This past Winter Break, I visited Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama with my family. Our main attraction was seeing New Orleans, a cultural hub that none of us had been to, but we were also enticed by the plethora of Civil Rights History throughout the South. However, (almost) more importantly, we were excited to explore the "coveted" foods of the South. Beyond the classics of Southern food culture such as Mac and Cheese, Fried Chicken and Beignets, we were looking forward to finding hidden gems or unexpected meals along our journey. So, come join me in reminiscing on our gastro-cultural journey. Beware: your mouth may be watering by the end!
First stop: New Orleans!
Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras and the French Quarter. All these words I associated with New Orleans before I had even been. However, there is so much more to this Louisiana city than I could have imagined. It has become one of the biggest foodie cities in America with a plethora of cuisines. Most notably is the well-known Cafe Du Monde which has been serving up beignets and cafe au-laits for over 150 years. A must-try spot, this was nothing short of a perfect experience. The beignets are served warm, coated in an avalanche of powdered sugar and perfectly doughy. We enjoyed these treats while sitting in the main square in historic New Orleans, soaking up the rich cultural past.
On the topic of beignets, an unexpected moment turned into a delicious one as we were walking through the French Quarter Food Market. After purchasing some pralines (a New Orleans staple treat), we were offered a sample of something that you could only come up with in your wildest dreams: a praline-filled beignet. Each of us took a bite and we were transported into fried food heaven. Licking our lips, we walked away ready to start our day.
While this experience was a necessity in NOLA (as the cool kids call it), my family was also excited to try a restaurant our friends raved about: Shaya. Serving modern Israeli cuisine with notes of Southern flavors, it has won a James Beard Award and is world-renown. A non-traditional Southern institution, Shaya won over our hearts and stomachs. Everything we ate was phenomenal, from the fresh-out-of-wood-fired oven pita bread to the simply glazed carrots with a za'atar tahini sauce. My personal favorite was the fried halloumi (soft, Greek cheese) with a whipped beet puree and thin green apple slices. As I took the first bite, the flavors exploded in my mouth- a perfect savory-sweet-tart-creamy combination, exactly like in Ratitoulle with the strawberry and cheese (pictured above).
So, New Orleans was a success! We tasted the classics and something new. We even tried fun snacks, like the New Orleans brand called Zapp's in the original Kettle Style "Cajun Dill Gator-Tator" flavor. Who knew they would be so delicious? By the end of our three days, our stomachs were full and our hearts were happy. We will definitely return to New Orleans, next time trying alligator!
Next up: Mississippi
After picking up a car in New Orleans, we drove to a state that always gives me trouble when I try to spell it. We were just passing through but decided it would be so cool to stop. First, we stopped on a beach to look at the Gulf of Mexico, a first for all of us. The sand was so white, it felt as if we were transported to the Caribbean. After a little stroll, we continued driving to reach Biloxi, a well-known town on the Gulf. In need of coffee and a snack, we decided to stop whenever we saw something open. Sure enough, we found a hidden gem: Fill-Up with Billups. This was an old gas station turned 24-hour diner chain. Curious, we stopped in and were immediately transported back to the 1950s. Plopping down on the red bar stools, we ordered coffees to-go along with an intriguing menu item: a cat-head biscuit. Soon enough we would learn this item got its name from the fact that it is the size of a cat's head. This immediately became one of the most memorable (and delicious foods we enjoyed on the trip). Now onto the next state: Alabama!
Final Destination: Alabama
"Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama." Unsure of what to expect in this seemingly foreign land, we decided to keep open-minds and, of course, empty stomachs. After arriving in late on a Sunday night to Montgomery, we were met with the harsh reality of practically zero open restaurants. So we all chuckled as we ended up at a Japanese restaurant, munching on tuna rolls and edamame. However, this was just one fun food experience in Alabama.
The next day, after a tour of the incredible Legacy Museum and The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, we ate one of the best meals of our lives. After asking around for suggestions, we ended up at a hole in the wall out in the boondocks called Davis Cafe. There was no sign out front and the place looked like it was boarded up. But, as soon as we walked in, we were met with the friendliest faces and most delicious smells. The restaurant was adorned with plastic tables and rustic decorations, with the walls filled with pictures of customers and their families. We read the daily specials and all opted to get our own plates of tasty homemade creations such as cornbread, fried chicken, mac and cheese and collard greens. We chatted with the woman working the cash register and she told us how her mom was cooking all of the food in the kitchen. A true story of generational love and food all in one.
Now, the food was nothing short of indulgent. As I dug into the mac and cheese and took a bite that immediately melted in my mouth, I was overcome with a feeling of love. The flavors exploded in my mouth, from the subtly sweet cornbread to the juicy collard greens. We all sat in silence, completely entranced by the food: a sign of greatness!
Our final foodie destination was the most exciting of all: Waffle House. Famous in the South for waffles (of course!) along with an old-fashioned diner feel. This was our Christmas Day treat! After waiting in line for quite a while, chatting with the very friendly people near us (Southern hospitality is real!), we were finally seated in a booth. Helped by a young man, service was fast and efficient. My waffle was buttery and cloud-like in texture. Truly one of the best I've ever had! However, while the food was comforting and delicious, the people-watching was intriguing to me. Scanning the room, I spotted a family of six in matching Christmas pajamas, a group of four women praying before eating the food and a man wearing pajama pants that read: "Fleece Navidad" with a pair of cowboy boots. So while we sipped our coffee in mugs with bright yellow signs reading "Waffle House" and munched on crispy hashbrowns and eggs, I took a page out of my cultural anthropology book and just observed.
So......
What did I learn from this experience? Turns out I love waffles and pralines! However, digging a little deeper I can come to terms with the fact that our Southern history is hard and serious, but the people that live there are nothing short of (possibly) the friendliest people you will ever encounter. The amount of compliments we got on our ugly Christmas sweaters was countless; we were even stopped by a man in a moving car who yelled out "nice sweaters" with a thick Southern twang! They make food with love and joy, whether it be straight from the fryer in a styrofoam box or served on a ceramic plate with fancy garnishes and exotic flavors. Until my next food journey, I will be dreaming about fluffy beignets and heavenly mac and cheese for days.