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* Springfield and the Mason-Dixon Line…
The line was surveyed by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in the 1760s, in part to define a segment of the border between colonial Pennsylvania and Maryland. The precise location of the line varies slightly, depending on where along its length one measures it, but 39 degrees 43 minutes 20 seconds north latitude is close. Were that line extended westward across Illinois it would run roughly midway between I-72 and Woodside Road.
So, my Springfield house is just south of the Mason-Dixon Line. But that’s not why I have eaten 38 of these 39 southern dishes…
26 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/aIKQAqoXiL
— R O M E♑️ (@RomeBKnowing) March 6, 2023
My paternal grandmother was born in Kentucky and my maternal grandmother was born in southern Illinois. What I didn’t get from them came from traveling to places like New Orleans, etc.
Never tried pickled pigs feet. I’ve watched others eat it, though.
* The Question: What’s your score on the southern food test? Explain.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:05 pm
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Yikes. a perfect 39 for 39
Comment by Blue Dog Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:12 pm
35 even before I moved to Kentucky I had good taste I guess… do I get an extra point for a love of head cheese?
Comment by Mark in Ky Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:12 pm
Just five. Although I have to admit that Fried Bologna was a popular meal for my late father, a lifelong Chicago resident. For me? An acquired taste.
Comment by jackmac Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:14 pm
34 but I grew up in Mississippi
Comment by The Real Captain Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:16 pm
23. Lived with a Southern woman for almost a decade, that’ll do it.
Side note: is that graphic coming up with a “potentially sensitive content” warning for anyone else?
Comment by The Truth Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:18 pm
=== “potentially sensitive content” warning===
Twitter is a wreck these days.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:20 pm
Five - and I’m kinda embarrassed it’s that high. ;-]
Comment by Keyrock Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:20 pm
I’m in the negatives!
Comment by Because I Said So…. Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:20 pm
18
That number continues to grow with each visit “South”
Also, had Grandparents from Whitley County, Kentucky. I know my grandparents would have had a perfect score.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:22 pm
14 - Going to SIUC and later living in Little Egypt for a few years gave me plenty of time to roam and sample the cuisine (including at Mary Lou’s, Ma Hale’s, and assorted diners). My score would have been higher had they included real BBQ, biscuits & gravy, and crawfish.
Also, wondering why facebook labels this as “The following media includes potentially sensitive content.” Really?
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:22 pm
22 - if that list had been divied up into “has appeared on a Denny’s menu” and “hardcore” I’d have done much worse.
Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:23 pm
15, the vast majority of which I have only tried a handful of times.
Comment by Oldtimer Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:23 pm
== “potentially sensitive content” warning==
Maybe “poke” is on a list.
Comment by Big Dipper Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:24 pm
Just 12. Reminds me of a great story i read once. Guy was eating in a Waffle House and there was another one literally across the street. Guy asked the waitress, “how is it that there are 2 Waffle Houses across from one another?” Waitress, “just lucky, I guess.”
Comment by Paddyrollingstone Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:29 pm
34. Some things I just don’t care for.
Comment by SOIL M Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:30 pm
35 - I grew up on a farm in southern Illinois, so…
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:30 pm
Only 9- most of them on a trip to NOLA
Comment by jimbo Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:31 pm
31. I didn’t even realize a lot of that was “southern.” We just always ate it.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:33 pm
I have eaten 34 of these, although one of them I only ate once (boiled peanuts from a roadside, not from a WalMart can). Although I love oysters, I have not eaten Oyster Salad, nor have I eaten Rabbit Stew, Chitlins, Poke Salad, or Gator Tail (although I lived in New Orleans for a year).
Boiled Peanuts are an offense to the dignity of the peanut plant. Peanuts are a near perfect food. I was born and raised in Southeastern Virginia, the home of Planters Peanuts. I am sure those planters looked down on the Georgia Crackers who knew not what to do with this supreme food.
Comment by H-W Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:33 pm
26. Tried, some if which I won’t be having again, some are favorites. A Shrimp Po’boy is a perfect Lenten dish.
Comment by Mason born Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:36 pm
26 here and some of the ones I haven’t tried are just because of lack of opportunity. I enjoy trying new (to me) foods whenever I can so I would have no problem with trying anything there that I haven’t tried. Also, I found it amusing that the graphic is apparently of a sensitive nature.
Comment by Aaron B Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:39 pm
20, but that makes sense given we live in Southern Sangamon County. Lawd Have Mercy
Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:39 pm
16, of which “tried” applies to 5 or 6 of them. Headed to Charleston at the end of the month so I may be able to pad it.
