We drove into Dothan, Alabama today around 4 pm, after a 2 day, 24 hour haul. It went ok, Dan did all the driving, we kept the bad road food to a minimum, and I was navigator thanks to my iPhone. Now we are here, enjoying our time, and observing the differences.
In some ways Dan and I have similar backgrounds but split by a generation. He was raised in the south, and my mom was raised in the south - oh but of course not all the south is the same. I learned tonight that GA and AL have a rivalry the way ME and MA have a rivalry.
The differences I observed most tonight was the way Dan and I eat every night versus the way his family eats, but then this is similar to how my mom was raised and I remember meals at my grandparents. A similarity is that sitting down at the table as a family is important. A time to share a meal, talk about the day, tell old stories, laugh and enjoy.
The difference is the food itself. Please note I have learned to "farm" from Dan who grew up on a farm that put a majority of their food on the table. Even today we pulled into the drive, there are wonderful greens growing in the garden and goats roaming around free range. But tonight's dinner was an interesting mish mash of of starch, fried, and canned veggies. We had fried pork tenderloin, corn pudding, fried corn bread (oh, it was really good) that was friend in bacon grease stored in a can by the stove as it is collected from frying bacon, coleslaw, canned peas, and as an afterthought, actual green beans. Granted, I have to say the meal was delicious. But is was SO much food, so much starch, and so little nutrients. This is what I will be facing for the next few days on my southern adventure, now here in AL, then in the rivalry state of GA.
I look forward to tomorrow's meals and learning more from my southern in-law/adopted family.
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