Was it like a creme brulee crunchy sugar topping? I have been toying with the idea of a pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust and a crunchy burnt sugar topping. It would have to be scored while warm, like a Dobos Torte, but it might be intersting too......

Alexa

Was it kind of a streusel topping (no pecans)? I went to a church celebration once with a lot of soul food (no pun intended). There was a wonderful sweet potato casserole with a streusel-type topping - lots of nutmeg in it, too.

Yuck. Sorry Linda! But that is the mainstay of nearly every mom and pop meat & 3 around here.

I would dearly love to find a restaurant that wasn't "upscale" or a chain that didn't serve that.
All the grocery store delis have that menu in there line-up too.

I love soul food, but the only place I get REAL soul food is at a friend's mother's house. She's the best!

Bumblebeez, I'm not quite sure what to make of your post. If it is so ubiquitous in your area, maybe you could contribute a recipe instead of a 'yuck'?? LOL

Lori

I might skip the collard greens but otherwise, bring it on!

I think we all feel a little blah about the regional foods that are popular where we live and long for that 'something' different.

Nancy

I agree with you Nancy about the regional/cultural foods. I will never get tired of potato lefse. However, I will never eat lutefisk, I won't enter a building if someone is serving/cooking it, AND I will spare all of you by not sharing a recipe for it! Hah!

This was no "meat plus 3"...and certainly not mom and pop place. There were table cloths albeit covered with plastic and the napkins were paper...but while not a 4 star place...certainly better than the run of the mill buffet.
So sorry you don't like that kind of food, well cooked I think it's among some of the best Real American cuisine.
You know the topping may have been burnt sugar....which sort of melted into the pie. It looked crunchy but wasn't
And the crust was real home made with lard!
I think it may have had cardamon in it....but that's not traditional black soul food is it?
Linda C

Oh, Linda, it sounds divine to me. I didn't appreciate it when I was a kid growing up in Memphis, but now it would be totally high-end treat!

I didn't mean to be so harsh. Nancy said nicely what I was thinking. Sorry!
I live in a small town and unless I drive an hour that is all we have for the most part.
Dim sum, for instance, that would be a treat! I've never had it yet. On my bucket list.
The mom and pop meat and 3's are not bad at all, but basic Southern food is the norm. I had it for lunch last Sunday becuase we had a funeral to go to, were dressed up, and couldn't find anything else. But we did have our choice of at least 4 places to go. There are several nice tablecloth kind of restaurants here but the entrees would be $15 on the low end and we don't go to those places too often.

I don't know if there are recipes per say that are stand out, I think like most regional foods, cooks play it by ear and don't have recipes for fried chicken or gravy or even biscuits. I have a sweet potato pie recipe that uses rice krispies as a topping and that is always popular.
I have older relatives who always cook Southern (because that's all they know) and I have tried to get recipes from them but they don't use any!

I asked the waitress if she knew what was in the pie....but she didn't....and didn't seem to want to find out!
Don't any of you good southern cooks have a t and t recipe for sweet potato pie?

The sweet potato casserole with rice krispies is very good, but it's a casserole not a pie. I usually make it at Thanksgiving and Christmas since we already have regular pies. This is to eat with the meal, though it's as sweet as pecan pie.

I found the one linked below in the Recipe Exchange Forum.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: SWEET POTATO PIE WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

Whatever recipe is used, fresh, baked sweet potatoes are a must.
You wouldn't use instant potatoes for your best mashed potato recipe would you?

I'm not a real fan of Southern cooking, but I'll gladly make an exception for sweet potato pie. I like this one:

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

from Paul Prudhomme's cookbook. Have ready uncooked 2 deep dish pie
crusts (your own recipe or frozen from the grocery store).