BTW, where’s Moon Pies and Waffle House?
Comment by Bogey Golfer Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:40 pm
Just 7 and I think it is BECAUSE of my relatives from Harrisburg encouraging me to ‘eat better food’.
Comment by Proud Sucker Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:52 pm
I’ve had 23 of them, and didn’t realize I’m a southerner…grew up in central Il.
Comment by Former State Employee Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 12:55 pm
15. Been to NOLA twice, which is where a lot of my experience came from.
Chicken fried steak is always a good choice. Sadly, my cardiologist disagrees with that and many of these dishes.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:00 pm
20 and there’s no way I’m Southern. much of what I ate on the list came from Kansas and Pennsylvania. the list forgot pimento cheese so who’s Southern now?
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:01 pm
I come in at 23 I’ll eat. Maybe 24,but I’m real picky about grits.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:01 pm
32 lived in southern illnois all mt life
Comment by 13th Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:06 pm
3. I am a proud Yankee
Comment by DuPage Saint Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:09 pm
21 and I’m shocked how many I never heard of
Comment by Lurker Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:09 pm
Scored 18, but that was before I started watching my cholesterol.
Some of these are a heart attack on a plate.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:12 pm
I’m a 10. And I initially stumbled over the surveyor Charles Mason reference, reading it as “Charles Manson.”
Comment by Linus Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:36 pm
9 and pleased to be a Yankee.
Comment by Lt Guv Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:36 pm
36 and as I recall Wally’s recently had boiled peanuts when I stopped
Comment by Facts Matter Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:42 pm
30 and I was born in Poland.
Comment by Nuclear Bozo Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 1:54 pm
10. And one side of my family is from the South and been there many times.
Comment by Jerry Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 2:03 pm
Now I’m hungry.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 2:12 pm
32 (a couple more possibilities–not sure on Poke Salad)–Dad’s familiy is from Greene County & my Dad lived in rural Georgia in the 70s & early 80s then in Florida where we would go to places out of the tourist bubble.
Comment by ArchPundit Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 2:18 pm
8, but since adulthood only eat 1 (chicken and dumplings), and that’s very infrequently. Growing up the things on this list couldn’t compete with delicious Chinese, Italian, and Mexican food available.
Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 2:23 pm
14 - I thought I might have had hoppin john but I had to look it up. Upon further review the answer was no. I never associated frog legs and chicken livers with the south but I’ve had both.
Comment by Jaguar Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 2:24 pm
20 and most of those with some regularity. I love southern cuisine, especially low-country seafood.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 2:27 pm
29 - I grew up in central IL and of the list I recall having 11 growing up. Spent semester breaks down in NO and still fix Gumbo and Jambalaya at home.
Comment by No relation Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 2:49 pm
37. Grew up in Missouri of course, stationed in a lot of Southern States. Just had frog legs last night.
Comment by FormerParatrooper Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 2:52 pm
I just realized that I’ve made about 19 of those dishes. lol
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 3:01 pm
…And I think I’ll make pear salad tomorrow for lunch.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 3:04 pm
27, and I’m from northern Minnesota.
We are actively trying to rid our property of the Pokeweed. Not only noxious but toxic, too.
Comment by bhartbanjo Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 3:08 pm
=== pear salad tomorrow===
Nice. It’s like comfort food too
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 3:21 pm
Goldbelly selling, yum.https://www.golfdigest.com/story/masters-2019-the-curious-case-of-the-original-pimento-cheese-recipe-and-how-you-can-now-buy-it
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 3:39 pm
No turtle soup?
Also, some of these are hyper-specific to parts of the south and a lot of things are really just rural instead of southern.
I can guarantee in most southern cities a lot people wouldn’t have tried a bunch of these.
28
Comment by twowaystreet Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 5:13 pm
36 - and I’ve made a lot of them too. Now I want to come for lunch tomorrow!
Comment by Kelly Cassidy Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 5:16 pm
Almost all.
Some only once. My maternal grandparents came to Illinois about 1919, from eastern Kentucky. Stay there and starve, or come here for work and to feed your family.
I’m very happy they made the move.
Comment by Stix Hix Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 7:13 pm
14, but I’ve not spent much time in the south and my extended family is from the epicenter of yankeedom, New England
Comment by skutt Wednesday, Mar 8, 23 @ 9:20 pm
I lived in South Carolina the past four years and just returned Illinois. A lot of the southern food just never appealed to me, I think I have eaten 5foods on the list. Driven by a lot of boiled peanut stands but never stop.
Comment by Pacman Thursday, Mar 9, 23 @ 7:01 am