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I’ve had a busy, long weekend away from New England, visiting family down South in the Carolinas.  I typically don’t make too many trips down within a given calendar year, so when I do, I always come armed with a grocery list of Southern pantry staples that I pirate back to wherever I call home.  This past trip was no different.

Over the years, almost everyone in the immediate family has been subjected to my requests to ferry me to the local grocery store and patiently follow around with the buggy as I troll through the aisles like it’s the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  And since it’s an annoying chore, I do try and allocate the pain in measured doses across various siblings, in-law’s and parents.  Sometimes, it’s a family affair with not only a local grocery trip, but with some others involved in separate hunting & gathering exercises in other regions to help ensure my gourmet happiness.  I’d like to give a shout out to the following for their recent efforts:

• My mother and sister, who diligently canvassed numerous stores throughout upper South Carolina stockpiling Western Bagel’s “alternative bagel” since it is apparently not distributed within North Carolina (I know, bagels are far from being Southern — but it’s tasty, jacked up with fiber and hard to get your hands on);
• My father, for his devoted list management and stewardship of the grocery buggy.  I applaud the fact that he didn’t visibly flinch as I picked up multiple containers of mayo, flour, etc.  And, I salute his crafty foresight in snagging extra plastic bags to be used in the packing process;
• My brother for his surprise gift of an Anson Mills care package that included cold milled Antebellum grits as well as Carolina Gold rice that he schlepped to me from from his North Carolina home town, carefully wrapped and stored in a thermal lunchbox so as to preserve its freshness.  Additionally, he found my favorite commercial BBQ sauce that I haven’t been able to score in ages;
• And, a special belated thanks to my sister-in-law who generously bought me a souvenir tee shirt from the Piggly Wiggly on a recent trip to the South Carolina coast … “I’m Big on the Pig.”

So, what Southern goodies were in this trip’s bounty?  Take a peek … some of you out there might be familiar with these items, but may think ‘what’s the big deal?’  In the macro sense I can live without, but I still find myself “pining” for them; it’s a mental thing.  So, I indulge my inner belle and make every attempt to keep these foodstuffs in my ex-pat cupboard and freezer.

