On Some Favorite Fruits and Vegetables of the South

Blackberries Var. Marionberry From Or. Berry Comm.

BLACKBERRIES AND DEWBERRIES grow on a bramble which is a member of the rose family. They are native in the eastern U.S. up to the great plains, and on the Pacific coast; varieties of blackberries grow in other regions of the world (see Encyclopedia Britannica, search for blackberry ). Apparently they enjoy popularity as a fruit mostly in the U.S., but they enjoy a modest cultivation in England. At one time, wild blackberries grew in abundance in rural Alabama, and they were a staple fruit in the diet of farm families. Now most blackberries are grown as cultivated varieties which are usually seedless; the largest producing region is the Pacific Northwest where the Marionberry variety is prized (see the link to the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission home page on the left, under the photo). Blackberries tend to be relatively expensive. If you can find them, the wild berries are favored by many, but many of the modern cultivated types are of outstanding quality. Blackberries are used to make jams, jellies, preserves, and fabulous cobblers. There are several good commercial brands of blackberry jams and jellies; they are usually 3 to 4 times more expensive than grape jelly. Blackberries are more nutritious than blueberries. Dewberries are similar to blackberries, but they grow on trailing vines. They are used for the same purposes as blackberries. They have never been as common as blackberries.

BLACKEYED PEAS, or cowpeas, are native to Asia. They were known in ancient Egypt, where they were a symbol of good luck. The peas are the seed of a somewhat vining plant. They are a true pea, and not a bean. They are extensively cultivated for livestock feed. According to one source, in the South, they were first consumed by humans during the civil war at the siege of Vicksburg. I have found historical references to indicate that they were consumed much earlier than that. Some native Americans of the Southwest obtained cowpeas from the Spanish, and cultivated them for food. The Afro-Americans almost certainly introduced the southern U.S. to their use as food, and brought the first seeds from Africa; cowpeas are still widely cultivated in Africa by subsistence farmers. They are now an immensely popular southern dish, and are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day; this practice is thought to bring good luck, and this belief may have evolved from superstitions of ancient Egypt/Africa. Although they are not as common as blackeyes, the cowpea varieties Purple Hull and Crowder enjoy considerable popularity in the South. Some sources spell the term as "blackeye pea", and this appears to be the official USDA spelling. They can be prepared from fresh, frozen, or dried peas.

Preparing dried peas for cooking: Heat a pot of water to boiling. In the meantime, pick out discolored peas from a one pound package. Put the peas in a wire sieve and wash them in the boiling water. Drain the peas.

Cooking: Choose a pot which will allow you the cover the peas with plenty of water. Place a slice of cured ham or picnic ham in the bottom of the pot. Add the peas and cover well with water. Bring to a boil for one minute, remove from heat and let stand for one hour. Add hot water when the top of the peas are no longer covered. Cover and bring the peas to a boil and cook at a slow boil until they are completely tender, (3/4 - 1 1/2; hours), but not mushy. Add water as needed during cooking. Serve hot with buttered cornbread.

Fresh or frozen peas are cooked in a similar manner, but of course they do not require soaking.

Collards Photo From University of Florida

COLLARDS are a type of cabbage that does not form a head; they are closely related to kale, and were developed from a wild mustard of Southern Europe. The young tender, but usually large leaves of the plant or cooked and eaten as a greens dish. They are richer in calcium and vitamin C than spinach, and they rival spinach as a rich source of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. Popeye might fare better healthwise if he varied his diet a little and ate some collard greens. Collards are frequently eaten with PEPPER SAUCE, which is made by pickling hot green cayenne peppers in vinegar. Collards are not exclusively a southern dish. In The New York Times Cook Book, James Beard lists it as one of the dishes in Brazil's multi-part national dish Feijoada. Nevertheless, they do not cook them the southern way. Collards can be prepared from a fresh or frozen product. To prepare fresh collards for cooking, wash them 2 or 3 times in clean water and drain them. Cut away tough stems or discolored spots, and chop them coarsely. Place them in a pot with a slice of bacon or salt pork, and add water to half the depth of the collards. Cook covered at a slow boil for 45 minutes to an hour; add water as needed. Serve hot with buttered cornbread.

