Southern Food Archives - Page 6 of 10

Category: Southern Food

Southern Delicacy: Cheese Straws

by Marissa in Main, Southern Food on August 27, 2012

Y’all may not know this, but I’m completely obsessed with Goldfish, Cheez-Its, and any and all other variations of cheese crackers. When I was a little girl, I went through a month-long stage when I refused to eat anything BUT Cheez-Its! So when Emily and I were brainstorming Southern delicacies, I knew cheese straws was going to be one of my favorites!

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Recipe and photo from the Food Network

Cheese straws are traditionally served as a cocktail snack, and pair perfectly with wine, beer, spirits on the rocks and savory mixed drinks. Though they’ve been baked for centuries and enjoyed for a long time in the South, cheese straws have made a comeback in recent years. Which is appropriate, we think, because they’re perfect for the Southern hostess to have on hand — that way, she can be ready with a bite to eat for unexpected guests at a moment’s notice!

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Cheese straw recipe and photo from MyRecipes.com and fancy cheese straws from Southern Living

There’s not much history on these yummy little guys, but they are credited as a Southern invention. According to one story, they were dreamed up by a frugal cook who mixed leftover biscuit dough with some cheese, and formed the result into long, narrow strips.

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Southern welcome bag (including cheese straws!) from Martha Stewart Weddings and cheese straw recipe and photo from Paula Deen’s son Bobby!

A basic recipe includes flour, grated cheese, a teaspoon of salt, and baking powder, but I think I’d rather try PD’s son Bobby’s recipe!

Beyond serving these cheesy treats at cocktail hour, we love the idea of including them in welcome bags or as a late night treat! Yum!

Are cheese straws one of your favorite Southern snacks? Emily thinks they’re too dry, but obviously I love them!

Written with love by Marissa

4 Comments

Tags: cheese straws, iloveswmag, southern cocktail hour ideas, Southern Delicacies, southern food, southern recipes, Southern Weddings, southern weddings blog, southern weddings magazine

Madelynne Moulton August 27, 2012 reply

oh my stars! cheese straws are my favorite! i ESPECIALLY love when they have cayenne in them for a little bit of heat! i had some homemade ones from a sweet old lady in newbern, al and they were the best i’ve EVER had.
Marissa August 27, 2012 reply

Oh, yum!! I bet those ones in Newbern were divine!
Lauren @ Every Last Detail August 31, 2012 reply

Ahhh lOVE LOVE LOVE cheese straws! One of my brides had them in her welcome bags, and they were a HIT! Her inlaws actually own a bakery that do them… SO good! You might want to check them out! :) http://www.ritchiehillbakery.com/
Erin April 8, 2015 reply

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Cheese Straws here in the South…especially in Georgia! Two amazing Georgia Artisans who make them are Kim’s Cheese Straws in Statesboro and Chinaberry Foods in Thomson, GA. We sell both on our website. Perfect wedding welcome gift or favor, for sure!

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Southern Delicacy: Boiled Peanuts

by Marissa in Main, Southern Food on August 20, 2012

During baseball season, I spend the majority of my nights talking myself out of eating ballpark food. The smell of funnel cake and caramelized pecans can be quite persuasive, y’all! I’m lucky to have made some amazing girlfriends from around the world in the stands, and we all try to hold strong together. One of my best girls is from Minot, North Dakota.

Yes, our accents are very different, and so is our culture. Y’all, she had never had a boiled peanut! What? I know! This summer I took it upon myself to introduce her to this yummy delicacy – she thought they tasted like little potatoes!

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Clockwise from top: Recipe and photography by Our Life in the Kitchen, recipe for Hot Spiced Boiled Peanuts and plain Boiled Peanuts, both from Southern Living

Originally called “goober peas” (LOVE!), boiled peanuts have been a staple in the deep South since the 19th century. When the peanut crops were ready, unsold stock would be prepared in a “boiling,” and extended families and neighbors would gather to share conversation and food. Sounds just like the South, right? Unsurprisingly, boiled peanuts are still a symbol of Southern culture and cuisine.

