A few years ago, I found myself in New Orleans with my best friend during what had to be one of the hottest Julys on record. Wandering through the muck on a sunny Sunday morning, we found ourselves in the French Market, taking in all of the amazing smells emanating from within. Being hungover definitely didn’t hurt, but for the most part, I’ll never forget the Cajun aromas from that market or the salivation that came with it.
As this blog is about Atlanta and the food it has to offer, I couldn’t really wrap my finger around what I would consider “Atlanta Cuisine.” Is it biscuit-y? Does it include some sort of meat? Are Vidalia onions involved? When it came down to it, I guess I realized that there are many different things that make food “Atlanta” in name. As a melting pot of the South, Atlanta has a whole range of foods and ingredients to make it its own.
Last Christmas, I received a copy of John Currence’s cookbook Pickles, Pigs & Whiskey: Recipes from My Three Favorite Food Groups (and then some). A James Beard Winning Mississippi Chef, Currence cooks a variety of foods that originate (and in some cases, can only be found) in the South. Like a little Southern soul guide, Currence’s cookbook has taught me how to really cook Southern. Flipping through its pages, I came across a recipe where he talked about spending time in New Orleans after Katrina and the foods he encountered while there. Feeling as though my path was set, I decided that his Spicy Hill Country Meat Pies were going to be my Sunday feat to conquer.
As this recipe literally took me all day to prepare, the end really had to justify the means. I was not disappointed. Sweet, spicy, salty, herbally, this recipe had it all. The crust was delicately flaky, while the filling had just the right ratio of meat to vegetables. I went into this simply expecting to be happy with my results. In the end, I emerged from my Southern endeavor more connected to the South then I think I have ever been. While the experience lasted all of ten hours, it was definitely worth it. Meat pies, once only known throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas, now have Georgia to call their home. If you have the time and aren’t afraid of wasting your entire day, I suggest you make these little Heaven pockets. But be warned, they may not make it through the night.
Eat.Cook.ATL 