Soul Food

[boosh]

Okay people ,I'm a Chef ,speciality : French Cuisine ,European stuff and a little Asian Cooking.

 

Now teach me and enlighten me.

 

tell me all about Soulfood ,Cajun ,HillBilly and Deep South Cooking.

 

I need Dishes and Origins,..Names and the way to prepare them,..

 

From Gumbo to Beefjerky, From Texas Steaks to Bubba's Shrimp Burgers,...

 

Booshy

[UstadKhanAli]

Slaw Dogs

 

[UstadKhanAli]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/southern-fried-catfish-recipe/index.html

 

This is Paula Deen's recipe. I'm just listing things that I've enjoyed when going to the South.

[UstadKhanAli]

Peach Cobbler - Paula Deen recipe

[UstadKhanAli]

A bunch of soul food recipes here:

 

http://www.thegutsygourmet.net/soul.html

[Gabriel E.]

Visit New Orleans.

[spokenward]

You are casting a pretty wide net. You might want to narrow that down.

 

It's a big damn country.

 

soulfood, you are going to need a good smothered chicken recipe:

http://www.suntimes.com/recipes/poultry/30577,smothchix.recipe#

http://www.recipelink.com/cookbooks/2006/0345476212_2.html

 

cornbread and greens make a meal.

 

Country cooking might be surprisingly simple and underspiced. Something like this may better fit your restaurant-insider notion of what it should be.

 

New Orleans is an entirely different thing. Go there. Eat. Learn. That was good advice above.

[rasputin1963]

I think Paul Prud'homme is widely regarded as New Orleans most respected Cajun chef. Perhaps the other post-ers are right when they say you almost need to go to New Orleans to immerse yourself in the whole "vibe" of the place... Cajun cooking is a curious admixture of French, African, Spanish and Indian sensibilities. Still, his book will get you started. As with every American variant of cooking, there is usually a "high" haute fancy, expensive version, and a "low" "street" "bas" inexpensive version, if you know what I mean.

 

Also, these two books are SURE to grab you:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Diners-Drive-ins-Dives-All-American-Recipes/dp/0061724882/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267297137&sr=1-1

 

http://www.amazon.com/White-Cooking-Jargon-Ernest-Mickler/dp/0898151899

 

Now here's some very traditional, kinda "rough" Texas cooking:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Chuckwagon-Cuisine-Evan-Moore/dp/1892588137/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267297202&sr=1-3

 

...and here's some more Texas cooking, but more fancy, upscale:

 

http://www.amazon.com/New-Texas-Cuisine-Stephan-Pyles/dp/0385423365/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267297202&sr=1-1

 

There is a variety of food called "Tex-Mex". It's where the cuisine of Northern Mexico mingles with the ranch cuisine of South Texas:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Tex-Mex-Cookbook-History-Recipes-Photos/dp/0767914880/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267297360&sr=1-1

 

 

If you go deeper into Mexico, like where Gus lives, they do a more authentic Mexican cuisine, and that's a different ballgame.

 

A Texas restaurauteur set up Tex-Mex restaurants in Paris and London, where they were a big hit for awhile in the 1980's... (until they discovered he had also imported illegal Mexican immigrants as his staff!).

 

Make a note of this: There is no such thing as lowfat, "health" Mexican cuisine. If it's not brimming over with lard, (whole milk) cheese, sour cream, hot chiles, bleached white flour, lots of salt and oils, then it's not Mexican. Chefs in California and New Mexico have started what they call "Lite" Mexican... but it tastes like bland {censored}. Avoid.

 

Some ingredients might be hard to find in Europe, like the Tomatillo or the Ancho Pepper, or Eagle Brand.

 

 

Soul Food is generally thought of as a "subset" of Southern Cooking... There are just a few things that Black enclaves have traditionally specialized in... Some things are definitely thought of as coming from the Black community, like Pig's Knuckles, Red Beans and Rice, and Pickled Eggs... Sweet Yam Pie. Black chefs, like those found in Memphis, Kansas City, St. Louis and Texas, are famous for their barbecue, especially barbecued pork and ribs. Also, lots of greens are popular here, like Mustard greens, Boiled Spinach, Kale, Turnip greens. This book, by the Negro Women's Council, may be your best bet:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Family-Reunion-Cookbook-Memories/dp/0671796291/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267297832&sr=1-4

[rjt]

That is a very wide net... for example, you could spend your life specializing in Creole and Cajun cooking. There are a ton of recipes on the net.... a lot of it depends on preference whether it is good or not. Enjoy the learning process, it should be tasty!!

[paulz]

Okay people ,I'm a Chef ,speciality : French Cuisine ,European stuff and a little Asian Cooking. Now teach me and enlighten me. tell me all about Soulfood ,Cajun ,HillBilly and Deep South Cooking.

 

I agree with the other guys - we're talking a bunch of different areas. US really is a united states with a bunch of different demographics and the food varies quite a bit -- like it's amazing, but there are actually even other places in Louisiana besides NO!

 

and Rasputin brings up a really important point -- "soul food" in its genuine form is "low cuisine" it's poverty food.