Raw (or “green”) peanuts in the shell are put in a large pot of very heavily salted water and boiled, generally from four to seven hours and using several gallons of water. A tip: green peanuts cook faster and tend to be better tasting! Modern cooks sometimes use crock pots, but I still think it would be fun to make a day of it and invite your friends and neighbors over for an old fashioned boiling! Interesting boiled peanut fact: on May 1, 2006, Governor Mark Sanford signed a bill making boiled peanuts the official snack food of South Carolina! Closer to home, they are also an all time favorite of our own Ms. Lara!

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CWF Photography

We love the idea of boiled peanuts as wedding favors or late night snacks!

Will you be incorporating boiled peanuts in to your wedding? Do you have a favorite Southern food? Let me know in the comments below!

Written with love by Marissa

Megan August 20, 2012 reply

Boiled peanuts are my absolute favorite! Pick some up every weekend to take out on the boat. They are my one request to my future in-laws for the rehearsal dinner. :)
- Linghesh August 20, 2012 reply
  
  Boiled peanuts always remind me of late summer nights eating al fresco and talking until the stars come out. They also make a great snack for a day spent hiking.
Bobbi August 20, 2012 reply

I’m from ND but had the pleasure of living in SC for 2 yrs and loved boiled peanuts. I think I need to make some now!
- Marissa August 20, 2012 reply
  
  Do it! They’re so yummy!
Amy August 20, 2012 reply

I have friends that always serve boiled peanuts as a appetizer when they’re hosting a dinner party but they always taste best with Savannah Sand Gnats baseball!
Whitney August 26, 2012 reply

Love love love this idea! Where did you get the printed paper bags?

Southern Delicacy: Krispy Kremes

by Marissa in Main, Southern Food on July 25, 2012

I have fond memories of going through the Krispy Kreme drive-through for a special treat as a little girl. Of course, it was even more special if the “hot donuts” sign was on! I even went on a field trip to my local store once to see how those divine donuts were made (yes, that’s what we do in the South!).

As I grew up, I frequented the store less. That is, until I began working for a large corporate company a few years back – then, it became a tradition for a few of the girls and I to celebrate successes on our lunch hour with a little Krispy Kreme indulgence! What can I say? They’re addicting!

Then I lived in Winston Salem last summer, and had to pass Krispy Kreme’s headquarters on a daily basis. Talk about an exercise in self-restraint! Let’s just say when it comes to this Southern Delicacy, I’ve eaten my fair share.

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The Scultzes via Southern Weddings

A few fun facts:
— Krispy Kreme was founded by Vernon Rudolph in 1937 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
— Rudolph bought the secret recipe for yeast-raised doughnuts from a New Orleans French chef.
— While Krispy Kreme sells an assortment of flavors, their signature glazed doughnut (traditionally served warm!) continues to be a best seller and customer favorite.
— Krispy Kreme is a part of not only Southern culture, but American history! Some company artifacts have been donated to the Smithsonian Institute’s Museum of American History.
— People like to get creative with their Krispy Kremes! The Krispy Kreme Challenge began as a dare between a few NC State students in 2004. Eight years later, runners still try to complete the entire five mile course AND eat a box of 12 Krispy Kreme donuts in under one hour. Whoa!

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Bella Grace Studios via Southern Weddings, Whitebox Weddings via Southern Weddings

We love the idea of serving these sugary delights in lieu of a groom’s cake, as a late night snack, or as a favor for guests to take on the road. Yum!

Before you go, I wanted to share one more delicious-looking treat. While prepping this post, the awesome Ms Ayer came across a recipe for Krispy Krème Brûlée! What?!

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Even if you want to get fancy with your Krispy Kremes, we’ve got you covered. Did you or will you be serving a late night snack at your wedding? If so, will it be these delightful treats? And, if you’ve participated in NCSU’s Krispy Kreme Challenge, you must comment and tell us how it went!

