Mint Julep

A refreshing southern cocktail, the mint julep traditionally consists of bourbon, sugar water, ice, and of course, a healthy sprig of fresh spearmint!

The cocktail belongs to the smash family. A smash is a cocktail template based on three components: spirit, sugar, and mint. The mint leaves also get smashed, and their refreshing oil gets distributed throughout the cocktail.

Traditionally, the silver cups they're served in allow frost to form easily on their outside from the ice within. The cups are held from the top or bottom to help keep the sides of the cup frosted.

A "julep" refers to a sweet drink that could be used to deliver alcohol or medicine. In the 18th century, the mint julep was prescribed to help with "sickness at the stomach, with frequent retching, and at times a difficulty swallowing."

Brunswick Stew

Brunswick stew, always tomato-based with many variations. Commonly used ingredients include okra, corn, local beans, veggies, and meat. Chicken and rabbit are the most widely used proteins in the dish today, but squirrel and opossum were the original stars of this creation! I’m sure the cooker used whatever was available. The meat used will have a significant impact on the stew’s flavor. I say stick to the gamey meats! Please, pass the squirrel.

Georgians believe it was created in Brunswick, GA, but others believe it was born in Virginia or even northern Germany.

Okra

Okra is a different kind of vegetable. It caused me a lot of confusion the first time I ever cooked and ate one. If you've never had it, you most likely have never had anything like it.

Okra grows on a plant from the mallow family and is that plant's seed pod. The original birthplace of the okra plant is uncertain but is predicted to have originated in either southeast Asia, Ethiopia, or West Africa. Wherever it's from, it made its way to South America through slave trading in the 1600s. It was introduced to the United States in the 1700s and has thrived in the southern region ever since.

Okra has a sweet and grassy flavor and a different kind of texture. When cooked, their mouthfeel is slimy, almost gooey. Since they are seed pods, you will find seeds in there as well. They are often found in stews and gumbos but can also be deep-fried or oven-roasted.

Oysters

The next spot on our list goes to the oyster! These eat-while-alive bivalves are harvested from marine and brackish water environments. They can be eaten raw (my favorite) or cooked (generally baked, fried, or grilled). Visually, these shellfish are known for their irregular shells and pearl-like translucent shell interiors. Their flavor can be from sweet to salty, from fruity to creamy, and everything in-between.

In Georgia, oysters love growing in the State's marshlands and coastal estuaries. Although one would find the same species of oyster growing throughout the country's eastern coast, the region the shellfish is from will make a difference. From what I understand, Georgia oysters are briny, slightly sweet, a little bit nutty. Ask a shucker about the different flavors of the local varieties.

Hushpuppies

I always thought of hushpuppies as a southern zeppole, but a little different. Often served as a side dish, hushpuppies are balls of deep-fried cornmeal batter and are prepared either savory or sweet.

There are two stories behind the dish's taxonomy are as followed:

Story 1: People would fry some sort of cornmeal mixture and give it to their dogs while cooking, keeping their pups quiet. Hush Puppy!

Story 2: Southern confederate soldiers would toss fried cornbread to keep their dogs quiet to help keep their presence a secret.

So, in short, we're eating dog food.

Boiled Peanuts

Mature peanuts are the dried peanuts that you crack open, eat, roast, and make into peanut butter. Typically boiled peanuts are only semi-mature and still considered "raw" or "green," meaning fresh harvested and not dried.

Once the peanut boilers have their raw or green peanuts, they boil them in salty water. This process seasons the peanuts from the inside, cooking them and brining them at the same time.

The peanut is similar to another legume from West Africa, called the "bambara groundnut." The tradition of eating boiled peanuts is credited to West African slaves who were forced to Americanize their recipes with local southern United States agriculture.

Crab Cakes

Popular in many states along the eastern coast of the United States, the crab cake takes the number four spot.

A delicious ball of crab meat is held together with bread crumbs, mayo, eggs, and different seasonings to taste. The crab cakes in Savannah take advantage of the sweet flavors from local blue and stone crabs.

Squeeze some fresh lemon juice, maybe spread some tartar sauce and go to town.

Pralines

The number three spot goes to the praline! These candies are simple and timeless. A combination of nuts, sugar, and in this case, milk or cream!

Generally, there are three types of praline, Belgian, French, and American. Belgian pralines have don’t look much like the American variety; they have a chocolate outer shell and a softer filling made from nuts, sugar, and milk. French pralines are much firmer, only including almonds and caramelized sugar. American pralines are softer and creamy with nuts, usually pecan or hazelnut, and almost have a fudge-like consistency.

Although extremely popular in Savannah, the recipe came from New Orleans. When Frenchmen moved to the New Orleans region, they brought their french praline recipe with them. In Louisiana, pecans were much more plentiful than almonds, and the nut in the recipe seamlessly switched from almonds to pecans. The cream was then added to thicken the candy, giving it its almost fudge-like consistency.

Low Country Boil

A low country boil can mean many things. To some, it's a meal, to others, it's an event, but to most, it's a lifestyle. However you think about it, it always revolves around boiled seafood and good times with good people.

The low country boil is an efficient way to cook a lot of food for many people. Typical components include shrimp, crab, sausage, corn on the cob, potatoes, and old bay (for those feeling exceptionally east coast). Shrimp are a massive part of Georgia and shouldn't be left out of this creation.

Now, picture this: your backyard is filled with friends, family, and neighbors. There might be music, brewskis, games, and there might be a couple of family dogs running around. Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, all ingredients are being boiled together in a giant pot. Once they're done, the pot of cooked food gets dumped on a newspaper-covered picnic table for everyone to dig in. Community.

Shrimp and Grits

The number one spot goes to shrimp and grits, a traditional dish of Lowcountry Georgia that originated in the southern region of the United States. Shrimp and grits is eaten at any time of day, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but breakfast is where this dish shines.

Shrimp play a crucial part in Georgia's economy, accounting for over 80% of the State's mariculture dollars and between five and nine million pounds of the shellfish. The two varieties common to Georgia are white and brown shrimp. White shrimp have a milder sweet flavor and are found in Georgia's brackish waters. Brown shrimp have a much more robust flavor that is said to be slightly minerally.

In its raw state, grits is coarsely ground cornmeal, but it gets transformed into a hot cornmeal porridge when cooked. The color of grits depends on the color of the sourced corn; it can either be yellow or white.

The State of Georgia declared grits as their official prepared food in 2002.

Top 10 Foods: What to Eat in Savannah, GA