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southern buffet
Southern food traditions are helping to re-shape the culinary
landscape across the country. The South has an abundance
of wonderful produce, meat, and seafood, with plenty of
opportunities to recreate the past. The soul food of the South
ranges by region, from the Low Country of Charleston to the
Mississippi Delta. The Gulf Coast provides renowned seafood
including red snapper, royal red shrimp, and Apalachicola Bay
oysters. Many signature dishes come from recipes that are
passed down from generation to generation, so you have
the immediate emotional connection of home. Watching my
mother make homemade cornbread in a cast-iron skillet with
hot bacon grease—or the potlicker from my dad's collard
greens and ham hocks—is a fond memory of my youth. The
black-eyed peas we had for New Year's Day and the BBQ
pork family dinner are Southern traditions that date back to
the colonial days. My spin on these timeless recipes keeps the
flavors we love and presents them in a fresh way that works
great for an upscale meal or a buffet. The Mac & Cheese
muffins are an updated way to make my mother's traditional
macaroni and cheese, the crab cakes use local Gulf Coast
crab, and the fried green tomatoes are a famous Southern
dish—all are special recipes from the family.
southern buffet
chapter 2
