The Southeast region stretches along the East Coast through Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and then west through the states of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
While living in Saint Augustine, Florida, Nicole grew quite accustomed to the sights, sounds, and cuisine that are characteristic of the American South. Heavy humidity hangs in the air like the webs of Spanish moss from the trees. The sound of frogs and crickets permeate through the dense marshes scattered with crawfish. In the waters heading down the Atlantic Ocean around Florida’s peninsula and up through the Gulf of Mexico, live multiple varieties of warm water shrimp. These reddish pink-shelled and plump, white meat-filled morsels are the main attraction in classic dishes like Shrimp and Grits (this page). In fact, from any sweltering hot (and yet surprisingly comfortable) Southern kitchen, you will find that fish and shellfish are by far the most predominantly used ingredients.
Many Southeast residents are from Native American, Spanish, French, African, and Latin American descent, and each of these cultures have put their own twists on the cuisine. Cajun cooking (otherwise known as “country cooking”) is based on many one-pot meals featuring local ingredients (known as “swamp-floor” ingredients) such as fish, wild game, and shellfish (see Cajun Delight, this page). On the other hand, Creole food is known as “city food,” and can be described as a sophisticated and refined cooking style marrying the flavors of the various ethnic groups found in New Orleans (see Shrimp Creole, this page).
The Southern recipes in the following pages feature both sweet and savory ingredients. From Georgia’s infamous peaches to the indigenous pecans of Alabama and Florida’s nearly unlimited supply of citrus, these sweet indulgences are harvested and enjoyed throughout America. Although desserts like Bananas Foster (this page), Key Lime Pie (this page), and Kentucky Derby Pie (this page) are replicated by chefs throughout the states, the Southeastern originals take the cake.
