After living in Florida for 15 years, I have learned the ways of southern cooks by trial and error: use lots of butter and sugar; when in doubt – fry; slow simmer for hours. I droll over many of the specialty dishes (read about my Caramel Cake attempt) but I’m afraid southern vegetables remain aloof. Haven’t acquired a taste for the mushy concoctions.
Continue reading New Year’s Flavor: Spicy Hoppin John and Greens
The moment you drive up to this little diner you know the place is special. First of all, their parking lot stays full, always a sign of good food. And the diner’s exterior, a hodge-podge of signs, slogans and placards, grabs your attention and pulls you in.
The 17 stool lunch counter grill was opened in 1974 making it the oldest diner on highway 72 in Corinth, Mississippi. Abe and Terri Whitfield are the worker-bee owners and operators of the establishment. Just enter and Abe will fly over and make you feel part of the hive.
Continue reading Abe’s Grill: A Southern Tradition in Corinth, Mississippi
I recently made a trip to the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and hate to admit I dug in like a hungry bear. I sampled fried green tomatoes, fried gator, fried shrimp, fried okra and well…fried you name it. I put aside the knife and fork for barbeque ribs and finished plenty messy. Breakfast favorites became blueberry pancakes, syrup and apple fritters
Both towns of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee rest near the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. And both towns claim Dolly Parton as their own. The folks in these parts take pride in their country heritage. You can’t help but notice that music, food and family are the heart and soul of the people.
Tourists to the area will find numerous restaurants to choose from. Most proudly serve good-ole down home southern cookin.
Here is a list of restaurants I can recommend for casual dining in Sevierville:
Continue reading Restaurant Recommendations around Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee