Good Ol’ Southern Food: The Ins and Outs of Preparing a Southern Feast

Good Ol’ Southern Food: The Ins and Outs of Preparing a Southern Feast There is just something about Southern Cooking, something about the women who’ve mastered it, and something about what it represents. A Southern Feast represents time spent in careful preparation and an almost entire region of people that didn’t get the memo about cholesterol. Southern cooking brilliantly displays a community that still remains untouched by at least some of the craziness in the world around us. Things move a little slower in the South, and one of those things is the cooking. Preparing a Southern feast is a job. It is hard work, and it takes some time, but that is part of the charm. This cooking is the kind that allows for sitting around canning beans and fussing over biscuits. In the way that baking Christmas cookies brings families together, Southern cooking does as much. It can be done, with ease and grace, not to mention great fellowship when a meal is prepared with the ones you love. I believe the basis of any southern meal is a good amount of lard. We are not really talking olive oil here, but actual lard from a pig. If done correctly lard should be found in at least three of the main dishes. Equally important are the homegrown veggies. No meal, southern or any other, for that matter would be complete without some good homegrown food. Now, a true genius can use the lard and veggies, but we will get to that later. Once you have your veggies and main dish, complementary side items like biscuits and gravy, and sweet tea make the meal complete. The Main Element: In most circles, you will find the main element to be a meat. In most southern circles, you will find that meat to be fried, be it southe... ...nd nutmeg v Stack 2 piecrusts; gently roll or press together. Fit pastry into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. v Toss together apple and lemon juice in a large bowl. Combine brown sugar and next 4 ingredients; sprinkle over apple mixture, and toss to coat. Spoon into prepared piecrust. v Roll remaining piecrust to press out fold lines; place over filling. Fold edges under, and crimp; cut slits in top for steam to escape. v Bake at 450 ° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 °, and bake 35 minutes. Fried Apples 12-15 Golden Delicious Apples  ½ -3/4 Cups Sugar 1tsp Cinnamon  ½ stick of butter v Wash and Cut apples into bite size pieces v Combine Sugar, Cinnamon, and Butter in skillet v Add apples v Stir occasionally until apples are tender v Serve hot or later chilled