3 Southern Staples to Sample in Mississippi's Gulf Coast

Southern cooking evolved from a medley of different cultural influences. European, African, Mexican, Caribbean, and Native American foods and cooking methods have found a permanent place at the table with regard to southern dishes.

If you plan to visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast soon, you can expect an incredible, home-cooked culinary experience. Ever wonder what makes travelers fall in love with southern cooking? Read on to learn more about three staples that make up some of the most iconic southern dishes you must sample during your stay.

1. Corn

Corn was borrowed from Native American and Mexican cultures and is used repeatedly in southern home cooking. Can you imagine a meal without grits or cornbread? Stoneground corn produces the perfect cornmeal for these two basic side items.

Grits must be boiled gently with water or milk to reach the perfect consistency – not too runny, but creamy and smooth. Grits will adopt the flavor of any food it's cooked with, such as milk or broth. You might like your grits best with only a little salt and butter as a side for breakfast.

Cornbread appears at many meals. Unlike its more cake-like northern cousin, southern cornbread is not overly rich with sugar and eggs. Sometimes cooks like to fry or bake this staple in a skillet greased with lard. You can expect to enjoy hot cornbread squares or sticks of butter as a side dish. Cornbread often accompanies stews, beans, and other saucy entrees that provide plenty of room to dip your cornbread.

Finally, hushpuppies are a favorite way to enjoy the flavor of cornbread but in a deep-fried form. Hushpuppies are crunchy and brown on the outside but moist inside.

Remember, cornbread and grits are gluten-free as well.

2. Pork

In southern cooking, pork is king. Pigs were brought to the Americas by the Spanish and other Europeans before it quickly became a dominant protein source, especially in the south. Pork features in pit barbecues, smokers, and cured breakfast meats like ham, bacon, and sausage. Pork meat also provides flavor to other dishes in the form of drippings and lard.

The pit barbecue and smokers are two classic methods that both produce fantastic ribs and roasts. Pit roasting is a long, hot process in which pork is entombed in a bed of hardwood coals until the meat falls off the bone. Alternatively, you can enjoy pork that was inundated for hours in the smoke of a pecan or hickory fire. This long process of low heat slowly cooks the meat over time.

You may taste pork drippings or bacon fat when they flavor a side of collards, kale, or turnip greens. Drippings are useful when it's time to fry breakfast eggs or add salty flavor to black-eyed peas or field beans. Drippings also provide a fabulous base for milk gravy to accompany biscuits or fried chicken.

3. Peaches

Peaches are synonymous with the south and homemade southern desserts. This stone fruit most likely arrived in the Americas from European colonists eager to enjoy their fuzzy fruits in a new land. The southeast climate proved to be perfect for peaches, so the blush fruit features in many yummy desserts.

As with cornbread, southern desserts are not heavy on sugar or rich creams that are common in cakes and puddings. Instead, peaches and other fruits feature in desserts like pie, cobbler, and crisps. These not-so-sweet desserts pair their featured fruit with a light, flaky crust or hearty heaps of biscuit-like dough on top.

If you still crave a rich peach dessert, you might find homemade peach ice cream after your evening meal.

If you want to indulge in homemade southern food, consider a visit to the Mississippi Gulf Coast area. Many establishments like Bed, Breakfast, and Beyond offer home-cooked meals during your stay.