Growing Up Southern – Lori Greer in Portland

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The cuisine of Alabama.

Biscuits, okra, greens,BBQ,catfish, pimento cheese, grits, black-eyed peas,watermelon, fried chicken, sweet tea, cornbread, gumbo.

I have been in Alabama for several days but have not eaten any of these traditional foods.

Asian and Mediterranean food have been on my plate instead. The same food that I choose in Portland.

Although, Alabama lacks the incredible food scene of Portland, the local restaurants offer a wide array of food choices.

Interesting how small the world is.

Growing up in the South, every summer I attended family reunions on both sides of my family. These were not casual, thrown together events but massive undertakings requiring a state park to accommodate the crowd, the huge quantities of food and all the activities. I loved them. Seeing my cousins, being petted by my aunts and uncles, playing games and eating delicious food was heaven. The women proudly displayed their finest fried chicken, roasts, casseroles and, of course, desserts. It was our version of the county fair with verbal blue ribbons.

Weeks before, my Mother and her sisters came together in person to refine the menu and to gossip. Hanging around in the war room, aka Mother’s kitchen, I learned about my terrible Aunt Sally. Continue reading “My Terrible Aunt Sally” →