Mable, where are you from?!?

Recently I realized that my younger children have really led a sheltered life. My children were born in the South, and they had never eaten bologna.

This started with a conversation about the Local Hardee's that advertises Bologna biscuits on the marquee. Now mind you, I'm sure this is just a local thing. I've noticed that the local fast food joints seem to be franchised, rather than corporate owned. How do I know this? Just a hunch....our local BK generally has messages ranging from a scripture, something inspirational, but more often the time, date, and place of the viewing for someone recently "passed". (the expression used here in the south) Something tells me, our BK is not your average run of the mill company owned store. Okay, back to Hardee's. I'm just thinking that Bologna biscuits might be more appreciated in North Florida that in other places.

So back to the kids....I really hated bologna as a kid and never got past it. I will pass up one of the popular combos at Subway because of the mystery meat included, a.k.a. bologna. There is one exception, fried. I seemed to remember liking it fried, so after church yesterday, ran by the local Winn Dixie and picked up 2 packs of bologna. (they were B.O.G.O., no, we were not that hungry!) You would think I introduced them to lobster, they loved it! So much, that the 8 yr. old wants to start packing her lunch for school, so that she can have it every day. (We have moderation issues in our family, along with perhaps a few OCD tendancies....) And they might have had it again tonight for dinner.....

I started thinking about some of the regional food and beverage choices that we don't think much about, because we are used to them. First of all, let me start by saying that I was not born in the South- or at least not the deep South. Technically, you might say I grew up straddling the Mason Dixon line. I grew up in the Midwest, in a small town in Southern Illinois. To this day, the local hospital does not deliver babies, so folks are forced to drive across the river into Kentucky when it is time to deliver. So, although we lived in Illinois, I was born in Kentucky. When people ask me if I'm a Yankee, I can choose whichever best fits the occasion! I keep most a little confused, because I talk faster than anyone you will EVER meet, but apparently with a little southern twang, so everyone knows I can't be from here....you get the picture.)

Regarding the food, I must have more southerner in me than I thought, because I love Southern food! Not like most Southerners. I have observed that alot of true southerners like home cooking, soul food, etc. but that where it stops. I guess I am more of a "foodie", because I like it all! My favorite food is actually Thai food. But some of the regional favorites I have tried and liked include lima beans, collard greens, and grits, but not sweet tea. (see, that's where the yankee kicks in...over the last 2-3 years I have began to love unsweet tea. That is almost profanity in these parts!)

Several months ago, we had some friends that were staying here from up North, and due to health problems, had to move back up north with very little notice. As they were cleaning out the fridge and pantry, they sent many perishable items to my house. My kids were thrilled with the gallon of Publix sweet tea, since mom doesn't make it! It is interesting to me to see what foods others buy. These folks were from Iowa, (doesn't seem far from Illinois), but some of the thinks in their pantry I had never heard of, or certainly would never think to buy. Plum pudding, which in reading the label, I found is really raisin pudding, and then something called Hard Sauce. That is some sort of brandy sauce for the plum pudding. There were other weird things, but it was kind of fun using up Barb's odd grocery items.

Let's see, what should we try tomorrow night?