When it comes to Southern food, there are many influences at play—from Cajun and Creole cuisine in Louisiana to the Lowcountry cooking of the Carolinas to the barbecue of Texas and Kentucky. Southern food covers a lot of territory. And soul food, including African-American cooking, is also a huge part of the identity of the cooking traditions in this neck of the woods.
The common denominator ingredient is Southern hospitality—the most compelling reason that Southern food just tastes better in the south. The dishes are served with a side of that warm, inviting, bless your heart hospitality the south is known for—always willing to lend a helping hand or a second helping.
Brian Nagele, former restaurateur and CEO of Restaurant Clicks says there are many reasons why people in the south enjoy these meals more than others do. Southern cooking is known for being full of flavor and fat, with a focus on comfort, he says.
Here are 14 Southern foods that taste better in the South.
1
Fried Chicken
There’s fried chicken and then there’s Southern fried chicken. Why does fried chicken taste so finger lickin’ good in the South? Answer: buttermilk. And, yes, the buttermilk component is non-negotiable.
Get the recipe from The Country Cook.