In a large bowl combine:

1 cup cooked sweet potato
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar,
2tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (not, not, not margarine)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teasp cinnamon
1/8 teasp allspice
1/8 teasp nutmeg

Beat on medium speed until smooth, 2-3 min, do not overbeat. Set aside. In another bowl combine:

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup (Karo)
2 eggs
1&1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (not margarine)
2 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of salt

Mix thoroughly on low speed until syrup is opaque, about 1 minute. Stir in 3/4 cup pecan pieces
(large pieces) or halves. Spoon the sweet potato filling in the pie dough,
then pour the syrup over the sweet potato filling, decorate the tops with pecan
halves.

Bake 325 degrees for about 1& 1/2 hours, or until a knife inserted in
center comes out clean. Bon Appetit.

Oh my!....sounds wonderful....I think this one was more dense....but that can't be anything but good!

This is the sweet potato pie recipe I use and has been in my family forever. I too am from the south (live not too far from Bumblebeez) and understand what the attraction is to our basic regional food to someone from another part of the country. I also know what Bumblebeez is saying....we just don't have that much variety/choices when eating out around here. I, for one, am glad you enjoyed "our basic food group" foods. Thank goodness you found a place that actually cooks the food, didn't just open a can! LOL
Any way my recipe:

SWEET POTATO PIE

Makes 2 pies

4 oz butter, melted
2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
2 cups granulated sugar
1 small can evaporated milk, about ý cup plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs, beaten
1 ý teaspoons cinnamon
2 prepared pie shells unbaked

Mix potatoes, butter, and sugar until well blended. Add milk, vanilla, eggs, and cinnamon, mix well. Pour into pie shells
Bake 350 for about 1 hour, until set.

I put everything into food processor, pulse till all combined, pour into pie shells. Do not mash potatoes or beat eggs. Just dump all in processor at same time.

Bake/roast sweet potatoes for use in this pie. Do not boil them. Bake until soft and carmelized.

Murphy

That;'s the way I make pumpkin pie.....this pic was different...as far as I could tell no milk and not many eggs....I don't think....but it cut cleanly and had more and/or different spices than just cinnamom.

cooksnews,

If I am reading the Paul Prudhomme recipe correctly, it calls for 1 Tbsp. of heavy cream for 2 pies. That would be 1 1/2 tsp. per pie. I don't keep heavy cream on hand and would not like to buy a half pint for the sake of 1 Tbsp.

Do you think I could just leave it out? It seems like 1 1/2 tsp.of cream would not be missed from a whole pie. To put it another way, if the pie were to be cut in 6 pieces, each piece would contain 1/4 tsp. of cream. That's not much.

Jim

Good point, Jim. I can't remember if I put the cream in last time I made it, since I don't usually keep it on hand. Unless I planned on serving it with whipped cream...... just can't remember. I'd probably skip it, or sub with milk.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!!! You were right HERE...in my Hometown, probably five minutes away, and didn't let me meet you face to face?

I'm going somewhere to sulk now.

To stay on the message, yes the Peach Tree is good eatin', and I'm glad you had a good meal, even though I don't have a pertinent recipe. I have nothing else to say!

Had no idea you were that close!!...We were on a toot to get a puppy and get home....we should have asked you where to go for lunch and met you there.

CdL, I was wondering if you were going to pick up on that.

Missed opportunity!

LindaC, sounds like a winner to me! I would drive miles to eat there and I don't even like to drive. I think southern foods, like foods from other areas, sometimes get a bad rap. There are good ones and bad ones no matter where you're from.

jude

Re: My statement above about good food and bad food. What I should have said is food that is prepared well and food that is not.

Oh I have had my share of greasy greens and watery grits....but this was goooood! The brisket was tender and nothing special and the mashed potatoes probably were from a mix, but the greens and the yams and chicken and that pie were really very good!

I have been to a few Southern states. I am not sure if there is much distinction between Southern cooking and soul food.

Here is Harlem, Sylvia's is considered one of the best soul food restaurants. So if you are in the area, do give it a try.

Check out their menu. Very nice plating also.

SylviaâÂÂs

dcarch

dcarch, I think you are right that there is a good bit of similarity, and that's not a bad thing (at least for me).

Love Sylvia's smothered chicken!