by John T. Edge
Periodicals, especially Louisiana Cultural Vistas, Mississippi Folklife, and Alabama Heritage, were a boon. In writing about watercress, the fall 2002 edition of the latter was essential. Online resources consulted include www.southernfoodways.com, www.hollyeats.com, www.seriouseats.com, www.roadfood.com, www.egullet.org, and www.dixiedining.com.
For photographic contributions above and beyond the call of duty, I thank Cassie Drennon, Pableaux Johnson, and Amy Evans. Amy’s photos are scattered every-where. Al Clayton and Bill Ferris shared their best. Cassie shot the Jesus produce one. Pableaux captured Texas and Louisiana. Thanks to Larry Smith at ETSU for the Snappy Lunch photo. David Gelin of Atlanta was very generous with his images. Look for his book, Barbecue Joints: And the Good Folks Who Own Them in stores soon. The photograph of Georgia Gilmore comes from There by the Grace of God: The Autobiography of the Reverend Solomon S. Seay and is published courtesy of the Solomon S. Seay Sr. family. And throughout the book are photographs supplied by the people and restaurants I profile.
Virginia Willis, with whom I also worked on the series “Saving Southern Food,” published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was a marvel of a recipe tester. And Georgeanna Milam, who, by the time you read this will be a graduate of the Southern Studies master’s program at Ole Miss, did fact-checking work.
For her friendship in the face of adversity, I thank Judy Long. For her undeniable skills as an editor, and for her patience and friendship, I thank Kathy Pories. For shepherding this thing into print, and for always having my back, I appreciate the good work of my agent David Black and his colleague Dave Larabell.
Thanks also to my mentors in the food world, John Egerton, Jessica Harris, and John Martin Taylor.
Last, and by no means least, I thank my wife, Blair, and my son, Jess, who endured my absences and did their best to embrace the taste of my latest obsession.
Note: Some of this writing first appeared (in different form) in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as well as the magazines Delta, Gourmet, Oxford American, Saveur, Sweet Tea Journal, and U.S. Airways.
Photograph Credits
Many of the photographs in Southern Belly were loaned by the people and places profiled herein. Thank you all. Bear in mind that, in keeping with the historical tone of the book, many of the photographs depict a time twenty, fifty, even seventy years past.
Pg. vii: Dedication, courtesy of Vanishing Georgia Collection, Georgia Department of Archives & History.
Pg. ix: Today’s Menu, courtesy of Cassie Drennon, photographer.
Pg. xi: Menu Board, photograph by the author.
Alabama
Pg. 2: Bob’s Hickory Bar-B-Q, courtesy of Van Sykes. Bob Sykes, photographer.
Pg. 9: Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Que, courtesy of Don McLemore.
Pg. 12: Eugene Walter, courtesy of Curt Richter, photographer.
Pg. 15: Wintzell’s Oyster House, courtesy of Wendell Quimby.
Pg. 17: Georgia Gilmore, from There by the Grace of God: The Autobiography of Reverend Solomon S. Seay, published courtesy of the Solomon S. Seay Sr. family.
Pg. 25: Archibald’s, courtesy of Ginger Ann Brook, photographer.
Pg. 29: Car Lot Bar-B-Que, photograph by the author.
Arkansas
Pg. 24: Lawrence Craig, photograph by the author.
Pg. 36: Mary’s Family Pie Shop, photograph by the author.
Pg. 39: Bullock’s Café, photograph by the author.
Pg. 41: Tamale cart, courtesy of Amy Evans, photographer, www.amycevans.com.
Florida
Pg. 52: 13 Mile, photograph by the author.
Pg. 56: Cover of the 1942 edition of Cross Creek, Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Pg. 58: Louis’ Lunch, photograph by the author.
Pg. 60: The Sheik, photograph by the author.
Pg. 62: Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish, photograph by the author.
Pg. 65: Fish sign, photograph by the author.
Pg. 69: Fried chicken, courtesy of Amy Evans, photographer, www.amycevans.com.
Georgia
Pg. 78: Chitterling sign, photograph by the author.
Pg. 80: Deacon Burton, courtesy of Lenn Storey.
Pg. 83: The Varsity, courtesy of the Varsity.
