Southern Dishes that Transplants Must Try

I cannot remember if I posted this one here, but even if I did, it should be repeated! (Note: Pimento Cheese should be on this list!)

Southern dishes are among some of the tastiest treats on earth. If you are new to the South, Southern food may shock you at first. However, once you get used to it, you will quickly see why the Southern states have such a high obesity rate. The food here is rich, sweet, heavy, and honestly, quite tasty. The following foods should be tried at least once by new residents.

Grits: The king of Southern dishes, you may want to consider these the white version of polenta. Best served with salt, pepper, and butter. Adding cheese and crumbled bacon will take them to a whole new level. You may find that you do not love them as much as we do, but you should try them at least once.

Fried Green Tomatoes: While this Southern food is not hard to make a home, they always seen to taste better when purchased at a restaurant. While this is one of the Southern dishes that can be purchased in upscale restaurants, they are best when purchased at small town diner.

Barbecue: Each region does BBQ differently, which means that even if you had it in Memphis, it will not be the same as it is in Birmingham. Barbecue is one of the most consistent of Southern dishes, in that it never lets you down now matter which dry rub, sauce, or cooking method is used.

Sweet Tea: Yes, I realize this is a drink and not actually a food, but it deserves to be on the list due to the fact that it is a must try treat. If you are not used to a lot of sugar, watch out. Sweet tea in the South comes loaded with it. Keep in mind when ordering iced tea in a Southern restaurant that your waiter or waitress will automatically assume that you want the sweet variety. If you want unsweet, you will need to order it as such.

Biscuits and Milk Gravy: Many Southern dishes come with an option of some type of bread on the side. This is generally either biscuits or cornbread. While both are excellent choices, if you have never had biscuits with milk gravy, you will want to order it. Milk gravy is a white gravy that is made from oil, flour, and milk. It is seasoned with salt and lots of pepper. The humble combination of a biscuit with milk gravy is my favorite Southern food of all time.

Other Southern treats to consider include an RC Cola (complete with a Moonpie), chili, and fried pickles. There will likely be other Southern dishes that you encounter upon moving to the South that you will find that you never knew you loved. Southern food is the epitome of comfort food, and it is hard to imagine that any other type of food could be much better.