Collard Greens w/ Smoked Turkey Wings | To Kill a Mockingbird #FoodnFlix

This month, the Food 'n Flix club is watching an American classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, based on the book of the same name by Harper Lee. I should probably start off with an admission...one that I'm actually ashamed to admit, especially afer introducing it as an American classic, but...I'd never actually seen or even read To Kill a Mockingbird until last week.

[Insert collective gasp!]

Pimiento Cheese | The Hideaway

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for the first novel by Lauren K. Denton, The Hideaway! Although bits and pieces (pun totally intended if you read this) of this story are set in New Orleans, the majority of it takes place in a charming little town in Alabama called Sweet Bay.

Gullah-inspired Red Rice w/ Shrimp, Bacon & Fennel | Vanishing Time

Have you ever had an author sort of sneak up on you? That's basically what Katharine Britton has done to me. I was first introduced to her books 5 years ago when I reviewed Her Sister's Shadow as part of a book tour. A few years later, I reviewed her novel Little Island, again as a part of a book tour. I really enjoyed the honest, down-and-dirty quality of her stories and characters, but then she did it—snuck up and became one of my favorites.

I read her latest book, Vanishing Time, on the plane to New York and back last week. And darnit all if I didn't have to hold in the tears a couple of times. I kind of thought that would happen after reading the description, though. It's a story about Cama Truesdale and her pursuit to find her son, who she believes deep-down is still alive even after her ex-husband was found dead, seemingly from a boat fire that happened on a "boys only" fishing trip the two were taking.

Ham Biscuits inspired by The Walking Dead

It's day 6 of Dead Eats: Recipes Inspired by The Walking Dead, and I'm super excited to be sharing a recipe inspired by the man of many profound sayings and one magical mullet—Dr. Eugene Porter. But first let me say - ONE MORE DAY 'TIL GO TIME! I've had a blast with Kim and Dionne this week, cooking up TWD-inspired food.

Okay, on to today's recipe. This reference is easy to miss, because the line slips out of Eugene's mouth as he and Tara are walking into the "doctor's office" in Alexandria. As they come through the door, we hear Eugene say "It hams my biscuits is all".

Sweet Potato Ham Biscuits inspired by History and Ham in Smithfield

A big thank you to Smithfield Foods and Hunter PR for sponsoring my trip to Smithfield, Virginia. All opinions shared in this article are my own.

clockwise from top left: view of the James River from the lodge at Aberdeen Farm, "Magnolia"  of Smithfield's Porcine Parade, A cotton field in Smithfield county, P.D. Gwaltney, Jr. House

Recently I was treated to a whirlwind 48 hour adventure in which I glimpsed the rich history and culture of Smithfield, Virginia. Before my trip, when I heard the word Smithfield, I associated it with ham. I think that's a pretty appropriate reaction to a town that is home to the world's oldest ham, a porcine parade, and thick humid air that delivers the scent of smoked ham to your senses the moment you step foot in town.

Fried Green Tomatoes & Pulled Pork ...inspired by Fried Green Tomatoes for Food 'n Flix

Fried Green Tomatoes is one of those movies I pull out and watch about once every couple of years. Evelyn Couch is a woman who gets no respect- from others or herself.  By chance she meets Ninny Threadgood at a nursing home when she and her husband go to visit his grouchy old aunt.  Ninny regales Evelyn with tales of strong women, full-lived lives, great endeavors of love, and the mouthwatering food that went hand-in-hand.  Some parts make me laugh...some tug tears from my eyes...and some just plain make me hungry.  Ruth and Idgie run The Whistlestop Café with Big George on hog duty.  Most days the smell of barbecue drifts from the back, luring folks in this lazy Alabama town in to eat some lunch or some supper.  Evelyn learns confidence and strength from Ninny's tales...changing who she is (for the better) as a person.  "Face it girls.  I'm older and I've got more insurance."  ha ha ha...

Listening to old Ninny Threadgood's lively stories of Idgie and Ruth's adventures as she relates them to Evelyn never fails to make me want to go barefoot, charm bees, and eat some good Southern food.  Some days, I just need to yell.... TOWANDA!

"Funny what you miss when you're away from home.  I miss the smell of coffee...and bacon fryin'.  Oh, what I wouldn't give for a plate of fried green tomatoes like we used to have at the café."  ~Ninny Threadgood to Evelyn

Fried Green Tomatoes

adapted from/inspired by Bo's Bowl

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green tomatoes (unripe), sliced ~⅓" thick

flour

salt, pepper, seasonings (as you wish)

eggs

panko bread crumbs

oil, for frying

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I rarely measure ingredients out when using the standard breading procedure (flour, egg wash, bread crumbs)...so, please click on the link to Bo's Bowl for more precise instructions, if you like.

Basically, slice up as many green tomatoes as you need.  Season up some flour with salt and pepper...add other seasonings, if you wish (this is gonna add flavor to the finished dish...I always season my flour).  Put all of that in one wide, shallow dish.  Beat up some eggs and put those in another dish.  Add bread crumbs to a third dish.  Heat up about an inch of oil until it is shimmering.  Bread your tomatoes by dredging them in the seasoned flour and shaking off any excess, then dipping in egg, then into the bread crumbs to coat.  Carefully slide them into the hot oil until golden on both sides (flip, if needed).  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate while you cook up the rest.

Serve as is or with a dipping sauce.  I used a Spicy Ranch like Bo suggested...although I didn't realize I was out of Sriracha until I was already making them.  So I just spiced it up with some Tabasco.  So tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.  I loves me some Fried Green Tomatoes!

