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The New York Times has declared down home Southern cooking undignified in a story that heaped praise on a new generation of Southern chefs while denigrating fried chicken, Cracker Barrel restaurants and the Queen of Southern Food — Paula Deen.
The food snobs at the Times attacked Miss Paula in the second sentence of their lengthy diatribe – calling her a “so-called queen of Southern food, who cooks with canned fruit and Crisco.”
The Times bemoaned the “hayseed image” of Southern cooking while praising “a new generation of chefs who have pushed Southern cooking into the vanguard of world cuisine.”
Their headline proclaimed – “Vanquishing the Colonel – Farmers work with chefs to restore Southern cuisine’s dignity.”
You can read the entire story by clicking here.
“Today, purists believe, Southern cooking is too often represented by its worst elements: feedlot hams, cheap fried chicken and chains like Cracker Barrel,” the Times whined.
Perhaps The New York Times should consider first restoring its own dignity before launching a crusade against shrimp and grits.
It seems to me that the “so-called” queen of Southern cooking should fly up to New York City and take a cast iron skillet to the backside of the “so-called” newspaper that printed such nonsense.
But Miss Paula is a genteel Southern lady and would probably just shake her head and say, “Oh Lord, y’all.”
So as a proud son of the South, I believe it is my duty to defend the honor of our skillet fried chicken, our ham hocks and our sweet potato pies. Nobody speaks ill of butter and gets away with it.
For the record, I happen to have a Cracker Barrel rocking chair in my office at the Fox News Corner of the World – along with several copies of Paula Deen’s cookbooks. That being said – I’m really not quite sure why The New York Times felt compelled to launch a broadside against the traditional cuisine of the Southern states.
I’ll take a Cracker Barrel Meat Loaf sandwich and a slice of their Double Chocolate Fudge Coca Cola Cake any day of the week — over the slop they serve at those five-star New York City restaurants.
Does The Old Gray Lady really want to pick a food fight with Alabama or Mississippi? There’s a reason why the Magnolia State is the plumpest in the nation — it’s called banana pudding.
In New York City, they eat boiled animal tongues. In the South we use our tongues for licking our fingers.
Southerners eat buttermilk biscuits and sip frosty glasses of sweet tea. New Yorkers nosh bagels and drink seltzer water.
New Yorkers eat fermented soy and tuna tartar – while folks in Tennessee eat fried catfish – with tarter sauce.
As an expatriated Southerner living in Brooklyn, I’ve come to realize that this quest to redefine Southern cuisine has taken root in the Big Apple. Chefs who couldn’t succeed in Dixie have moved north to ply their trade. It’s a movement called, “New Southern Cuisine.”
To be fair, I decided to visit one of those so-called “New Southern Cuisine” restaurants the other day. To their credit, they served sweet tea. But that’s about the only southern thing in the building.
The first item on the menu was “Black-eyed Pea Hummus.”
I threw up a little inside my mouth.
The waiter brought my iced tea and suggested I try something they called “Arugula Smear.”
I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to eat it or wipe it.
I paid for my sweet tea, went home and whipped up a batch of Miss Paula’s macaroni and cheese. And as I sat down at my table, I prayed this prayer:
“Dear Jesus, thank you for butter. Amen.”
So let this column be a warning to my fellow Southerners. Take up your cast iron skillets and prepare to defend our kitchens from the Yankee invaders. And let our rally cry be heard from the beaches of Biloxi to the mountains of Gatlinburg – the only good chicken is a fried chicken.
So praise the Lord and pass the biscuits.
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Did any of you even READ the NYT article? Todd Starnes has completely and totally misrepresented its content. I am a native southerner and the last place I'd go for a real southern meal is Cracker Barrel. Jeez.
You could play a card from the NYT deck and call them racists, since much of Southern cooking is also part of the "soul food" menu. I'd like to see one of these clowns tell Mamma Dipp (famous soul food chef) that her cooking is "undignified". I think a lap full of hot grits and greens would be the appropriate response.
NYT attacking Paula Deen? Seriously? I wonder if they realize a lot of the deep fried deliciousness has huge amount of African American and French influence? I but if the douche who wrote that article did some research on southern cooking he would have never wrote that article. I guess anything south and west of NYC is just a bunch of uncultured hillbillies. However I am sure if a 5 star chef had prepared the same dishes the article would have been booming.
well this stupid thing has not had my buttermilk and cornbread! made in a iron skillet. what does those people eat?
they wouldn't like it at my house on sunday we are having ,collards,black eyed peas,ham and probally upside down cakeI guess they still think everyone who isn't like them are hicks,they have my sympathy
They would not like to set down at my Southern house table …
If that's what the NYT has to say about Southern food, whatever would they say about California food?