Written with love by Marissa

18 Comments

Tags: krispy kreme, krispy kreme donuts, krispy kreme favors, Southern Delicacies, Southern Delicacy, southern food, Southern wedding ideas, Southern Weddings, southern weddings magazine

Peggy July 25, 2012 reply

You should try grilling them – oh my, how yummy!
- Marissa July 25, 2012 reply
  
  Oh, Peggy! That sounds divine!
- Nicole July 25, 2012 reply
  
  Peggy, I never would have thought of that! Sounds delicious.
Emily July 25, 2012 reply

Woohoo for Winston Salem! As a proud WFU demon deacon, I especially loved this post and thoroughly enjoy my proximity to Krispy Kreme headquarters :) Every year my sorority hosts a meet and greet with new freshmen featuring this Southern treat. We call it Krispy Kreme with Kappa – it’s always so cute!
- Marissa July 25, 2012 reply
  
  How cute is that, Emily?! Krispy Kreme with Kappa! Love that!
Laura July 25, 2012 reply

We’re not going to make our guests wait until late to get their Krispy Kreme fix. They’ll be ready and waiting on the dessert buffet table!
- Marissa July 25, 2012 reply
  
  Yum! That sounds wonderful!
Jessica July 25, 2012 reply

I love that you posted about Krispy Kreme! I’ve lived in Winston-Salem for the past 12 years so I’ve grown up with these goodies- even my high school’s gym was named the Krispy Kreme Athletic Center! I think it would be super fun to serve their doughnut holes on sticks (like cake pops) in a dessert bar or during the bridal brunch.
- Marissa July 25, 2012 reply
  
  How funny! I loved Winston – we lived downtown in the Piedmont Leaf Lofts and it was great!!
- Jessica July 25, 2012 reply
  
  Marissa: That’s awesome! I love downtown Winston, I have an internship there now with Rebecca Rose Events and it’s so much fun to be in the middle of the city. Oh, and one of my cousins coincidentally shared a link with me about an hour ago about Krispy Kreme cupcakes! They sound tasty and could be a cute twist to the traditional donut: http://www.bforbel.com/2011/12/krispy-kreme-cupcakes.html
- Marissa July 26, 2012 reply
  
  Thanks, Jessica! What a fun twist! Enjoy Winston! Be sure to catch a Dash game or two! xx
Amanda July 25, 2012 reply

I ran the KKC about 3 years ago and it was a blast!!! I was starving from not having eaten breakfast so by the time I got to Krispy Kreme it was easy to down about 10 hot doughnuts!! I’m embarassed I could eat that many but I wanted to push myself and try!! Plus when they’re hot, omg.. The run back was pretty bad, the worst was when you finished running and just stopped. Whew that was tough!!! I’m getting married in November though and we were discussing having them in our Wedding Welcome Bags! I recently blogged about our NC welcome bags including Krispy Kreme, Moravian Cookies, Cheerwine and Peanuts!
- Marissa July 25, 2012 reply
  
  Holy cow, Amanda! I’m giving you a big high five for doing the KKC! I def think the hard part would be the run back and NOT the eating of the donuts! : )
- Laura July 25, 2012 reply
  
  Amanda, I’ve been trying to think of different ideas for our NC-themed welcome bags. I knew Cheerwine was a must (when else can outsiders enjoy this delicacy?!), but I love the Moravian cookie idea. We’re getting married in Greensboro, so we have easy access to them :)
Allyson July 25, 2012 reply

I love the idea of Krispy Kremes instead of a grooms cake!
Janna July 26, 2012 reply

Yum! I remember taking family trips on a Saturday afternoon to get a hot Krispy Kreme now and selling them my senior year as a fundraiser! We still pick up a dozen on mornings of football games! Go Gators!

There is a place here in Orlando- 4Rivers- that uses the Krispy Kremes for their bread pudding- simply wonderful and definitely an every one and a while treat to be shared!
- Emily July 27, 2012 reply
  
  Ha! I sold them my senior year as a fundraiser, too! Good times :)
- Stacy August 5, 2012 reply
  
  Janna: I remember waking up every Saturday morning and there would be a Krispy Kreme donut waiting for me that my dad had picked up early in the morning. Great memories!