On the show, they often talk about the backwoods meals they would eat. I thought it would be interesting to make a list of them, and talk about whether the dishes are real or not. For instance, obviously grits are a (tasty) real food, and we had dandelion greens (also good) at Easter dinner. Have you tried any of the other foods mentioned on the show?

Foods I am not so sure about are possum innards, possum sandwich (!), gopher gravy, deviled hawk eggs, catfish soup, and pickled paw paws (I have had a paw paw before, but it wasn't pickled. It wasn't terrible, but wasn't that great either). I like catfish, so the catfish soup sounds kind of intriguing.

Feel free to add.

On the show, they often talk about the backwoods meals they wood eat. I thought it would be interesting to make a list of them, and talk about whether the dishes are real or not. For instance, obviously grits are a (tasty) real food, and we had dandelion greens (also good) at Easter dinner. Have you tried any of the other foods mentioned on the show?

Foods I am not so sure about are possum innards, possum sandwich (!), gopher gravy, deviled hawk eggs, catfish soup, and pickled paw paws (I have had a paw paw before, but it wasn't pickled. It wasn't terrible, but wasn't that great either). I like catfish, so the catfish soup sounds kind of intriguing.

Feel free to add.

I was just thinking the catfish soup might be good.

Chitterlings are real, terrible smell when cooking but said to be good when fried, not boiled.

I was just thinking the catfish soup might be good.

Chitterlings are real, terrible smell when cooking but said to be good when fried, not boiled.


I've had fried chitlins once, they are good, they have a taste that's hard to describe..... sorta like bacon maybe but not totally lol

I think there was a Granny cookbook at one time, recipes to many of the famous dishes she cooked on the show.

I think I would have enjoyed most of her food. I dunno about the tadpole soup though lol

I think I would have enjoyed most of her food. I dunno about the tadpole soup though lol
It's the possum innards that get me. But I remember on an early season of Survivor, someone was pleasantly surprised by how fried rat tasted. Of course they were starving (they didn't get as much food in the early seasons). I suppose possum would taste similar to rat.

I wouldn't mind getting that cookbook, silly as it may be. Maybe all the foods they talked about were real?

It's the possum innards that get me. But I remember on an early season of Survivor, someone was pleasantly surprised by how fried rat tasted. Of course they were starving (they didn't get as much food in the early seasons). I suppose possum would taste similar to rat.

I wouldn't mind getting that cookbook, silly as it may be. Maybe all the foods they talked about were real?

I know people did or maybe still DO eat opossum, my great grandmother cooked opossum and my grandmother and her siblings at it when they were young children....

But here is the book, I'd kinda like to have it, but I dunno if I could get all the ingredients lol, though there are probably substitutes

My mom used to eat dandelion greens. I would try Granny's deviled hawk eggs.

My mom used to eat dandelion greens. I would try Granny's deviled hawk eggs.

Yes, my mother said her "Nana" used to make salads with dandelion greens.

My father's family are in the mountains at the Tennessee and Virginia border, and he told of eating squirrel often. My grandfather loved the fried squirrel brains.

My mom 50-60 years ago would dig a "mess of dandelion greens". I tried a few years ago, dug them early way before they start to bud, but you have to rinse them a lot for a lot of dirt in them. My mom said if you wait too long to dig them they are awful bitter. If you were starving all these all odd ball food would taste great! Getting back to the show, I do wonder where Granny found all these strange dishes to prepare in Beverly Hills. I can see the clerk now, You want what?? I would think after a few years they would have eaten more current food.

Getting back to the show, I do wonder where Granny found all these strange dishes to prepare in Beverly Hills. I can see the clerk now, You want what?? I would think after a few years they would have eaten more current food.
There was one early episode that showed them getting a crate from Cousin Pearl back home that contained a supply of their (uncooked) homestyle food - a bunch of crawdads, I'm sure some possum innards, etc. That seems like a very impractical way of getting all their meals though.

I also wondered why they didn't switch to more common, more easily obtainable food, like some ground beef or whatnot. Granny learned to like TV after all, when they had no idea at all what it was at first.

There was one early episode that showed them getting a crate from Cousin Pearl back home that contained a supply of their (uncooked) homestyle food - a bunch of crawdads, I'm sure some possum innards, etc. That seems like a very impractical way of getting all their meals though.

I also wondered why they didn't switch to more common, more easily obtainable food, like some ground beef or whatnot. Granny learned to like TV after all, when they had no idea at all what it was at first.


Apparently Jed and Jethro still went hunting SOMEWHERE, they would talk about it occasionally, I have no idea where they went lol

But yeah I posted about this once, that the Clampetts seemed as sheltered from city life in the FINAL episode almost as much as they did in the first episode. It was funny but overly unrealistic that they lived in Beverly Hills almost 10 years and were STILL almost totally unaware about things in the city they've lived in for almost 10 years. I mean they had lived in Beverly Hills almost 10 years, been to New York, England, etc.... but in the final episode the Clampetts still acted like they had just came out of the Hills yesterday lol

I have another food related question. The hillbillies frequently invite guests to have supper with them and share in their "vittles". Do you think that Mrs. Drysdale and/or Miss Jane ever actually sat down with them and ate some possum (or the like) with them? Did they ever show that happen? I would think that for them to continue to be on their good side, they would have had to accept their hospitality at some point or other.

I have another food related question. The hillbillies frequently invite guests to have supper with them and share in their "vittles". Do you think that Mrs. Drysdale and/or Miss Jane ever actually sat down with them and ate some possum (or the like) with them? Did they ever show that happen? I would think that for them to continue to be on their good side, they would have had to accept their hospitality at some point or other.

If I remember right, every time the Clampetts asked Miss Jane to stay for supper, or lunch, she always had to rush back to the bank... Though they did share some holiday meals I think

I don't remember seeing the Clampetts have many actual meals... I wish it had shown the actual dining room in the mansion

I do remember a B&W episode where they all share a holiday meal. Probably from the 1st season. I believe it was Thanksgiving.

I do remember a B&W episode where they all share a holiday meal. Probably from the 1st season. I believe it was Thanksgiving.

I wonder if it was normal Thanksgiving food lol

I wonder if it was normal Thanksgiving food lol
Doesn't seem unreasonable for Jed to go out and shoot a Thanksgiving turkey. Or maybe it was pot luck, where everybody brings a dish.