Pulled Pork w/ Vinegar Barbecue Sauce
(Carolina-Style BBQ ...in the slow-cooker)

adapted from Patricia Wells
yield ~8 svgs

pork
~2 lbs. boneless pork butt, cut into large chunks
¼ c. cider vinegar
1 Tbs. brown sugar
½ Tbs. sea salt
couple big pinches crushed red chile flakes

vinegar-barbecue sauce
1½ c. cider vinegar
⅓ c. brown sugar
¼ c. ketchup
1 Tbs. hot sauce
½ tsp. sea salt
freshly ground pepper
½ tsp. worcestershire sauce

Combine all of the pork ingredients in a slow-cooker.  Cook on high for ~5 hours or low for ~10 hours.  Drain off most of liquid and pull the meat apart with two forks.

While pork is cooking, make sauce.  Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Let cool and refrigerate until ready to use.

Add sauce to pulled meat in slow cooker and continue to cook for another hour or two.  Pile on buns, rolls, or bread (drizzle with more of the sauce in the pot) and serve with Fried Green Tomatoes!

This dish clears your sinuses and packs a punch!  Plus, it freezes well.

Fried Green Tomatoes was chosen by Glennis of Can't Believe We Ate, who is the Food 'n Flix host this month.  It's not too late to join in!  Click HERE for details

I am also sharing this post with:

The Gift of Southern Cooking~ a cookbook review

I love winning things.  I know...odd.  I especially love winning cookbooks.  My dear friends...nudging a slot into the packed shelves and teetering stacks they call home.  So, imagine how excited I was to win The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock from Bo over at Bo's Bowl...thanks again, Bo!  Okay, ecstatic...I love new friends cookbooks; books of any kind, really.  As usual, when I get my hands on a new book, I sit down with some sort of paper, ready to bookmark.  Since I was completely unfamiliar with either Lewis or Peacock, this was a great new endeavor for me!  The book is packed with personal intros to the recipes...anecdotes and notes on the history of certain foods and how they relate to Southern cooking or one of their experiences in general...and ends with a compilation of seasonal menus devised from recipes in the book.  Plenty of learnin' packed into this book...enough to make a Yankee like me start speakin' with a lazy drawl.  Oh, and it may sound trite, but I think I was  hooked the minute I opened up the book and saw a quote from one of my favorite books notice I said book, not movie...can't stand the movie, LOVE the book. Yes, I've said it before...more than likely I'll say it again.  I mean, it doesn't get much more Southern than... "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again." -Scarlett O'Hara

The first thing I made...because I've been meaning to make it forever anyway...was Candied Bacon.  Bacon Candy.  Whatever you decide to call it...it's heaven.  Sweet and salty and melt-in-your-mouth fabulous.  Really, it couldn't be easier to make, either.  Dredge some good, thick bacon in brown sugar and bake it at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.  Yup, 15 minutes to wait in order to experience bliss...not too much to ask.

Something else I love?  Vinegar...especially Hot Pepper Vinegar.  Dousing it on hot fries or a burger or a bowl of chili...oh man, I actually crave the stuff!  It too, is easier than the dickens to make.  They say this is the "essential condiment of the Deep South, used to season greens other vegetables, and meats.  You'll find this vinegar on every table, often in old catsup or liquor bottles."  I'm ready to adopt that deep south tradition in my house!  And you bet I'm using it to season my next batch of greens....oh, my mouth is watering... 

The next dish I knew I had to make was Pigs' Feet in Savory Tomato Sauce.  If you've never worked with or eaten pigs' feet before...you are missing out!  The feet of any animals are often dismissed and forgotten in many parts of the U.S. these days.  People want their chops and their bacon and their tenderloin...but I think it's important to honor that animal that gave its life, so that we might fill our bellies, by utilizing every last part of it that we can.  They don't yield a lot of meat, but the "succulent morsels of meat" they do produce are beyond worth it!  It takes ~4 hours to cook, but that is mostly unattended.  Plus, the liquid that comes from the initial simmering of the pigs' feet makes for a wonderful, gelatinous broth that you can put away to use later when making soup or cooking beans...bonus!  On a separate note, I don't know if it's just me, but I can't see pigs' feet or even say the words without getting that line from Friday stuck in my head... Every time I come in the kitchen, you're in the kitchen...eating up all the got d--- food!  I like piiiiiigs feet! I like collared greens!...  But you have to say it like the dad says it...with passion... Ha! Seriously, I'll be saying it for the rest of the day now.

Coffee Jelly was something else I just could not resist making. Tell me coffee lovers, could you resist an intro like this: "In the Old South (and in England and Europe today), a "jelly" meant a chilled gelatin dessert, not something to spread n toast.  But despite its antique name, this unusual and refreshing summer treat was born for my love for very strong iced coffee.  Barely jelled, but intensely flavored and slightly sweetened, the dark "jelly" trembles in its glass....and melts in the mouth."  I thought not.  It was wonderful and quite different from what us Northerners know as jello.  I wondered if it had actually "set" because it stilled looked so wobbly, but as promised it was intense with just the right hint of sweetness with an intriguing wiggle to it.

I won't be stopping there...I have plenty more bookmarks to get through and more Southern specialties teasing my visual taste buds.  Lewis and Peacock show us how diverse, yet how common the different cuisines of the South are in this book.  Lewis is from Virginia, Peacock is from Alabama...they are separated by generations, yet united by their love and respect for culture, tradition, and food.  The stories told in this book are highly personal...yet welcoming.  A new companion I will cherish on my shelf...and in my kitchen...for years to come.

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*Update 12/24/10: I am sharing this review w/ the 12 Day of Bloggie-mas.