EAT TO THE BEAT IS BACK! :D

Yay! So, my goal is to have my submission in by the June 30 deadline. If you don't know what Eat to the Beat is, check out the blog I mentioned below called Elly Says Opa!.

Anyway, I love any opportunity to get creative and try something new. And, while I normally hate boundaries and tend to stay away from convention, in a creative setting I actually enjoy guidelines because it makes it a little more of a challenge. That's why I think EttB is such a great idea. It's not your standard blog challenge, you're not cooking from a specific celebrity chef's cookbook (*coughTWDcough*), or going iron chef style and only using a specific peice of produce or other culinary effect.

So I've been weighing my options, and I think I'm going to do 2 entries. I noticed that there weren't many regional entries the last time, so I think I might do what I know best, and cook according to my culture. Soul food, anyone?

I'm going to do Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Song of the South by Alabama. The question is, what should I cook for Sweet Home Alabama? What is so quintessentially Alabama that it's the first thing that comes to mind?

I immediately think Fried Green Tomatoes, thanks to the movie by the same title that made a little cafe in Irondale (my old stomping grounds) famous.

I think of grits, because to be honest, I've happily eaten so much grits in my life I think I'm partially composed of it.

I think about peanuts, because of the cute little peanut shop on Morris Avenue here in Birmingham.

I think of Crawfish because of the Crawfish Boil coming up...

and last but (definately) not least, I think of Shrimp because of the amazing seafood we have at the gulf coast.

That was a fun little train of thought :) I love being from the south! We have great food! Ok, I've decided. I'm going to do Shrimp & Grits with Fried Green Tomatoes for Sweet Home Alabama.

For Song of the South, there is little doubt what I will be making for dessert. I think it's best to quote it directly:

"Song, song of the south.

Sweet potato pie and I shut my mouth.

Gone, gone with the wind.

There aint nobody looking back again"

I am going to make my all time, 100% favorite dessert. Ever. Sweet Potato Pie! :D Thank you, Alabama (the band), for giving me a reason to indulge.