Pg. 84: Flossie Mae, courtesy of the Varsity.
Pg. 85: Lester Maddox, Cover of a record made from live recording of July 10, 1964, news conference.
Pg. 87: Mary Mac’s, courtesy of Mary Mac’s.
Pg. 89: Old Clinton Bar-B-Q, photograph by the author.
Pg. 94 and 95: Nu-Way Weiners, courtesy of Spyros Dermatas.
Pg. 97: Mrs. Wilkes’, courtesy of the Wilkes family.
Kentucky
Pg. 107: Duncan Hines and admirer, photograph courtesy of the family of Duncan Hines.
Pg. 111: Hams, courtesy of Amy Evans, photographer, www.amycevans.com.
Pg. 115: The Brown Hotel, courtesy of the Brown Hotel, photograph by John Nation.
Pg. 118: Flabby’s, photograph by the author.
Pg. 122: Moonlite Bar-B-Que Inn, courtesy of the Bosley family.
Louisiana
Pg. 128: Oysters, courtesy of Pableaux Johnson, photographer, www.bayoudog.com.
Pg. 133: Hot Boudin, courtesy of Pableaux Johnson, photographer, www.bayoudog.com.
Pg. 134: Johnson’s Grocery, courtesy of the Johnson family.
Pg. 138: Antoine’s Kitchen, courtesy of the New Orleans Public Library.
Pg. 140: Po Boys sign, courtesy of Pableaux Johnson, photographer, www.bayoudog.com.
Pg. 142: Hansen’s, courtesy of Pableaux Johnson, photographer, www.bayoudog.com.
Pg. 143: Leidenheimer’s, courtesy of Sandy Whann of Leidenheimer’s.
Pg. 145: Parkway Tavern, courtesy of Pableaux Johnson, photographer, www.bayoudog.com.
Pg. 148: Rocky and Carlo’s, photograph by the author.
Pg. 150: Casamento’s, photograph by the author.
Pg. 156: Willie Mae’s, courtesy of the Seaton family.
Pg. 158: Herby K’s, courtesy of Janet Bean.
Pg. 159: Jim’s Kountry Pies, photograph by the author.
Mississippi
Pg. 168 and 169: Hot Tamales in the Land of the Blues, photographs by the author.
Pg. 172: Joe Pope, White Front Café, courtesy of Amy Evans, photographer, www.amycevans.com.
Pg. 175: Doe’s Eat Place, courtesy of Gary Saunders and dixiedining.com.
Pg. 177: Lusco’s, courtesy of Amy Evans, photographer, www.amycevans.com.
Pg. 179: Leatha Jackson of Leatha’s, photograph by the author.
Pg. 187: Taylor Grocery, courtesy of Jessica Perkins, Hayden Perkins, photographer.
North Carolina
Pg. 193: Barbecue, Skylight Inn, courtesy of David Gelin, photographer. From his forthcoming book, Barbecue Joints: And the Good People Who Own Them.
Pg. 200: A Civil Rights Movement March, courtesy of North Carolina Collection, University of North Carolina Library at Chapel Hill.
Pg. 205: Lexington Barbecue, courtesy of David Gelin, photographer. From his forthcoming book, Barbecue Joints: And the Good People Who Own Them.
Pg. 208: Snappy Lunch, photograph by Larry Smith, East Tennessee State University. See his work in Fred Sauceman’s The Place Setting: Timeless Tastes of the Mountain South, from Bright Hope to Frog Level.
Pg. 212: Short Sugar’s, courtesy of David Gelin, photographer. From his forthcoming book, Barbecue Joints: And the Good People Who Own Them.
Pg. 215: Texas Pete Hot Sauce, courtesy of Ann Garner Riddle.
South Carolina
Pg. 221: Bowen’s, courtesy of Al Clayton, photographer, author of a number of books, including Still Hungry in America.
Pg. 222: Jestine Matthews, courtesy of Dana Berlin Strange.
Pg. 229: Cromer’s P-Nuts, photograph by the author.
Pg. 231: Maurice Bessinger, courtesy of Maurice’s Gourmet Barbeque.
Pg. 232: Roadside Produce Sign, courtesy of Cassie Drennon, photographer
.
