Soul Food

[Lukenskywalker]

The families of most African Americans in the San Francisco Bay area came to the area during WWII from all over the southern USA. These are the staple soul food dishes in our area: BBQ (actually smoked) Ribs, chicken or brisket with a spicy red BBQ sauce Catfish cornbread (although many places just give you plain old store-bought white or wheat bread) potato salad collard greens potato salad macaroni and cheese Pecan pie, sweet potato pie or peach cobbler for dessert I worked in an old fashioned soul food restaurant cooking in the 1970s that also served Chitlins and Red Snapper, which were generally only eaten by older people. Here's a link to to buy Everett & Jones BBQ sauce (which is excellent) http://www.super-que.com/purchase.htm

 

 

pretty much the same here around Trenton, NJ/philadelphia PA. area , but 'Chitlin's' are still a major buy, The fish is not Snapper but Porgie, or Whiting,

Best local food you can get around here (we don't call it 'soul food') is from the Black Church Fund Raisers, and the Local Puerto Rican restaurants....

 

Ay Carumba, Dios Mio, I just opened up a lethal whole vein of local food.

 

We are talking Testones, Empanadillas, Mofongo, Pernil, Arroz con Gandules, Pollo Asado, Pastellese, ...Flan, y Rice Pudding....Ay Bendido:thu:.

[cooterbrown]

I've found one unusual rule about BBQ.

The worse (and older) the place looks, the better the BBQ is.

Older always makes sense - nothing like BBQ off a 50-year old pit.

There's about four of these close to where I live.

In one of these BBQ joints, the upkeep of the old building became too much to handle, so they bought a new building, but moved the pit, completely intact to the new location. They took a backhoe and dug around the base of the chimney, lashed the pit to a forklift and got it off the ground, where it was loaded onto a truck, chain-secured, and driven to the new place.

[Lukenskywalker]

I've found one unusual rule about BBQ. The worse (and older) the place looks, the better the BBQ is. Older always makes sense - nothing like BBQ off a 50-year old pit. There's about four of these close to where I live. In one of these BBQ joints, the upkeep of the old building became too much to handle, so they bought a new building, but moved the pit, completely intact to the new location. They took a backhoe and dug around the base of the chimney, lashed the pit to a forklift and got it off the ground, where it was loaded onto a truck, chain-secured, and driven to the new place.

 

 

Ditto, we had a great place called the Trenton Steak house where you could get Philly style steaks, sausage sandwiches, all served on crusty/chewy Italian bread, every Cop, Fireman, state worker, Politcian, Senator, Lawyer, ate and hob-nob there along with the 'great unwashed' (Trenton being a Capitol City) They stayed open til 3 a.m.

 

About twenty years ago 'The Powers that Be',, they decided to add an entrance ramp to US 1,

The owners took the money and ran, opened up a place in the ' burbs'...they thought 'If you build it they will come'.... they did'nt.

 

So they took the original seasoned grill and the old Ice Cream freezer, moved it back into the city and leased a building near the original location and....

The world was a better place again.

I forgot to mention they were also famous for their homemade ice cream and Italian Ice.

[rasputin1963]

I remember this true story: none of Jeffrey Dahmer's apartment neighbors called the police when ghastly, putrid odors began to fill the communal hallways...

 

 

They thought white boy was cooking himself some chit'lin's.

[St. Andrew]

Fried okra

[Lukenskywalker]

I remember this true story: none of Jeffrey Dahmer's apartment neighbors called the police when ghastly, putrid odors began to fill the communal hallways... They thought white boy was cooking himself some chit'lin's.

Nah, Jeff was just cooking some 'Elbow' macaroni.

Public Service Announcement #12; for the Terminally White Members of HC;

'Chit'lins'= Chitterlings a.k.a Pig Intestines.

[flemtone]

Fried chicken coated with flour/pepper/a touch of salt by shaking in a paper grocery bag.

After you've fried it slow and removed it from the skillet, make gravy from the drippings - drain most of the leftover oil (leave a little bit), add a handful of flour to the crispies left after the chicken comes out of the skillet, brown it, then add cold water and a bit more pepper. Stir with a spatula until it thickens up. You can add more water to thin it down, but don't even think of adding more flour. If it's too thin, let it boil slowly.

Make mashed potatoes and handmade biscuits (never rolled, always shaped by hand). Add a side-dish of black-eyed peas and some sliced salt-pork cooked until there isn't a vitamin left in them, have hot pepper sauce handy for the black-eyed peas. Gravy goes on the potatoes and the biscuit(s), have enough gravy on the side to dip your chicken in. Never use a fork to eat fried chicken.

Iced tea is a requirement, either sweet or unsweetened. DO NOT serve pre-sweetened iced tea. Have sugar and long-handled iced-teaspoons so people can decide for themselves.

