Just a Pinch of South

For those of us who grew up in the South but have moved elsewhere, we love our roots and all they have provided. There's a lot that I've come to appreciate about the South. But let's be honest, most of us don't want to go back to "full Southern." We're happy with just a pinch here and there to add flavor to the life we live now. If you are not a Southerner, perhaps you'll come to better appreciate the little gifts the American South has given and continues to give our culture. This blog is written by Elizabeth Bloodworth. Photos are not mine unless specified. Email me at justapinchofsouth @ gmail dot com. I tweet at @apinchofsouth and my other tumblr is called "everythingthatdoesntfitelsewhere" which is just what it sounds like.

Posts tagged butter

Nov30

Aug26

Today I’m teaching a Yankee friend to make biscuits. She’s the most legit foodie I know. She works for a food blog website called Food 52, grows vegetables on her roof garden here in NYC, and knows how to pickle things. But she has never made scratch biscuits. I know I’ve mentioned them (many times) before, but just to sum up here is what you need to know. 1. get the right kind of flour. Gold Medal is the wrong kind. White Lily, if you can. If not, Aunt Jemima Self-Rising will do in a pinch. 2. The butter must be cold. Very cold. And the oven must be very hot. At least 425. 3. Don’t add too much milk or cream (if you’re fancy). Just enough to moisten. 4. And don’t knead the hell out of the the things. They’ll get tough. This isn’t yeast bread! Otherwise, it’s not unlike making a pie crust. Same principles apply, actually, but there’s leavening and milk or cream, not water. I’m bringing cheese grits, too. They’re best if made the night before so they aren’t soupy. pic by sundaysuppers http://instagr.am/p/OeWB5EQ4vr/

Today I’m teaching a Yankee friend to make biscuits. She’s the most legit foodie I know. She works for a food blog website called Food 52, grows vegetables on her roof garden here in NYC, and knows how to pickle things.

But she has never made scratch biscuits. I know I’ve mentioned them (many times) before, but just to sum up here is what you need to know.

1. get the right kind of flour. Gold Medal is the wrong kind. White Lily, if you can. If not, Aunt Jemima Self-Rising will do in a pinch.

2. The butter must be cold. Very cold. And the oven must be very hot. At least 425.

3. Don’t add too much milk or cream (if you’re fancy). Just enough to moisten.

4. And don’t knead the hell out of the the things. They’ll get tough. This isn’t yeast bread!

Otherwise, it’s not unlike making a pie crust. Same principles apply, actually, but there’s leavening and milk or cream, not water.

I’m bringing cheese grits, too. They’re best if made the night before so they aren’t soupy.

pic by sundaysuppers http://instagr.am/p/OeWB5EQ4vr/

(Source: beeslikehoney, via thatkindofwoman)

262 notes #biscuits #cooking #food #butter

Nov25

Oct19

Southerners did not invent butter. But we might as well have. Any good traditional recipe will not skimp on the butter. It is in everything from biscuits to vegetables. We are not ashamed of our buttery ways. That said, of course, now the nation faces an obesity crisis and it is rampant in the South. I think we should not blame butter, but 2 other things: portion control and lack of exercise. The reason traditional Southern food was high in fat was because Southerners worked hard and sweated a lot pre-air-conditioning. The Southern diet was a farm diet where one worked hard and required a lot of calories. If one starts to drive everywhere, live with a/c, play video games, and work in front of a computer while huge corporate entities slowly increase the portion size of their products and include only highly refined substances in them, then you’re going to get fat. Don’t blame butter.

Southerners did not invent butter. But we might as well have. Any good traditional recipe will not skimp on the butter. It is in everything from biscuits to vegetables.

We are not ashamed of our buttery ways.

That said, of course, now the nation faces an obesity crisis and it is rampant in the South. I think we should not blame butter, but 2 other things: portion control and lack of exercise.

The reason traditional Southern food was high in fat was because Southerners worked hard and sweated a lot pre-air-conditioning. The Southern diet was a farm diet where one worked hard and required a lot of calories.

If one starts to drive everywhere, live with a/c, play video games, and work in front of a computer while huge corporate entities slowly increase the portion size of their products and include only highly refined substances in them, then you’re going to get fat.

Don’t blame butter.

(Source: bippityboppityboo, via sparklesandpretending)

71 notes #butter #food #diet #obesity