A batch of good collard greens (spring greens in the UK) takes hours to make. It’s a fuss, but one any Southerner is proud to make.
First, you must carefully clean each individual leaf. Then you stew and simmer the greens in stock and bacon fat with a smoked ham hock and plenty of onions and garlic. After several hours, the greens break down, scenting the air with meat and warmth. They’re eaten sopped up with a piece of cornbread. The pot liquor – the flavourful broth left at the bottom of the bowl – is the drink of choice with any Southern fare.
Traditional food of the American South is all about comfort and laidback charm, with a rich black history. These days, it has seen a major evolution into fine dining, embracing diversity from communities of migrants and bringing a finesse that speaks of global influence. ‘You find the roots of Southern cuisine in restaurants, but you’re seeing a lot more fusion, other cultures,’ says Phil Cerrito, co-owner of Bebop Bottle Shop in Asheville, North Carolina.
‘The type of produce historically grown in the area – okra, peanuts, satsuma mandarins, Tybee island oysters – all has a historical connection to the South, no matter the cuisine,’ says Jamie Crotts, sommelier and owner of Limestone Wines in Savannah, Georgia. ‘If everything is sourced locally, then it has a Southern soul.’
So-called meat and threes – a dish of protein plus three sides – is a Southern staple. Cerrito says Asheville’s fish plates and threes – a fillet of grilled or fried fish with, for example, mac and cheese, hushpuppies (deep-fried balls of cornmeal-based batter) and a smoked trout dip with fish roe – work brilliantly with a Chenin Blanc. He also suggests pairing Southern fare with an Italian ‘lunch wine’ such as a Schiava from Friuli or a Grignolino. ‘These reds are light and fresh, typically with lower alcohol. Brightness and freshness help lift these heavier dishes.’
As for the collard greens, Cerrito recommends drinking Cisteller’s Verbena from Penedès in Catalonia, Spain (made from the Manzoni Bianco grape, a crossing of Riesling with Pinot Blanc). ‘There’s a lot of umami, fat and smokiness in the greens; now you can introduce some acid to that dish.’
Wine culture
The Southern states are home to dozens of AVA wine regions – in Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Though most Southern wineries are agro-tourism sites, meaning the local wines aren’t widely distributed to retail shops or restaurants, wine appetite is steadily growing in the cities.
Barbecue chicken, lobster tail, mac & cheese, corn & hushpuppies. Credit: Wirestock / Getty Images
For people such as Kelly Cornett, an Atlanta-based wine consultant, it’s about connecting wine with foods people already know and love. She pairs Atlanta’s famous fried lemon pepper wet wings with Champagne at her tasting events. She also organises tastings at Asian restaurants on Buford Highway – a 50km stretch of road in Atlanta with numerous dining options; it could be at a Vietnamese place or a Korean barbecue joint with a BYOB (bring your own beverage) policy.
‘If you’ve never paired a wine with bibimbap, you need to,’ says Cornett. ‘It shows a playfulness to the food and wine scene. It’s Atlanta – you gotta have fun.’
Pairings for Southern food
Shrimp and grits with Daniel Gómez Jiménez-Landi, Las Uvas de la Ira, Sierra de Gredos, Spain 2020
‘A default would be a rich white, but my go-to with shrimp grits is a light red. Typically, there’s a buttermilk component in there; it needs acid. This Garnacha is vibrant, red fruited and has tons of lift,’ says Crotts.
£33 Waud Wines. Alcohol 14.5%
Atlantic cod with fried okra, cilantro chutney and pickled peppers with Cloudland Vineyards, Wildflower, Georgia, USA 2023
The marmalade and umami notes in this skin-contact blend of Petit Manseng and Viognier complement the green okra, while the fruitiness lifts the fish, and the body from the Viognier gives the wine structure to withstand flavourful chutneys.
Cloudland Vineyards. Alc 12%
Kansas City-style barbecue smoked pulled pork sliders with pickled jalapeño with Glen Manor Vineyards, Cabernet Franc, Virginia, USA 2022
‘Smoke, tobacco and green pepper in the wine play off the smoke, spice and tang of the pork, with enough acidity in the wine to offer structure,’ says Cornett. ‘The jalapeños counter the pyrazines in the Cab Franc.’
US$48 Glen Manor Vineyards. Alc 14.6%
Fried chicken rice bowl with Kimchi slaw, potato salad and radish with Strawberry Fields cocktail made with strawberry, white peach tea, lemon basil foam and Minhwa Spirits, Yong Soju, Doraville, Georgia, USA
Atlanta’s own soju and makgeolli distillery is a window into the Korean culture taking root in the South, incorporating Southern influences such as slaw, fried chicken and peach tea with Korean flavors, this cocktail and rice bowl mashup is a refreshing hit.
US$38 Elemental Spirits Co. Alc 40%
