much? Presentation must be key huh?

You must have missed the part where I mentioned we include the dish in our tasting menus. As part of a 6-20 course meal, one shrimp and one cake works out just fine.