10/01/2009

I have a confession...

When the kids are at their mom's....

and Hubby is at work....

I cook American food.

Just for me.

Because they don't 'appreciate' Southern cooking as much as I do.

Remember my excitement over finding Bin Inn? Well, with the pinto beans and the corn meal I got there, I make me a Southern feast of beans and cornbread. I top that with a big ol' fresh, raw onion (don't knock it, I take after my mom!) and, sometimes a side of spinach--which is the closest I can get to collards or mustard greens--and I am in hog heaven. Yum!

Now, I don't want to give you the impression that my new southern-hemisphere family doesn't like my American delacicies. To the contrary, they have been well trained and will eat anything that I serve them. They just don't have that 'relish' for my favorites.

Of course, their do have their favorites that I make for them American style--my meatloaf (if you can believe that!) is one. They adore home-made mac and cheese. And they love fried pork chops.

Pie is one of the few things they actually request me to make--no, not the sweet ones for dessert after dinner pudding. They love meat pies for dinner  tea. I guess the fact that I take the time to put hamburger  mince in a dish and add stuff--especially cheese (got to have cheeeeeeese)-- and bake it makes all the difference in the world to them!

But, alas, no matter how I try, I cannot reproduce the wonderful taste of American food made in the good ol' USA. Since the meat is grown more healthily here, it just doesn't have any real grease when you fry it. It's just water that is left in the pan. And that makes me sad because you know that means no 'real' fried eggs and bacon. But don't get me started on THAT!

17 comments:

merinz said...

Food we grew up with is actually more important to us than we would think!

merinz said...

And watery bacon is one of my pet hates as well. I think that water is pumped into the meat to 'plump it out' and as part of the curing process.

Real bacon should not have water coming out of it. Try around the butchers and you may just find some real bacon.

Marja said...

Yum Here at Bin in they got Dutch product now as well. Only sad thing is they are very expensive

Jewel Allen said...

I like to get creative when I am home alone and kids are in school. Your southern fare sounds fabulous.

Ruahines said...

Kia ora betty,
Some beans and corn bread would be just delightful. I miss Thanksgiving time and real turkey as well. I cannot abide using a gas barbeque either, even after 16 plus years, and bought a charcoal Weber eventhough without real charcoal and lighter fluid it is a messy job getting it going it is well worth it. Even die hard Kiwis know it when they taste it. Happy eating.
Cheers,
Robb

Bitsa Lit said...

OOOH! that is one thing that I cannot live without! Cornbread! I may be way up in Canada, but I grew up on my southen grandfathers cooking! Delish!

LOL! mince, tea, pudding...I wouldnt have a clue what they were if you hadnt written them in there!
P.S...I share their fondness for cheese! in everything!...and maple syrup (in moderation, but try some on real bacon sometime if you never have ;)

Anonymous said...

Love to know your recipes for meatloaf and mac & cheese since you're obviously a very good cook :)

Betsy Banks Adams said...

We are creatures of habit--and never forget how we were raised, do we Betty? Sometimes, as much as I love those greasy burgers, I wish we did have healthier foods here also. There's alot of obesity around ---and because of the fast food available, more and more of US are overweight. Oh Well!!!!
Hugs,
Betsy

Connie said...

I don't make a lot of the southern food I grew up with because the stuff I liked best was fried... fried potatoes, fried chicken, fried veg fritters, battered and fried gizzards, and yes, fried green tomatoes (which we always made when a storm knocked the tomato plants down and we had a bunch of unripe fruit to use up!). I know it is healthier to not eat so much grease, but not frying also keeps my kitchen neater ;D ... laziness as a diet plan! My family loves my meatloaf though, and I only WISH I could convince them that homemade mac&cheese was better than that stuff from a box... but no luck. They even fuss when I add real cheddar to the mix. One of these days...

LadyFi said...

I guess that familiar food is a comfort - no matter how young or old we are!

Unknown said...

Betty, let us know if you need us to fedex you some grease from the US of A.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Got peanut butter? Dumb I know but I don't think I could live without it. Childhood comfort foods stay with us.

I love to try new things too wherever we travel -- grits and collards I love now even though I didn't taste them until I was way old.
But tired and hungry or stressed, I want me my peanut butter sandwich.

Very apt post today Betty for Sunday favorites -- in more ways than one.

Thanks! Sallie

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

OOPS sorry I forgot which meme I was traveling through. It's a great post for "best post of the week" too. And thanks for doing the meme. We love it.

Anonymous said...

I think the lack of my fave American food would be a huge issue if I ever got to move to another country. Now I want corn bread, thankyouverymuch!

lacochran said...

We love black eyed peas and turnip greens and pickles and corn muffins as dinner--er tea. Three cheers for the American southern simple cuisine!

Thanks for the translations... otherwise I'd have been completely lost!

Joe Todd said...

Love Mac&cheese meatloaf and home cooking in general. When I make a meatloaf I only use sausage for the meat give it a try

Adelaide said...

Wow, that's so funny, I never thought of the change in food I'd have to make if I ever moved from Canada. My husband and I thought about moving to Australia for a year (for his work), and while I thought about all the things I'd miss, I somehow never thought of food. I guess it's true that the little things really make a big different.