Pg. 233: Eugenia Duke, courtesy of C. F. Sauer Company.
Pg. 236: Sweatman’s Bar-b-que, photograph by the author.
Pg. 240: Beacon Drive-In, courtesy of the Beacon Drive-In.
Tennessee
Pg. 244: Krystal, courtesy of the Krystal Company.
Pg. 248: Dr. Enuf, courtesy of Creative Energy.
Pg. 251: Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House, courtesy of Lynne Tolley.
Pg. 253: Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, photograph by the author.
Pg. 255: Piggly Wiggly, courtesy of the Pink Palace Museum.
Pg. 258: Payne’s, photograph by the author.
Pg. 264: Mayo’s-Mahalia Jackson, photograph by the author.
Pg. 267: Flatt & Scruggs, courtesy of the Martha White Company.
Texas
Pg. 274: The Night Hawk, courtesy of the Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.
Pg. 279: Elgin Hot Sausage, courtesy the Bracewell family.
Pg. 283: New Zion Church sign, photograph by the author.
Pg. 285: Barbecue pit, courtesy of Carol Roesch, photographer.
Pg.286: Glo’s Place, photograph by the author.
Pg. 288: Gilhooley’s, photograph by the author.
Pg. 292: Dr Pepper trucks, courtesy of the Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute.
Virginia
Pg. 300: Doumar’s, courtesy of Albert Doumar.
Pg. 303: Bill “Bojanglas” Robinson, photograph by Carl Van Vechten. Courtesy of the Carl Van Vechten Photographs Collection, Library of Congress.
Pg. 307: Texas Tavern, courtesy of Jim Bullington.
Pg. 311: Cover of the book Offal Great: A Memoir from the Queen of Chitlins, from First Place Publishing Company.
Pg. 313: Ben’s Chili Bowl, courtesy of Nizam Ali.
Pg. 315: Road sign, photograph by William R. Ferris. Courtesy of the Ferris Collection, Southern Folklife Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Places
All Saints Cafeteria 309
601 M Street NW
Washington, DC
202-289-1916
Anson Mills 225
Charleston, SC
803-467-4122
Ann’s Wagon Wheel 195
169 Highway 111
Beulaville, NC
910-298-4272
Archibald’s Bar B Que 25
1211 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
Northport, AL
205-345-6861
Arnold’s Country Kitchen 262
605 Eighth Avenue South
Nashville, TN
615-256-4455
The Bar-B-Que Shop 259
1782 Madison Avenue
Memphis, TN
901-272-1277
Bayley’s 22
10805 Dauphin Island Parkway
Theodore, AL
251-973-1572
Beach Road Chicken Dinners 59
4132 Atlantic Boulevard
Jacksonville, FL
904-398-7980
Beacon Drive-In 239
255 John B. White Sr. Boulevard
Spartanburg, SC
864-585-9387
Beacon Light Tea Room 263
6276 Highway 100
Lyles, TN
931-670-3880
Bean Barn 246
515 East Church Street
Greeneville, TN
423-638-8329
Beaumont Inn 113
638 Beaumont Inn Drive
Harrodsburg, KY
859-734-3381
Ben’s Chili Bowl 312
1213 U Street NW
Washington, DC
202-667-0909
Benton’s Smoky Mountain Hams 252
2603 Highway 411
Madisonville, TN
423-442-5003
B. E. Scott’s Barbecue 249
10880 Highway 412 West
Lexington, TN
731-968-0420
Best Stop 134
619 Highway 93 North
Scott, LA
337-233-5805
Big Apple Inn 180
509 North Farish Street
Jackson, MS
601-354-9371
Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Que 9
1715 Sixth Avenue SE
Decatur, AL
256-350-6969
Big Jim’s 171
1700 State Street
Clarksdale, MS
662-645-5600
Bill’s Barbecue 306
927 Myers Street
Richmond, VA
804-358-7763
Bill’s Hamburgers 164
310 North Main Street
Amory, MS
662-256-2085 Black’s Oyster Bar 129
319 Pere Megret Street
Abbeville, LA
337-893-4266
