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Wednesday, 1 October 2008

I got soul but I'm not a soldier

I've noticed that a lot of my fellow bloggers react with sadness and pity when I confess to not having tried things. And the most pity comes when I admit to not having tried various classics of Southern soul food.

I haven't tried collard greens, grits (although I am a polenta fan), biscuits, country-fried steak, hushpuppies, peas & dumplins or red velvet cake.

But as of today I can hold my head high and say I have had fried green tomatoes cooked in bacon grease. What's more, they were homegrown tomatoes, the bacon was home-cured and it was all delicious.

I used panko breadcrumbs because I didn't have any cornmeal, but apparently that is an acceptable variation.

Now that I have started on this journey, my only problem is deciding what to try next.

12 comments:

  1. You need real southern macaroni & cheese - green beans & white potatoes - cornbread dressing - and smothered chicken. LOL! I love all things southern - well, not all things - but most things!

    You fried that tomato in panko? Really? Hmmm - I wonder. Next time - try a cajun seasoning or old bay with a little salt on the veggie before you fry it. I'd coat it in buttermilk or egg first before dredging - but still yours looks good.

    -DTW
    www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

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  2. I love fried green tomatoes! and I had to love them last summer when my tomato plant produced only green tomatoes. we ate them for about a month straight. panko is a great idea.

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  3. Oh - now I feel bad - I've never had fried green tomatoes. Though I have eaten soul food in Harlem, was fabulous!

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  4. Green fried tomatoes are such a treat & I say that as a Northern girl

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  5. I can't say I've ever tried these but green tomato chutney, now that's delicious!

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  6. I say go with red velvet cake next.

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  7. Collard greens would be an easy and fairly uncomplicated dish to knock off your list (although prepping the greens is a bit of a production)! I like them with bacon and garlic.

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  8. Darius - thanks for the ideas! I will come knocking for recipes. I don't know what smothered chicken is! I coated the tomatoes in egg before I tossed them in panko, but the egg didn't stick to the uncut bits.

    Ali - that is exactly why I was doing them! Frost is coming and those tomatoes just aren't going to ripen.

    Kittie - if you have eaten soul food in Harlem you win!

    Kat - I agree with you, they are a treat! I will definitely have them again.

    Sam - I didn't have enough to make chutney, although I did think about it.

    Esi - what does red velvet cake actually taste of? I associate it with the bleeding armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias

    Marie - I've never even seen collard greens. They are like cabbage, aren't they?

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  9. Love fried green tomatoes and your home cured bacon keeps making me drool!

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  10. Collard greens are sort of like a darker, heartier cabbage, but more like leafy stalks than round heads. Don't know how much that helps! :P

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  11. Wow, you've been BUSY! This is hilarious. I hope you didn't feel bad, I haven't tried most, okay, SOME, of those things either. I haven't tried these, but they look great! And I love the movie!

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  12. I totally cracked up when you described how we are so ashamed when we confess to not having tried things - so true! I think I've done that a number of times.

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