GRITS are made from corn, but are not used as a vegetable. They are frequently served buttered as a breakfast side dish. They are also used in casseroles and other dishes.
Grits are made from HOMINY, which is made from mature corn kernels. The corn kernels must be boiled until they are tender and the tough outer hull can be removed. (Rural folks used to cook the corn in a lye, or sodium hydroxide, solution until it was tender. It then had to be washed many times to remove the hulls and the deadly lye). In some areas, hominy is sometimes served as a vegetable, but it is mostly used to make grits. To make grits, the cooked hominy is dried completely, and then is coarsely ground to make grits.
The process of using alkali for making hominy and grits was most likely known to American Indians centuries before the arrival of the white man. The white settlers introduced mechanization early; historical accounts show that The Lewis and Clark Expedition ate hominy and ground their own grits in a cast iron mill they carried with them.
Modern producers of grits usually make them directly from the kernel corn without first converting it to hominy.

Two recipes for hominy and grits are given below; for others, see the Grits site.

LIMA BEANS were grown by the Incas in Peru, South America; they were developed much earlier. Early European settlers found them growing near Lima, Peru, and this is how they got their name. They are mainly grown in the U.S. They are not exclusively southern, but they are probably the most popular bean in Alabama and many other parts of the South. They can be prepared from fresh, frozen, or dried beans.

Prepare and cook them like blackeyed peas. They may require more cooking time.

For more on Lima beans, see this article.

The Mexican bean, popularly known in the U.S. as the pinto bean, is also popular throughout the South. They are especially popular in the Southwest, where they are sometimes are even served in breakfast dishes. They are cooked like dry Lima beans.

Muscadine Vine and Fruit

MUSCADINES are a type of wild grapes which are native to the eastern U. S. Although they are still prized and have many devoted fans in the South, they have never been as important as blackberries. The vine climbs into trees and spreads out along the tree limbs. The vines may become enormous, and may be a nuisance in wooded yards. The fruit is a large grape which has a thick skin and a strong taste whose flavor does not resemble that of other grapes. Muscadines are used to make jellies, jams, preserves, and wine. The preserves, which include the whole grape except for the seeds, are very tasty. Today, most Muscadines are of the cultivated variety. In some local regions of the south, they are an important cash crop. I was always fond of muscadine preserves. These are somewhat difficult to make; the hulls and pulp must be processed separately.

Okra pods on the plant.

OKRA is a member of the hibiscus family and is native to Africa and India, where it is still a major vegetable crop; I have also found reference to its cultivation in Turkey. According to some sources, it was first introduced into the West Indies by slave ships, and from there to New Orleans and Charleston by the same means. The West African name is nkruma, which sounded like "okra" to the English. The French thought it sounded like gombaut, and this is the source of the word "gumbo". It is sometimes referred to as gumbo, but this meaning is usually reserved for stews thickened with okra. The okra plant grows tall and has large showy flowers. The seed of the plant grows in a pod. The young, tender green pods are extensively used as a nutritious vegetable. Okra is served fried, boiled, mixed with other vegetables, or in soups and gumbos. The favorite of most southerners is fried okra. There are many recipes for fried okra, and some of these, and other okra recipes, can be found in the links and references at the end of this document and at the Berkeley recipe site.

Below is another method of preparing okra.

Pecan orchard and nuts

PECANS are the nuts of a variety of hickory tree which is native to the Eastern U.S. The wild pecans were a staple food for some American Indians. Pecans have been under cultivation since the 1700s. Folks who were lucky enough to have the space frequently had their own trees. They are now grown commercially and sold throughout the country. They grow best in a Southern climate; they mostly grow in orchards in Alabama, California, Georgia, Louisana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. They are mostly used in pies and confections (see the recipe for squirrel food in this document). Other distinctly Southern dishes using pecans include the delicious pecan pie and the famed pecan pralines of New Orleans. Toasted pecans serve as a topping for a variety of dishes, and as a snack food. For more information on pecans, and lots of recipes, visit the Georgia Pecan Commission's Web site.

Peanuts on the vine. From University of Florida

PEANUTS, like beans and peas, are a legume and not a true nut. Peanuts are native to South America, where they were grown by the Native Americans. They are now an important international crop. They are rich in high quality protein and oil. The U.S. is the world's third largest producer of peanuts, and because they require a long growing season, they are grown in the Southern states of the U.S. About half of this crop is used for peanut butter, and the rest is used in snack foods and other commercial applications, such as producing oil. At one time, southern farmers had their own "peanut patch" where they grew a supply of peanuts sufficient for their families use throughout the year. A favorite of Southerners was parched peanuts; these are peanuts roasted in the shell. These are prepared by putting a layer of peanuts in a large pan and roasting them in a 350o oven until the nuts are crisp, but not scorched. A nut should be tested from time to time. These were used as a snack food. Parched peanuts are still popular, and may be found at many roadside produce stands.

Fried peanuts are made by briefly turning shelled parched peanuts in hot oil until they are warmed through and coated with oil. They are then salted and served warm or cold.

