Virginia Tadrzynski wrote:
> "Kate Connally" > wrote in message
> ...
>
wrote:
>>
>>
>>>. . . I can not believe anyone serious would come to
>>>central/eastern NC, go eat BBQ and NOT order brunswick stew and
>>>hushpuppies.
>>
>>Well, I love Brunswick stew. At least my recipe for
>>it. Now as I understand it it was originally usually
>>made with squirrel or maybe squirrel and rabbit or
>>some other mix of meats, but nowadays it's often made
>>with chicken and lotsa folds don't have much access to
>>squirrel. However, that's neither here nor there. The
>>point is that it's a *meat* dish!!!! So what I don't
>>understand is why it would be served with another meat
>>dish, mainly bbq. (At least I'm assuming y'all put
>>some sort of meat in your stew and that NC bbq is bbq'd
>>meat and not bbq'd vegetables or something weird.
>>
>>Now I don't have anything against eating 2 meat dishes
>>together. I love meat as much as the next person but
>>generally when I have a meat dish I sort of like a
>>contrasting kind of dish for a side dish. And I think
>>most people are that way, so it just seems odd to me that
>>Brunswick stew would become the traditional side dish for
>>bbq.
>>
>>As for the hushpuppies, well, I never heard of them
>>being traditional bbq accompaniments. Here in Pgh. in
>>a lot of the black-owned bbq places it's usually corn
>>bread and the other side dishes are collard greens and
>>black-eyed peas and cole slaw and potato salad. People
>>usually only get 2 of the sides, not all four. But then
>>that tradition may come from another part of the south.
>>
>>Kate
>>
>
> Haven been born 'n bred in NC, I can attest to the fact that hushpuppies are
> NOT served with bbq. NC bbq is pork, in some areas not in NC, it is
> referred to as pulled pork, not that slathered cow meat southwesterners
> claim is bbq. Hushpuppies are usually served with fish, supposedly what was
> done with the coating mix the fish was dipped in before frying. Named hush
> puppy to indicate the fried dough was tossed to the dogs to leave those
> eating alone until they were done and the puppies could have the leftovers.
> Hushpuppies, if done right, are wonderful, if done wrong.....imagine a lump
> of cornbread soaked in lard.

It should be pointed out that there are two 'main' kinds of BBQ in NC.
Lexington Style, and that other kind. It's not unusual to have hush
puppies as a side.