This Weeks Where In The World Are You Theme is: “Traditional Foods Where You Live?”
Here in the southeast, Tennessee earned the nick-name the “Hog and Hominy” state before the Civil War. Tennessee is home to many southern food traditions and innovations.
For example…
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| It’s a Southern Thing |
Chattanooga, Tennessee gave birth to the yummy invention of the Moon Pies in 1917. This sweet confection all started when Mountain City Flour Mill began creating baked goods with the excess flour. A salesman who had been in the West Virginia region noticed the miners concocting an interesting treat of melted marshmallows on graham crackers thus the Moon Pie was born from that earlier form of a modern-day S’mores. Mountain City Flour added a second graham cracker and smothered the tasty treat with chocolate. The snack became so popular by the 1950s, that this was the only product manufactured by the Chattanooga Bakery. Pairing the Moon Pie and RC cola together was a popular “dixie dub”. Although to this day, my father-in-law enjoys having a cola with his Moon Pie but that taste combo never grew on me.
Another well-known Chattanooga company is Little Debbie’s Snacks. A family operated business established in 1930 by the late O.D. and Ruth McKee. They converted a cookie shop into a 5-cent cake bakery and was later known as the McKee Bakery from 1950 – 1991, which was renamed to McKee Foods Corporation. The little girl featured on the snack cakes is co-founder O.D. McKee’s 3-year-old granddaughter, Debbie. In 1960, he hired an artist to paint a black and white portrait of Debbie wearing her cowgirl hat from a photo with an older appearance. All the while keeping it a secret from Debbie’s parents. The fame did not affect the little girl who later on became McKee Foods Vice-Presidents and Plant Manger.
In Nashville, Tennessee or better known, as Music Capital, USA the Goo Goo Cluster was developed by Standard Candy Company in 1912. In the early days after its successful public debut, this delicious concoction of marshmallows, caramel, and roast peanuts smothered in milk chocolate had no name. How would Standard Candy’s customer ask for it? It was told, while riding the streetcar one day, Mr. Howard Campbell, co-founder of Standard was telling some passengers about his grandson’s first words. A school teacher connected the infants newly formed phrased with Mr. Campbell’s candy. She suggested he use it, “Goo Goo” for the name for the ‘talk-of-the-town’ candy. Interestingly, the company logo during the Great Depression was “a nourishing lunch for nickel” which remained popular until the 1950s.
Fried pies originated in the western part of Tennessee, but over time this delightful southern pastry filled across the region. A prominent spot to finding some of the best fried apple pies are in the foothills of the Smoky’s at the Apple Barn & Cider Mill. These fried pies have come synonymous with visits to the mountains whether you’re a tourist or local. Be sure to indulge your taste-buds with a hot fried apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream. What a treat!
One of the first things associated with Tennessee is our barbecue. Memphis claims to be the “Barbecue Capital of the World”. There are many cities across our region with some fine barbecue. Here in Knoxville, we have Calhoun’s, “Home of America’s Best Ribs” since the 1980s. Although Calhoun’s is known for their ribs, my personal favorite is their pulled pork topped with their special blend of tangy sweet barbecue sauce. Mmm so good!
Tennessee’s rich culture is fused together by the flavors of European, Native North American, and African traditions into the taste of the south we enjoy today, as good ole home-cooking. As Dolly Pardon would say, “Come to Tennessee, we’re playing your song.”