BTW, the mac and cheese does sound good now.
Seems to me that only a snob would criticize another's food. If the author was starving or just plain poor he would be grateful for whatever he was given to eat, right?
You have got to be kiddin me! Historically, southerners have perfected their recipes for years and it might not be NYC and it might not be to NY Times standards, but you know what! Paula Deen and so many southern cooks earned their right to be classy. Worked their way up and have celeb status cause they are true people and care about family life. And earned their right to the halls of fame. An expensive posh restaurant that the Times likes probably has no history, and the owners' grandmother wouldn't admit their association, and when it comes down to teaching fellow americans to cook – do you think in this economy the public has a problem with down home cooking? People have theri roots and the Times should get a life – nothing else to cover? Boycott the paper – would buy it if I had to have a fire!
Well said Todd.. and to the poor lil sad souls at the NYT and up Nawth… bless your heart. How about they just shush and stay up nawth of the Mason Dixon? We do just fine on our own.
Well said Todd.. and to the poor lil sad souls at the NYT and up Nawth… bless your heart. How about they just shush and stay up nawth of the Mason Dixon? We do just fine on our own.
Leave my collard greens and pork alone!
Leave my collard greens and pork alone!
I'm having trouble typing because my fingers are greasy from the fried chicken leg…but did ya ever notice that most of the people who work or shop in "health food" stores are some of the most un-healthy looking people around? They are usually very thin, ashen and gaunt,,, sort of holocaust survivor-ish! Not this Bubba! Pass me the pork chops!
This from a bunch of Yankees that don't know who or where their genetics are from? That eat arugula and have no idea what grits are? I laugh at their insolent ignorance…….
Wish u happy new year 2012
"I’ll take a Cracker Barrel Meat Loaf sandwich and a slice of their Double Chocolate Fudge Coca Cola Cake any day of the week — over the slop they serve at those five-star New York City restaurants."
Jams, can you tell me what slop you have eaten in NYC? Or is this a bullshit statement too?
Sorry, that should read James … no disrespecting th man intended!
I read the article and I just didn't get that slant. Anyway, down here in Mississippi, we eat our black-eyed peas for good luck minus the rice, but in our family, with a big spoonful of sweet pickle relish. Turnp greens for prosperity and cornbread to sop up all the pot liquor. It's good with or without fried chicken. As for Paula Deen, my family of cooks can't stand her false Southern showiness. Nor do we use do-nuts to make our hamburgers. Try a Sara Lee bun with fresh tomatoes out of the garden and some Zapp's Voodoo Potato Chips!
LOL! Those New Yawkers would have a heart attack if they read "White Trash Cooking" wouldn't they? (Potato chip sandwiches…hot-dog water soup… LOL!) Good article, Todd Starnes. Thanks!
I'll be an undignified cook as long as I can get my hands on some sugar and grease.
This one blew my mind….Is there any low they will not sink to?
I am from VA and I love my southern food.Southerners like myself love our fried chicken, cornbread, beans and greens.There isn't anything closer to heaven than down home cooking.Paula Deen i9s terrific and love me some Cracker Barrel too<3.
Like the Cleverlys blue grass group say, "We like our black-eye peas with a little cornbread!" Stonewall Brigade Skillet in Hand!
id rather have a plate of macaroni and cheese (made the real way…baked with chunks of cheese)then to go to a northern restaurant and pay $100 for s sliver of raw fish with a sprig of tarragon and a carrot curl anyday! screw the new york times.
Absolutely right, Sally! Screw faux news! Our food is SOOO good! C'mon down to my place and I'll fix you some lip smakin' southern fried chicken with greens and corn bread and the best pie you ever had! People love Paula for good reason! I like the other food too, because all good food is GOOD FOOD, but our down home southern cooking is just TOO GOOD!
BTW.. I make my mac & cheese with a delicious top crust, twice baked… YUMMMMMM!
Undignified? The food of the South was the food of hard livin' and hard workin' and making the best of everything you had. It was the food of slaves and their masters…cooked by each for each other. It is true food for the soul and it's diverse nature speaks volumes about the red clay ground it was grown in and the red-necked farmers that harvested it.
Hell YES I'm a southerner!
This is rediculous…and typical Yankee Carpet Bagger degridation of all things southern…We southern folk are strong and proud of our heritage…thanks to blackeyed peas, collard greens and cornbread!
Hi, Todd. Your commentary inspired me to blog about this. Here's the link: http://everydayepistle.com/2012/01/12/cracker-barrel-nation/.