Blogging from A to Z: April – 2016: T

Blogging from A to Z: April – 2016: T

The Blogging from A to Z challenge is to post everyday during the month of April 2016, except Sunday. I’ll start with the letter A – and hopefully make it all the way to letter Z. Hope you enjoy the read!

Come sit a spell with me and learn about the foods and memories of my Southern heritage, and enjoy a little Southern talk along the way… I grew up in the heart of Georgia, married a  Yankee in Connecticut and suddenly became displaced from my roots. But one thing is true – You can take the girl out of the South – But you can’t take the South out of the  girl! I’ve learned to eat differently over the years, but I’ve never given up the foods I grew up on. When I left Georgia, at the young age of nineteen, I knew how to cook nothing! I pretty much learned to cook by asking mama over the phone, how do you do make this, and how do you make that; thank heavens for my Southern mama! Even though mama doesn’t cook too much today, she still remembers the recipes and she’s been my go-to person every night in chatting about my Southern foods and many of her memories.

Southern Food and Memories

Tomatoes start my “T” post and it’s my mama’s favorite vegetable! If I just mention the word tomato, she’ll immediately talk about how she likes a few slices of tomato  with everything. If she’s having breakfast, she wants tomato slices on her plate – and you know you can’t argue with your mama – if you know what’s best for you – you just agree and move on.

Mama’s favorite veggie! Pixabay free image

Mama was always such a big fan of the red tomato – either as just a ‘mator sandwich or sliced on her breakfast or dinner plate; just as long as they were red – no green tomatoes for her! I don’t see anyone eat slices of tomatoes with breakfast in the North – it must be a Southern thing!

Now I’ve never been a fan of tomatoes until in  recent years – yes mama, now I eat fresh tomatoes! But I like them cut up with garlic and oil and known by the fancy name of bruschetta! In as much as I loved ketchup growing up – guess I thought it was made with another veggie!

Bruschetta – Pixabay free image

When mama was pregnant with me, what did she crave – Turnip Greens! She ate them day and night and whenever anyone was looking for her – granddaddy Bryan would say, “she’s probably down in the turnip patch picking more greens.” I guess that’s why I love them today! I have never attempted to make a pot of them from scratch – Cracker Barrel seems to satisfy me for now. If you’ve forgotten – the “B” post mentioned a “T” – well this is it! And if you didn’t read my “B” post, well it’s here.

Fried green tomatoes are awesome and last year my husband planted a garden so I could have green tomatoes – well I didn’t get one single green tomato! His squirrel friends seem to have thought he planted it just for them and they ate everything! Darn their little furry behinds! My daughter’s first sandwich she always orders in Georgia is a fried green tomato sandwich at The Chop House in Madison. I had some awesome fried  green tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe in Juliette, Griegua this year. Check out my “F” post for photos.

Hope Ya’ll come back for more – I’m not done yet!

Need More A to Z -then  you know what to do…2016: Blogging from A to Z Challenge

 

 © 2016 Jeanne Bryan Insalaco