The Stuff They Eat

[Bianca]

What exactly are the things they eat? when they say something like "granny's cookin' up some gritts and jowls' ,
and what are 'possum enterds'??
Are they really eating these things? or do they have differnet names for real food. ??

[hawaii five-o]

The only thing that the Clampetts eat that sounds appetizing to me is sweet potato pie.

[W.J. Griffin]

Originally posted by Bianca


What exactly are the things they eat? when they say something like "granny's cookin' up some gritts and jowls' ,
and what are 'possum enterds'??
Are they really eating these things? or do they have differnet names for real food. ??

"Grits 'n' jowls" is a reference to hominy grits (made from corn) and hog jowls, made from the head of a hog (naturally), and is quite tasty (if you can get past the "hog jowls" thing.)

"Possum innards" (to use the correct terminology) is essentially what it is: an oppossum's internal organs (heart, liver, kidneys, etc.), eaten by very, VERY poor families who couldn't: a) afford to go to the meat store or b) were unable to trap more traditional meats (i.e. rabbit, deer, or raccoon), and had to make do, as the Clampetts probably had to do on more than one occassion prior to Jed's discovery of oil on his land.

On a personal note, I myself grew up in Central Kentucky, so a lot of the dishes that the Clampetts consumed on tv (like greens and fatback, buttermilk cornbread, and dandelion greens), though intended as jokes by the show's writers, were actual culinary selections in our region...and, although I don't recall if they mentioned it, the Clampetts probably ate "chit'lins" (hog intestines) too...just like my family did down home!!

[Bianca]

really???


hehe, I wonder what Elly May thought about eating possums and other critters.

[dandelion wine]

I'm familiar with what the Clampetts used to eat, though I've never been big on grits. Buttermilk cornbread and deer meat... so delicious.

[Mr. Television]

They had grits in NC. I wasn't wild about them.

[NostalgiaAce777]

I lived down there too, they have strange dishes, I was at a nice little county cafe and on the menu for breakfast they had "PORK BRAINS" I thought this was some kind of joke, and curiosity got the best of me so I asked and Beleive it or not It was Hog Brains, I guess nothing on an animal goes to waste down there.
They had other things likeBlack Eyed Peas, Chick Peas, Turnip Greens, Collard Greens, Mustard Greens (none of these I ate) Fried Okra,(that was Ok) Fried Chicken and BBQ everywhere and Fried Green Tomatoes.

Someone I know made Chitlins, God do those things stank.

I guess I will always be a city girl.

[vze3t9q9]

My mom used to love to dig dandilion greens. She would start digging before they would bud. If they bud they would be too bitter. Instead of spinach she would use Dandilions.

[cindy ox]

I,m from Florida and grits are just a part of breakfast,especially with lots of butter! Yum!

[vze3t9q9]

Not much into Grits/ Being from the north I don't see them much.
When I travel south I do see them on the menu. The closest I eat to grits is oatmeal.

[Bedsheets2]

Mustard greens and collard greens taste very good...especially with homemade cornbread.

[vze3t9q9]

I like your catchy name "bedsheets"

[W.J. Griffin]

Originally posted by Bedsheets2
Mustard greens and collard greens taste very good...especially with homemade cornbread.

This here thread's a-makin' me HUNGRY!!!!

[Roy5]

I'm with Cindy on the grits. I'll suspend judgment on the other dishes, never having tried them. But just think about what The Addams Family ate (I.E.,Casserole of Yak). Nobody ate hamburgers except for Cleopatra.

-Roy

[Grits'n'Jowls]

What was that Jed said about possum innards, something like "there just as good the next day"?
Although I ain't never tried it, I always did think the "chicken-fried crow" sounded rather tasty.