Follow with either a banana pudding or peach cobbler, possibly jello with fruit slices suspended therein. Plenty of coffee and/or a shot of corn will do you nice.

As an appetizer, there's always cheese and pimento spread...













{censored}, it's only 8am. *calls sweetie and asks what she'd like for dinner*

[Lukenskywalker]

Since the availability of ingredients is essential in making 'authentic' Soul/ethnic/local food, you should base your recipes on that premise.

Fried Fish, chicken, Shrimp Po' boys... I think 'Gulf Cooking' would be a good a good choice for you.

[cooterbrown]

 

Fried chicken coated with flour/pepper/a touch of salt by shaking in a paper grocery bag. After you've fried it slow and removed it from the skillet, make gravy from the drippings - drain most of the leftover oil (leave a little bit), add a handful of flour to the crispies left after the chicken comes out of the skillet, brown it, then add cold water and a bit more pepper. Stir with a spatula until it thickens up. You can add more water to thin it down, but don't even think of adding more flour. If it's too thin, let it boil slowly.

 

 

That's pretty good for teaching somebody how to make a basic gravy.

Any kind of meat you fry can be used for making gravy.

Some of us will add a pinch of garlic and onion to the pan after the meat comes out.

If you want to go one or two notches better, use Argo or Wondra, instead of flour.

A few drops of Maggi will also turn good gravy into great gravy.

Also...gravy tastes and looks better if you just barely scorch your flour, before you add the water.

I've actually got the "secret ingredient" for the most awesome beef-based gravy ever, but I'm not giving it out. Sorry.

[rasputin1963]

One thing no-one's yet mentioned as being part of Southern, down-home cooking, and that's JELL-O. (In the UK and British colonial world, usually called a "jelly".)

 

Little old Southern and Midwestern women from the post-WWII era know a dozen ways to turn JELL-O into a unique side-dish of its own...

 

Let's see, from my own family, there is:

 

Orange JELL-O swirled with mayonnaise, with bits of golden raisins, shredded carrots and celery slices floating in it....

 

Raspberry JELL-O with a mixture of sour cream, chopped walnuts, apple chunks and frozen/sweetened raspberries added to it (in decorative layers). This was often served at our Thanksgiving table.

 

"Pineapple Paradise Pudding": Lemon JELL-O with a mixture of chunk pineapple, pureed banana, flaked coconut, COOL WHIP, and Vanilla Wafers blended into it....

 

 

 

My least favorite must be the first kind described here, in which JELL-O is blended with savory ingredients like mayonnaise and vegetables. In this case, it's called a "JELL-O salad". Though ultimately dating from the days of savory "aspics", I think the fad of sweet JELL-O salads got started in the Fab Fifties, when garishly-colored foods were the desiderata. My wacky friend James Lileks has made it his life-task to rediscover all these bizarre food fads of the baby Boomers' childhood.

 

Today, still oft found at church potlucks and bridge parties in the Deep South and Midwest among the elderly set...

 

In this 1950's magazine ad, it looks like someone has blended green olives, celery and cheese chunks into lime-flavored JELL-O; garnished, of course, with lettuce, tomato and orange wedges. EWWW-WW!

 

In the second image, I spy peas, corn, potatoes, green beans and carrots-- essentially a can of Libby's MIXED VEGETABLES--- poured into an orange...or is it lemon?..... JELL-O.

 

You were supposed to compliment your hostess on how inventive she was, and how surprisingly well the tastes of sweet and savory go together...

 

 

 

Now, to REALLY give this food a Southern flavor, the hostess must have smoked a full pack of KENT's during the preparation of such dish, and, during the serving, every man, woman, child and dog must be smoking KENT's.

[paulz]

Any kind of meat you fry can be used for making gravy. Some of us will add a pinch of garlic and onion to the pan after the meat comes out.... Also...gravy tastes and looks better if you just barely scorch your flour, before you add the water.

 

basically a sort of quickie take on a (in this case marron) roux

 

 

full on roux, that's a study, but one boosh might have his head around....if they call it "french toast" you don't want their roux

[rasputin1963]

I guess what must be borne in mind by Boosh-y and our Europeans:

 

This down-home food is definitely very high in calories, and surely dates from a time when menfolk, and women, too, worked daily in highly active, physically-exertive professions--- farming, hunting, animal husbanding, carpentry, laundrywork, etc.---- in which they would naturally burn up these mega-calories.

 

Today, far fewer Americans work at these highly-exertive professions.... yet we still retain these traditions of extremely high calorie food. (I'm not exempting myself at all here, I love American "roots" "comfort" cooking, and I'm a bigger Southern boy than I should be... ahem....)

