They say you can tell a Southerner by how they remember every experience based on what food they had.

“How was your trip?”

“Oh, it was wonderful. We had the best peach cobbler…”

History has wired Southerners to think this way. We relate our experiences to what was served, what was prepared… Celebrations center around dishes steeped in tradition and memories of Great Granny preparing her special rolls or pie.

I spent my childhood hearing stories from my great grandmother about a lifetime of sharecropping. They lived in little shack houses provided by land owners where, as a child, my grandmother planted and raised cotton in exchange for lodging and a few monthly staples such as a 25-pound sack of flour and dried beans. Still, their childhood was filled with memories of wonderful food, thanks to the tradition of great Southern cooks having been firmly embedded in the family root system generations earlier when they were among the first to settle the Tennessee Valley.

Hey Everybody! I’m Christy. I come from a family of great southern cooks. People who can take ingredients they have on hand and not just “make do” but make magic at the dinner table. Fresh vegetables, cornmeal batters, our beloved White Lily flour, and tattered hand written recipes are in my blood and in my kitchen.

Armed with these recipes, my HomeEc degree, and Mama and Grandmama on speed dial, I hope to bring a bit of our heritage to you.

We’ve lived in the south all of our lives. Our ancestors were among the first families ever to settle in the Tennessee Valley. It doesn’t get more southern than this. Now go to the grocery store and get cooking!

You can also find me online at www.al.com, Foodbuzz.com, Divine Caroline, and in print Wednesdays on the front of the Life section in the Athens News Courier. I’ll be in further print soon and will keep you posted!

I am grateful for every single person who takes the time out of their busy lives to read Southern Plate! I love comments on my posts and I an THRILLED when someone tries a recipe and reports back! Thank you all so much for the daily smiles you bring to me!

Gratefully,

Christy