There is other "Southern cooking" that is more higher brow, so if you are looking to add this to your professional rep. (as opposed to digging on the anthropology) you'll probably want to dress it up some

[it reminds me of a situation a chef friend of mine had in the states - he was consulted by a place that wanted to go with an 'upscale pub' vibe and the management said "we want real traditional Irish home cooking" - he replied "Oh, no you don't". ]

 

 

Cajun cooking is a bit different than other parts of southern cooking - Cajun is shortening of Acadian -- basically French settlers got kicked out of Nova Scotia Canada at the end of the French&Indian war.

So there is actually a lot of French influence still there that doesn't exist elsewhere (your French cooking background might help you there some)

Now Cajuns are a specific group so all Louisiana food isn't really Cajun.

Creole is actually a linguistics term that means a 'blended language' where the parts are still somewhat recognizably distinct -- so when we talk about "creole cooking" were talking about a fusion style that exists around a trade port like New Orleans.

 

I'd probably treat that as a separate area of study altogether.

 

For just an on-the-ground study of "louisiana home cooking" that isn't specifically Cajun, I'd go with the "River Road Cookbook" published by the Baton rouge Junior league -- it's what the locals use

 

as far as a couple of quick tips

-use Crystal sauce, not Tobasco

-Use Tony's not Zataran

-Don't use Chinese crawfish...and in Louisiana they are crawfish or "mud bugs" not crayfish

 

 

You'll probably also want to look at BBQ as that'll probably key "American South" to a lot of your clients (even though there's a strong midwestern BBQ tradition - it's not really just southern)

 

but that's a whole area of study in itself.

 

 

Sadly, and happily - as with other cultural things - I think there's only one way to do it right...roadtrip!

[UstadKhanAli]

 

You are casting a pretty wide net. You might want to narrow that down.

 

 

Yup. It's a *really* wide net. It's easily at least several different kinds of cuisines.

[UstadKhanAli]

 

Visit New Orleans.

 

 

Yeah. That and quite a few other regions.

[rjt]

I volunteer to go back to NO to check out the food (again)-- geez I love fried gator.

[UstadKhanAli]

The one time I was in New Orleans I thought the food was amazing and quite varied.

[paulz]

 

I volunteer to go back to NO to check out the food (again)-- geez I love fried gator.

 

 

Commander's Palace - it's more 'dining', but you want to go there

[cooterbrown]

 

Peach Cobbler - Paula Deen recipe

 

 

 

My version is better - I have a trophy to prove it.

[cooterbrown]

 

Okay people ,I'm a Chef ,speciality : French Cuisine ,European stuff and a little Asian Cooking. Now teach me and enlighten me. tell me all about Soulfood ,Cajun ,HillBilly and Deep South Cooking. I need Dishes and Origins,..Names and the way to prepare them,.. From Gumbo to Beefjerky, From Texas Steaks to Bubba's Shrimp Burgers,... Booshy

 

 

I have a whole slew of redneck recipies.

 

Some things you need to know wbout cooking authentic Deep South dishes.

 

1. You need iron skillets.

 

2. Our gravies are an art-form that should not be attempted by amateurs.

 

3. Not everything is deep-fried.

 

4. Recipies for "BBQ" can vary widely in as little as a 200-mile radius.

 

5. We don't put sugar in our cornbread...that would make it cake.

 

6. You need to specify what kind of plant you are using as "greens".

We have mustard, collard, turnip, polk sallet (this is the true spelling from the Deep South, not "poke salad"), etc.

 

7. "Syrup" for breakfast also needs clarification.

Our normal "table syrup" is usually a corn and cane sugar mixed with and molasses concoction. You may get looked at funny if you ask for maple syrup, in some places.

 

...ask if you need any specific recipies.

[cooterbrown]

Fried deer tenderloin with gravy, creamed taters, collards, corn bread, and banana pudding would be a typical meal at Granny's house.

Breakfast might be cathead biscuits with sawmill gravy.

There's also redeye gravy, tomato gravy, white gravy.

Don't forget grits...a Southern staple.

[rasputin1963]

 

Don't forget grits...a Southern staple.

 

 

 

Another thing that shouldn't take sugar.... butter, yes;

[rasputin1963]

wkdcUa-pQlg&feature=related

[rasputin1963]

mixed with and molasses concoction.

 

 

Something like KARO?

 

[cooterbrown]

Something like KARO?

 

Hell no.

 

This:

 

[cooterbrown]

 

Another thing that shouldn't take sugar.... butter, yes;

 

 

Sugar in grits?

 

I think there are harsh local laws for such atrocities.

 

Butter is good.

Mix your scrambled eggs with them is good.

Redeye gravy is good.

Crushed up bacon bits are good.

Go down to NOLA, and get some shrimp n' grits.

These are all perfectly acceptable.

[Gabriel E.]

In my experience, local cuisine does not travel well. I've had "Creole" and "Cajun" food in NY and California and it SUCKED. Even the Cajun food served in an Alabama restaurant sucked.

 

If you are going to make the recipes in the Netherlands, please do not attempt to "adapt" them. They need to be made the way they were intended with the proper ingredients and methods. If a recipe calls for peanut oil, use peanut oil.

[UstadKhanAli]

My version is better - I have a trophy to prove it.

 

 

I say hell yeah!!! I'll be right over!!!