For example, baked dishes such as casseroles have existed for thousands of years. Casseroles originated as communal pots that people shared for meals
Popular in Louisiana, gumbo is a stew of chicken, sausage, and seafood mixed with the Creole "holy trinity" (celery, bell peppers, and onions), all bathed in a richly-flavored dark roux.
A properly cooked pot of grits should be smooth, creamy, and deeply flavorful. Delicious on its own, grits is also great topped with prawn, pork sausage, and melted cheese.
A Southern favorite, chicken-fried steak is a breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of tenderized beefsteak coated with seasoned flour and either deep-fried or pan-fried.
Cornbread is one of the country's oldest foods. Native Americans were using ground maize as a dietary staple for thousands of years before European explorers arrived on the continent.
The American barbecue tradition owes its origins to the fusion of many cultural food traditions, including African and Caribbean.
Muscadine, a grapevine species native to the southeastern and south-central United States, is a fruit favored for its friendly fermentation process.
A signature Southern dessert, the fruit is covered by flaky biscuits and baked until golden brown. Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream for good measure.
Southern countryside cooking extends to brunch, though some recipes can prove a tad heavy on the belly.