 

Today, Houston and San Antonio, Texas, lead the nation in public obesity levels..... superseded only by..... Detroit, MI.

[cooterbrown]

 

basically a sort of quickie take on a (in this case marron) roux full on roux, that's a study,

 

 

Yeah...I can do roux, as well.

Cajun is actually something I've only gotten really interested in the last few years, though.

I do a mean cajun fried rice.

[cooterbrown]

One thing no-one's yet mentioned as being part of Southern, down-home cooking, and that's JELL-O. (In the UK and British colonial world, usually called a "jelly".) Little old Southern and Midwestern women from the post-WWII era know a dozen ways to turn JELL-O into a unique side-dish of its own... Let's see, from my own family, there is: Orange JELL-O swirled with mayonnaise, with bits of golden raisins, shredded carrots and celery slices floating in it.... Raspberry JELL-O with a mixture of sour cream, chopped walnuts, apple chunks and frozen/sweetened raspberries added to it (in decorative layers). This was often served at our Thanksgiving table. "Pineapple Paradise Pudding": Lemon JELL-O with a mixture of chunk pineapple, pureed banana, flaked coconut, COOL WHIP, and Vanilla Wafers blended into it....

 

Must be peculiar to your area.

Around here, the most I've ever seen anybody do with jello is the fruit salad thing with cool whip...and I haven't really seen much of that in years. Most desserts around here are baked.

Then, of course, there is the fried pie.

[cooterbrown]

One cannot forget boiled pig's feet when initiating a discussion on "soul food", of course!

 

[rasputin1963]

Must be peculiar to your area.

 

It must be White Trash Cookery.

 

 

Deep Southern Cookery and White Trash Cookery are sister traditions, yet they do not overlap completely.

[cooterbrown]

It must be White Trash Cookery. Deep Southern Cookery and White Trash Cookery are sister traditions, yet they do not overlap completely.

 

Agreed. There are so many sub-genres.

Some of the things I was talking about are from true rural areas.

Most people who live just 25 miles from the area I was talking about (i.e.: the town I now live in) have never eaten squirrel steaks or rabbit hash, but they'll serve you up a wicked hot hamburger plate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_hamburger_plate

[paulz]

Yeah...I can do roux, as well. Cajun is actually something I've only gotten really interested in the last few years, though.

 

It's an area to study for sure, - I mean Cajun roux is kind of an offshoot from the more straight French-style roux that came more straight across instead of down -- they behave a bit differently

but both can be really good.

While they have similar base roots, they are on different parts of a spectrum and getting both under the belt is really worthwhile

 

but even in the "bastardized" roux, keeping the french is worth doing.

that's why if they call it "french toast" you don't want their roux

[rasputin1963]

Mustn't forget Frog's Legs as a Southern delicacy...

 

[cooterbrown]

It's an area to study for sure, - I mean Cajun roux is kind of an offshoot from the more straight French-style roux that came more straight across instead of down -- they behave a bit differently but both can be really good. While they have similar base roots, they are on different parts of a spectrum and getting both under the belt is really worthwhile but even in the "bastardized" roux, keeping the french is worth doing- that's why if they call it "french toast" you don't want their roux

 

 

I'm sticking to the Cajun versions for now...even remoulade and bordelaise...altohugh I do sometimes combine French and Cajun recipes for bordelaise.

[paulz]

 

I'm sticking to the Cajun versions for now...even remoulade and bordelaise

 

 

Probably wise for now, there's that history and palate and getting plugged in to it thing like there is with anyplace and

Cajun and creole, by nature of it being a "mashup" has some wiggle room and is probably what most guests you'll serve will associate with it "Louisiana...you mean like 'Cajun??" anyway.

 

I was thinking at first straight French (as opposed to Cajun or creole) Louisiana cooking might be a good springboard for Boosh as he's got solid French training, but I don't think it'd be that indicative of "American Soul food" in general (even given the regional differences, I mean we're talking the lone state that has french-based law) and his clientele will probably also be excited for a "Louisiana = 'Cajun" kind of experience

So now I'm kind of thinking that Boosh might want to not do a specifically Louisiana thing and just look at the Louisiana dishes that have a more typically anglo influence

at least til he gets a "soul food" repertoire to his satisfaction and then go back and pick up some of the nuances of Louisiana separately

[cooterbrown]

Mustn't forget Frog's Legs as a Southern delicacy...

 

Or Gator tail:

 

[paulz]

I had frog legs just two weeks ago...in paris...in a chinese restaurant

go figure

[Lukenskywalker]

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.

 

 

Tried the first recipe for Smothered Chicken (Oprahs Suffocated Chicken)

So good! Had homemade corn bread too....

 

I think that's a recipe that could work nicely for Boosh.

[flemtone]