Blenheim Ginger Ale 238
Highway 301 North & Interstate 95
South of the
Border, SC
843-774-0322
Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q 2
1724 Ninth Avenue
Bessemer, AL
205-426-1400
Bowen’s Island Restaurant 221
1870 Bowen’s Island Road
Charleston, SC
843-795-2757
Bozo’s 141
3117 Twenty-first Street
Metairie, LA
504-831-8666
Bradley’s Country Store 68
10655 Centerville Road
Tallahassee, FL
904-829-6974
Bright Star 4
304 Nineteenth Street
Bessemer, AL
205-426-1861
Broken Spoke 273
3201 South Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX
512-442-6189
Brown Hotel 115
335 West Broadway
Louisville, KY
502-583-1234
Bullock’s Café 39
201 Missouri Street
Helena, AR
870-338-1183
Bully’s Soul Food 181
3118 Livingston Road
Jackson, MS
601-362-0484
Burger House 278
6913 Hillcrest Avenue
Dallas, TX
214-361-0370
Calvary Waffle Shop 256
102 North Second Street
Memphis, TN
901-525-3036
Car Lot Bar-B-Que 28
235 Bankhead Highway
Winfield, AL
205-487-2281
Carolina Plantation Rice 225
Charleston, SC
843-395-8058
Carver’s Country Kitchen 77
1118 West Marietta Street
Atlanta, GA
404-794-4410
Casamento’s 149
4330 Magazine Street New
Orleans, LA
540-895-9761
Central Grocery 146
923 Decatur Street New
Orleans, LA
504-523-1620
Chamoun’s Rest Haven 166
419 North Street
Clarksdale, MS
601-624-8601
Chet’s Seafood 66
3708 Navy Boulevard
Pensacola, FL
850-456-0165
Chitlin Market 310
5711 Ager Road
Hyattsville, MD
866-436-9381
Chris’ Hot Dogs 18
138 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL
334-265-6850
Chuck’s Bar-B-Que 21
905 Short Avenue
Opelika, AL
334-749-4043
Clear Run Farms 203
Highway 421 and 41
Harrels, NC
910-532-4470
Clemson Ag Sales Center 227
118 Newman Hall
Clemson, SC
864-656-3242
Coffee Cup 63
914 So
uth Clarkson Street
Charlotte, NC
704-375-8855
Coffee Club 196
520 East Cervantes Street
Pensacola, FL
850-432-7060
Corner Pool & Lunch 109
500 Court House Square
Burkesville, KY
502-864-5977
Cozy Corner 259
745 North Parkway
Memphis, TN
901-527-9158
Craig’s Barbecue 35
Highway 70 West De Valls
Bluff, AR
870-998-2616
Crechale’s 182
3107 Highway 80 West
Jackson, MS
601-355-1840
Cromer’s P-Nuts 229
1241 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC
803-779-2290
Deposito’s 96
187 Macceo Drive
Savannah, GA
912-897-9963
Dinglewood Pharmacy 91
1939 Wynnton Road
Columbus, GA
706-322-0616
Dinner Bell 185
229 Fifth Avenue
McComb, MS
601-684-4833
Dixie Restaurant 301
250 North Sycamore Street
Petersburg, VA
804-732-5761
Doe’s Eat Place 175
502 Nelson Street
Greenville, MS
662-334-3315
Doug Freeman 110
605 New Hope Road
Cadiz, KY
270-522-8900
Doumar’s 300
1919 Monticello Avenue
Norfolk, VA
757-627-4163
Drago’s 141
3232 North Arnoult Road
Metairie, LA
504-888-9254
Dreamland 24
5535 Fifteenth Avenue East
Tuscaloosa, AL
205-758-8135
Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute 291
300 South Fifth Street
Waco, TX
254-757-1025
Dupuy’s Oyster House 129
108 South Main Street
Abbeville, LA
337-893-2336
Ed and Kay’s 33
15228 Interstate 30 (Sevier Street Exit)
Benton, AR
501-315-3663
Eddie’s 228
1301 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC
803-779-6222
Farmer’s Market Restaurant 209
1240 Farmer’s Market Drive
Raleigh, NC
919-833-7973
Felix Mexican Restaurant 283
904 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX
713-529-3949
