Over the centuries, Georgia's cuisine has been influenced by the culinary traditions of its Native American, European, and African cooking traditions. While its culinary style falls under the general category of Southern cooking, several ingredients and products are particularly associated with the Peach State.
Native American Influences
Several traditional Georgia dishes owe their origins to the state's Creek and Cherokee peoples. Both tribes were experts at cultivating corn, which was used in many ways. One favorite method of preparation was to soak corn kernels until the bran and germ floated to the top, leaving a more tender kernel twice its original size. Then the kernels would be rinsed and dried. Many different tribes throughout North America had their own variations on this process; the resulting kernels are now called hominy. After making the hominy, it would be pounded for use in breads and dishes similar to porridge. These corn porridges evolved into the beloved Southern staple, grits.
Georgia's Native American tribes also grew their own beans and peas. They gathered nuts like pecans and chestnuts, as well as fruits such as blackberries and wild plums. Along the coast, plentiful catches of shrimp and oysters rounded out their diet. In other areas, they mostly hunted deer and bear, as well as smaller game like rabbit and squirrel. A common way of preparing meals was to toss everything into a pot and cook the stew over an open flame. Particularly large pieces of meat sometimes were roasted directly in the fire instead. One-pot stews are still favorite dishes in Georgia.
European Influences
When Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto and his expedition came north from Florida in 1540, they brought pigs with them. They ate pigs when they couldn't procure food from Native Americans they met during their travels. After the Spanish introduced peaches and cattle to northern Florida in 1565, both quickly spread to Georgia's Spanish missions and private lands. Native Americans in the area soon became adept at raising cattle and peaches in their villages, too.
By 1684, the Spanish had abandoned all their missions in Georgia. However, they left behind their pigs and cattle. Other European colonists found it easier and more cost-effective to raise pigs than cattle. Because of this, pork products became an important part of the Georgian diet. Colonists favored ham and chicken, with lard providing cooking grease.
French Huguenots emigrated to Georgia, settling mainly in Savannah. Their cooking methods imparted a distinctly French flavor on Savannah's cuisine with dishes like crab soufflé seasoned with sherry and nutmeg. Germans settled in areas further up the Savannah River and contributed German favorites, like sauerkraut and pepper pot soup, to Georgia's cuisine. European settlers followed the Native American example, raising corn as their primary grain instead of wheat or rye. To this day, corn bread accompanies many Georgia meals.
African Influences
Africans profoundly affected Southern cooking, including that of Georgia. Some commonly used foods came from Africa, such as okra, watermelon, pepper pods, peanuts, and black-eyed peas. Slaves adapted African cooking to Native American and European styles. For instance, to replace African yams in recipes, they substituted the region's abundant sweet potatoes. On coastal rice plantations in Georgia and the Carolinas, slaves invented the popular dish Hoppin' John. Made from black-eyed peas cooked with onions, hot peppers, and either ham hocks, bacon, or sausage, Hoppin' John has become a traditional New Year's Eve dish.
Regional Foods
Although many foods were eaten throughout Georgia, geographical differences also influenced its various regions. The thriving rice plantations along the coast, made rice a staple in this part of the state instead of corn. In this area, people used rice to make pilaus, breads, waffles, and more. And with the bounty of seafood available, dishes like oyster stew, deviled crab, and shrimp with grits pleased the population.
Northern Georgia's colder, longer winters made curing pork products a necessity. In the mountain areas, Scots-Irish descendants used old country techniques to distill corn into home-made whiskey, known as moonshine. Ellijay's apple crops also made apple brandy a regional favorite. In addition to ham and chicken, households also dined on venison and small game. Family farms produced their own dairy products, such as milk, cream, cheese, and butter.
In the middle of the state, milder weather helped the peach orchards thrive. In the 1870s, a new hybrid of peach emerged on Samuel Rumph's farm in Macon County. Rumph named the new variety Elberta after his wife. He soon discovered that Elberta peaches didn't bruise easily, making it a perfect variety for shipping to other areas of the country. By the early 1900s, the Elberta peach turned Georgia into the country's top peach-producing state.
South Georgia boasts abundant pecans, peanuts, and the Vidalia onion. Although pecan trees grow natively in the region, they weren't cultivated on a large scale until after the end of the Civil War. Then pecan orchards sprang up around Albany. Pecan pie became a popular dessert in Georgia, and in fact, since the 1950s, Georgia has produced more pecan pies than any other state.
Georgia also grows the most peanuts in the country. Decatur and Early counties alone supply about 40 percent of the U.S. peanut crop. A favorite snack food in south Georgia is boiled peanuts. The origins of boiled peanuts remain unknown, but Civil War soldiers ate them often because they didn't have enough bread or meat. Freshly-harvested peanuts which haven't had the chance to dry out ("green" peanuts) are preferred for boiling. The peanuts are boiled in heavily salted water for several hours, until the shells are soggy. They spoil quickly, so they must be promptly eaten, canned, or frozen. Boiled peanuts are also dried and then sold in bags; these peanuts must be soaked before eating to replace the moisture. However, boiled peanut aficionados will only eat this type of boiled peanut when absolutely desperate. Travelers will see boiled peanut vendors along roadsides, at flea markets, and at fairs. Be aware that some roadside vendors leave their peanuts soaking in the briny vats for several days; if they're slimy or smelly, they're spoiled. Peanuts are harvested in Georgia between August and October, making these the best times to try boiled peanuts.
When Vidalia farmer Mose Coleman first tried to sell his unusually sweet onions in the 1930s, buyers didn't line up for them. But the onions eventually grew in popularity over the years, and now are prized by serious cooks all over the nation. No one knows for sure what gives Vidalia onions their unique flavor, but many farmers attribute it to the region's mild winter weather and local soil. Today, 20 Georgia counties may grow Vidalia onions, a designation protected at both the state and Federal level. These delicate onions are harvested by hand between late April and mid-June. They're often used in soups, sandwiches, salads, relishes, and salad dressings.
In the late 20th century, a national trend toward using regional ingredients in cooking gave birth to "New Southern Cooking." Famed Georgian chef Nathalie Dupree lead this movement with her cookbook and television program, both named New Southern Cooking. This type of cooking takes traditional recipes and gives them a modern twist. Examples include peanut-roasted pork tenderloin and fried green tomatoes topped with pecan-crusted catfish.
While visitors to the Peach State will find restaurants serving these contemporary dishes, plenty of menus list old Georgia stand-bys, like collard greens, chicken pot pie, and fried okra. Whether you prefer more sophisticated fare or down-home delights, Georgia's cuisine is sure to please your palate.
