Foods That Southerners Love and Others Don't Understand Why

Southerners love food, and most of us have been raised not to waste it. Here are a few dishes that prove the Southern palate is hearty and varied. You may find some new favorites here — a few might make you scratch your head. Many of these recipes originated from enslaved cooks in the South.

Pear Salad

Canned pears topped with mayonnaise, grated cheese, and usually a maraschino cherry are a tried-and-true Southern favorite.

Photo bySouthern Food and Fun

Boiled Peanuts

People outside the South will claim boiled peanuts are slimy and gross. Nothing could be further from the truth. They're tender, salty, and delicious.

Grits

Southerners love grits in all incarnations: Baked Cheese Grits Casserole, Shrimp and Grits, or just a bowl of grits with butter for breakfast. Uh, no sugar, please.

Pickled Pigs Feet

When it was time for butchering the hogs, no part of that animal was wasted. Many people eat pig's feet today, usually pickled or boiled.

Sweet Tea

Just like all soft drinks are cokes, all tea is sweet. Unless it's not, in which case it's not Southern anyway.

Chitlins (Chitterlings)

Pig intestines are cleaned and cooked in various ways. The strong flavor and the texture can be off-putting for some.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Unripe green tomatoes coated in cornmeal and fried. The tartness and unusual texture can be unexpected but is delicious.

Okra

Okra may be fried, boiled, or roasted — either way it's a Southern favorite.

Pimento Cheese

It may be trendy and found on almost every restaurant menu, but Pimento Cheese was once a Southern cook's way of stretching a dollar to make sandwiches without meat.

Photo bySouthern Food and Fun

Cheese Straws

There is nothing like homemade cheese straws. Crispy and light, they're a delicate concoction of butter, cheese, and flour.

Hummingbird Cake

This delicious spice cake is filled with bananas, pineapple, and pecans and topped with a sweet cream cheese frosting.

Chicken and Dumplings

Another recipe originating from the need to save money and work with what you have is boiled chicken with simple dumplings made from flour, shortening or butter, and water.

What are some other recipes that only Southerners understand? What’s your favorite?