Introduction

From Editor Sherrie Shaw:

Food is used for survival and celebration, ritual and worship. Each part of the country claims traditions that make food a cultural experience; southern tradition is well-recognized. Have you ever wondered where the concept of "Southern food" derived from? Southerner's haven't. Southerners are pretty much content with the knowledge that their foodways are the best in the world, and if you don't already know that then you must be from the North.

The Southern culture literally determines cultural status by the "vittles" one might put on their plate. For example, in 1989, I was travelling with my family through Georgia and stopped for breakfast at a small diner on the outskirts of Savannah. The waitress took our order for the customary pancake, eggs and bacon special. Then she asked the question that to this day, separates the North for the South: "Do you want grits... or hash browns?" I would later learn that my answer to this question could mean the difference between a coffee refill or quick bill deposited in the maple syrup drippings.

"What are grits?" I ignorantly responded. The waitress chewed her gum for three more rounds before slowly coming to a stop with her mouth slightly agape. Her eyes glanced up from her receipt to book to look directly at me. A smile erupted as if a small child had incorporated humor into the conversation. "You want taters, honey", she patiently nodded with a wink of her eye. The waitress then turned and walked away, not waiting for my response.

I have lived within the Southern boundaries for about six years now and from my encounters with southern meals, I have learned much about myself. For instance, I know that there are two titles for people from the North, "Yankees" and "damn Yankees". A "Yankee" is someone from the North, a "damn Yankee" is someone from the North that now lives in the South. I learned this difference from a Louisiana man that swore he could sustain life for an unlimited amount of time on the staple foods RC cola and moon pies. This same Southern man was the person who introduced me to Cajun crawfish.

Meet the Class

Instructor - Terry Prewitt
From center clockwise:
Julie Gauthier - Student Director
Kirsten Dewitt
Alex Ritzheimer
Sherrie Shaw - Editor
Amanda Coleman
From bottom right clockwise:
Bridget Gipson
Nikki Welch
Cindy Remington
Cindy Beggs
Tom Moore
Colleen Andrews
From left to right:
Jason Grooms
Sherry McMaster
Danny Benboe

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