Boiled peanuts are a tasty snack. They are best made with green peanuts which have a tender green shell, but in which the nuts have formed. They are washed throughly, and then covered with a medium salt brine, and boiled until they are tender. If desired, they can then be removed from the brine. They are best when served cool.

For more information and peanut recipes, visit the Peanut Institute.

Young Pokeweed Plant Photo From University of Florida Blooms and Immature Fruit

POKE SALAD is the cooked young shoots of the pokeweed plant, Phytolacca decandra, which is a member of the pink family. This perennial plant grows wild in the eastern U. S., and may reach a height of 8-10 feet. When pokeweed is cooked, it resembles spinach and tastes like asparagus. It is a nutritious greens dish. Sources are not consistent on the safety of the plant, but it should be assumed that the roots, berries, and mature leaves and stalks of this plant contain a poison. All sources agree that the roots are dangerous. Rural people, who once used pokeweed as a spring greens staple, claimed that pokeweed greens were poisonous unless cooked with lots of lard, but this is not documented scientifically. They are cooked like collards. Only the very young shoots should be cooked. Poke salad is recommended only for those who are experienced in the proper harvesting time for the shoots. Rural folklore, learned from American Indians, claimed that poke salad has medicinal properties. It is interesting that medical researchers think that a pokeweed derivative may be useful in treating AIDS. If this turns out to be true, then the lowly pokeweed plant will be promoted to a medical marvel. Poke salad may now be more of a dish of tradition than anything else. Many southerners profess to be intimately familiar with the dish, but would probably not recognize pokeweed growing in the wild. Pokeweed can be cultivated in the home garden; see the link to the University of Florida's horticultural site on the left. Pokeweed does not seem to be grown commercially. More Pokeweed Photos

SWEET POTATOES are the roots of a vine which is a member of the morning glory family. The plant is native to tropical America; Columbus was introduced to them during his first voyage to the West Indies. Their use probably dates back to ancient times.
The 2 edible varieties, white and yellow, are grown in many parts of the world, but in the South, the yellow potato is an important food staple. White sweet potatoes are mainly grown in South Florida for the Miami Cuban market. Otherwise, the white sweet potato seems to be rare in the South, and perhaps in the U. S., but they are used as food in China, India, and elsewhere. The white potato has a more floury flesh than the yellow variety, and are usually not considered to be as desirable as the yellow potato.
In some areas, the young leaves of sweet potatoes are eaten as a greens dish. Sweet potatoes are also grown for their starch, which has commercial applications, and for livestock food.
Sweet potatoes are frequently, but incorrectly, called yams. Yams and sweet potatoes are not botanically related; nor is the sweet potato related to the common (Irish) potato. Sweet potatoes can be used for more purposes than yams; yams have a more watery flesh. Yams are more difficult to find in stores, but canned yams may be available. Yams, canned or otherwise, do not make a good substitute for sweet potatoes. Yams can be cultivated in South Florida and South Texas.
The widespread growth of the cultivation of sweet potatoes in the south was a in part due to the research of George Washington Carver. While at what is now Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama, Carver derived 118 useful products from the sweet potato; he also encouraged the cultivation of sweet potatoes and peanuts as an alternative to cotton.
In the South, sweet potatoes are eaten baked, candied, in pies, casseroles, and other dishes. They are tasty, rich in vitamin A as beta-carotene, and are a good source of vitamin C.
My 2 favorite sweet potato recipes follow; for others, see the "Sweet Potato" section of The Mining Co. and the Berkeley recipe site.

TURNIP GREENS are the young leaves of a variety of southern grown turnips. Turnips are grown throughout the world, and are an important food staple in many areas. In most areas, they are grown for their tubers; in the South, they are grown more for their leaves, and special varieties of turnip plants have been developed for this purpose. They are by far the favorite greens dish of the South, and their popularity transcends economic status. They are prepared, cooked, and served like collards. They are a little less nutritious than collards.

Watermelons on the Vine

WATERMELONS grow on a sprawling vine which is a member of the gourd family. It is native to Africa where it probably has been cultivated for at least 4000 years; early explorers of North America also found Indian tribes growing watermelons. The flesh of the melon is sweet, very juicy, and is usually red (although it is sometimes yellow). Like other members of the gourd family, such as squash, pumpkin, and cucumber, it is modestly nutritious. Southerners grow and consume vast quantities of these melons, which are large and may weigh up to 50 pounds. The rinds are sometimes used to make preserves or pickles.

OTHER INFORMATION on southern fruits and vegetables may be found in the food dictionary at the epicurious site. Many recipes can also be found at this site.

Some Southern Foods and Selected Recipes

On Southern Cooking - Main Page