South Carolina Cuisine Lowcountry Cuisine Term Paper

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Sweeping generalizations about the South and southern food simply don't apply to this distinctive area. Lowcountry food is Creole cooking, but it is more heavily influenced by Africans than is the cuisine of Louisiana." (Taylor, p. 6)

In light of the wide range of influences that have entered into its creation, it is not surprising that a number of dishes central to lowcountry cuisine carry significant cultural importance to inhabitants of the region. Many dishes are considered staples of life in the region and are served to mark specific occasions. For instance, Taylor describes the importance of the "Hoppin' John" to cultural life in the lowcountry. This rice, bean and shrimp-based dish is simple, affordable and traditionally served on New Year's Day. It is intended to bring good financial fortune in the coming year to the individual consuming it. Taylor reports that the Hoppin' John is an excellent demonstration of the merging of ethnic and regional influences. Accordingly, Taylor tells that the dish "is daily fare in the rice lands of West Africa. Black cooks in plantation kitchens taught their mistresses about the dish." (Taylor, p. 6)

Another cultural attachment between cuisine and tradition is found in the Seafood Boil. Used to mark special occasions or simply to host a social gathering, the seafood boils will typically consist of dishes such as the turtle-based Cooter Stew, the crab-roe derived She-Crab Stew or a Shrimp and Grits dish. Often, these dishes will be paired with traditional southern sides such as collared greens, corn-breads, baked mac-n-cheese, cole-slaws and pork-based dishes. Like many of the traditions already discussed in lowcountry cuisine, the seafood boil is an African tradition adopted to mainstream use. The expedience with which the seafood boil style of cooking could feed impromptu gatherings would make it a favorite mode of feasting among slaves.

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Today, it is a tradition carried out by all races and not just in the Carolina coastal regions but in the south at large.

This southern universality is likewise the case where the daily lowcountry breakfast is concerned. The use of oysters and shrimp are common, but here, the cuisine is marked by many of the features common in more general southern dining. Kirby (2007) advises that if one is visiting the lowcountry, one should "line up early for biscuits and country ham with mushroom gravy at nationally acclaimed Hominy Grill," (Kirby, p. 1) Indeed, Hominy Grill is a lowcountry proprietor that surfaces repeatedly during research on this particular subject. This is one of the more reputable and nationally regarded destinations for typifying lowcountry cuisine. On this point, a visit to TripAdvisor helps to recommend this as a destination for the region's culinary delights most often sought by locals. According to one reviewer, "locals have frequented this restaurant for years. The busy crowd is not from hotel coupons like Hyman's and others and places that a local would never step foot into. It is a local favorite." (http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g54171-d436497-r126993377-Hominy_Grill-Charleston_South_Carolina.html)

The well-versed traveler will typically take this as a sign of its representative excellence. And given the rich history, heritage and vitality of the lowcountry cuisine, it would seem there is no other way to approach the experience. South Carolina's coastal cooking traditions are a compelling demonstration of the surprising opportunities for exotic dining right here in our own backyard.

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