East Coasters eat the weirdest stuff: deep fried squash blossom

I’ve lived on the East Coast, in the South and here in the Midwest. In my time in those places, I’ve gotten to sample lots of the regional cuisine. And as much fun as is made of us, the Southerners and the East Coasters eat some weird stuff.

I didn’t have to go any further than this morning’s NPR broadcast. Morning Edition is doing a series on road side vendors and farmer’s markets. A reporter from the DC market, Neda Ulaby, visited a farmer’s market in what was once an open air drug market in our nation’s capital. Now, thanks to gentrification, it’s an open air food market.

The hot item? Squash flowers. In that typical Washingtonian clenched-jaw voice, Neda tells us how the squash flowers come from a farm in Virginia’s Northern Neck. To eat them, they are stuffed with a soft cheese and then fried or baked. The blossoms are breaded with a mixture of tempura batter and beer.

While I can get with the fried and beer part, it’s still a flower. And frankly, I’m just simple enough I’d rather see blooms in a vase on the table as opposed to steaming on my plate.

Longhorn Inn Forsyth, MO

We’re going to be looking at everything from recipes to restaurants here at the Hillbilly Gourmet. Our aim is to find the best in Midwestern cuisine. If you have anything to share, please email us at hillbillygourmet@gmail.com.

As I said, not just anybody can fry chicken. It’s usually your grandma who does it best but we found a little place in Forsyth that makes just about the best fried chicken away from Granny.

The Longhorn Inn is located at 16039 US Highway 160 in Forsyth. We went on a Sunday and took advantage of the buffet. It was brimming over with fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans, apple cobbler and peach crisp.

I’ll let y’all drool a minute.

We helped ourselves to an enormous portion of chicken, potatoes and green beans … and then helped ourselves to an even bigger portion of dessert. A nap in the car was required after the lunch carnage.

Close to the lake with a funky 50s décor, this place can’t be missed.

WELCOME!

Much is made over the banality and sometimes outright weirdness of the food we enjoy here in the Ozarks. High brow East Coast folk cast aspersions on our penchant for Jell-O and Ranch dressing. And while I’m not about to start making the case for Tomato Aspic, some of our regional cuisine is downright tasty.

I’m an ardent foodie and I delight in a well-plated meal, but I also appreciate real simple food. Not just anyone can fry chicken right and pie crust is an art. Macaroni and cheese? The real stuff doesn’t come from a blue box.

The beauty of our country is the diverse tapestry of people and experiences. From dialect to diet each region of the U.S. has loads of things to celebrate … and occasionally make fun of. The hope of this here little site is to show to the good side of the casserole and the gelatin dessert and to show off some of our lesser known delicacies.

Welcome to the Hillbilly Gourmet. Y’all come back and tell a friend while you’re at it.