1. LUZIANNE TEA (Specially Blended for Iced Tea) Iced tea and one’s prefered tea bag used to brew it is such a subjective issue.    Hands down, I prefer Luzianne like many Southerners – although many folks disagree.   That’s OK; it’s America and you’re free to have your own opinion (and your own food blog too).  With that said, the reason I prefer it is that it has the best taste when used specifically for iced tea – clean flavor, no bitterness or harsh, tinny aftertaste – even after sitting in the fridge for several days.   Luzianne (a regional pronunciation of Louisiana), is manufactured by the Reily Foods Company headquartered in New Orleans, LA.  Reily Foods has a number of recognizable brands, but I’m guessing that their teas are now the power house in the brand portfolio.  You can check out Luzianne and other products at www.luzianne.com.  And, look for my upcoming post of “Sweet Tea:  Liquid Dessert.”
2. WHITE LILY FLOUR I miss White Lily Flour, although I’ve learned to live without and have even found some comparable, high quality substitutes over the years.  Just what is the allure of White Lily?  It is a 100% pure, soft red winter wheat that has a low protein and low gluten level that’s ideal for many baking uses where the end goal is fluffy and tender baked goods (e.g. cakes, biscuits and quick breads).  White Lily historically has been manufactured in Knoxville, TN since the late 1800’s –  as it was close to the volume growers of that soft red winter wheat.  But the brand was bought by the J.M. Smucker Company in recent years (yep, that Smucker of jelly & jam fame).  To the dismay & horror of many bakers, Smucker’s moved the mill out of Knoxville and into Ohio as of mid-2008.  In The New York Times article “Biscuit Bakers’ Treasured Mill Moves North” the change did not sit well with those in the know.  There is apparently a palpable production difference in the new mill’s ability to replicate the silky feel and baking performance of the old mill’s product.  Due to my novice baking & technical aptitude, the difference escapes me – but buyer beware.  Despite the change, brand loyalty and reputation seem to prevail, and White Lily flour still dominates the Southern grocers’ baking aisle.
3. ANSON MILLS GRITS & CAROLINA GOLD RICE Anson Mills is a very special company, and I’ve become a groupie over the years.  How special is it?  The company website says it all on its home page: “Handmade Mill Goods of Organic Heirloom Grains.” Glenn Roberts, a Charleston-based historic restoration consultant, wanted to re-create period recipes that his mother remembered as a little girl – but he couldn’t, as most of the ingredients were virtually extinct.  Using his Hardy Boys investigative skills, he tracked down those near-extinct heirloom grains from the fields of old bootleggers and farmers, with the aspiration of growing, harvesting and milling them – and he did it rather successfully.  In fact, he’s become a bit of a celebrity, as highlighted in The New York Times feature on him titled “A Grits Revival with the Flavor of the Old South.” For me, my introduction to Anson Mills was their Antebellum Coarse Grits that I sampled at a Charleston restaurant while visiting a sister years ago:  they were nutty and creamy … appropriately ‘toothsome.’  Another key item in the Anson Mills stable is Carolina Gold Rice – something that I have yet to try but will be looking forward to cooking.  Casting a rich, golden hue in the fields, Carolina Gold is the historical strain of long grain rice that disappeared during the Civil War, a result of the dying plantation life in the Carolina low country.  It apparently has adaptive properties depending upon how it is cooked:  it can be light and fluffy, or creamy like a risotto variety.  Take the opportunity to browse the website at www.ansonmills.com, as you’ll have a better appreciation of Glenn’s accomplishments and I bet you’ll even want to buy and try, then find yourself hooked like I am.  GRITS SMUGGLER (??):  If you didn’t catch my recent tweet, I was detained at the Asheville airport by TSA this past weekend, where my carry-on luggage that was loaded with Anson Mills goodies was flagged for intimate scrutiny – the grits in particular.  The security officer took every bag of grits out of its packaging, swabbing & testing for narcotics.  A comment was later made by family, likening me to a mule for the Anson Mills cartel!  Damn the TSA, but I have to say that the inconvenience was worth every grit bit … Look for my upcoming post of “Get Your Geechee On:  Shrimp & Grits.”
4. DUKE’S MAYONNAISE Duke’s is yet another one of those cult condiments that is a Southern institution, still manufactured in Greenville, SC.  If you visit the company website, you’ll see that the original recipe was that of one Eugenia Duke, who started out making sandwiches for the local troops headed out during WWI.  Additional Googling reveals that the boys loved her sandwiches that were made with her homemade mayonnaise, with the local grocery wanting to sell her special concoction.  At some point, Eugenia got wise:  she quit sandwich making to become a mayo mogul.  What makes Duke’s different you ask?  For me, it’s the closest thing to homemade; it doesn’t have the cloying sweetness of the major brands found at the grocery since it doesn’t have added sugar.  But don’t take my word for it — there’s even a Duke’s Facebook page with some 6,389+ fans who feel the same way I do.  Thankfully, distribution has grown over the years, and you can get it here up North, although I don’t ever see the full line of products and sizes you get down South.  For me, nothing tastes better with a tomato sandwich in late summer.  My one gripe with Duke’s (hint-hint!) is that I truly believe the mayo tasted better when it came in the glass jars – something that no doubt was abandoned for cost savings associated with plastic ones.
5. MAURICE’S BBQ SAUCE (Carolina Gold Original Recipe) This is a favorite BBQ sauce of mine, although I rarely get my hands on it.   South Carolina sauce is mustard based (versus tomato or vinegar based), and Maurice Bessinger’s version is up there in the top tasting.  In fact, he runs a large BBQ enterprise, aptly named the “Piggie Park” which originated in the greater Columbia, SC area.  While I like his sauce, I tend to doctor it up a little more by adding in some maple syrup or brown sugar, even some chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives.  You can mail order both BBQ and sauce via www.mauricesbbq.com.

So there you have it, booty from my recent field trip down South.  If you have any special things you are fond of ‘importing,’ drop a comment and let me know.  It would be fun to compare lists!

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