Southern Desserts

One day last week I was reading a Southern Living article online, and it was entitled, "The 10 Best Southern Desserts of All-Time." A panel of noted Southern chefs made the selections. I agreed with many of their selections and disagreed with some. Which I guess is the way most folks would react.

To start off, here are the top ten Southern desserts selected by the esteemed Southern chefs.

1. Banana pudding

2. Fruit cobbler (peach, blackberry, etc.)

3. Pound cake

4. Hummingbird cake

5. Pecan pie

6. Lemon Chess pie

7. Black bottom pie

8. Red Velvet cake

9. German chocolate cake

10. Pumpkin cheesecake

Now, before I get started on my own list, I should present my credentials. I am 67 years old and a southern boy. I was born in Louisiana, have lived in Arkansas, Florida and Alabama. I also spent my growing up years in Missouri. For those of you who would argue Missouri is not a southern state, you are half right. Northern Missouri is not southern, but everything south of the Missouri River, which is where I grew up, is as southern as a pan of corn bread cooked in a cast iron skillet. It's definitely more southern than south Florida.

Both of my grandma's were born and grew up and lived in Arkansas. That goes for my mother as well. My wife was born and raised in Alabama, spent most of her post-college life in Arkansas, but for the past ten years we have been back in Alabama.

Three of the aforementioned women were/are exceptional cooks. One of my grandmothers, bless her heart, was not a great cook, but had other endearing qualities. My point being, I have literally eaten nothing but grits, beans and cornbread and fried okra my entire life.

So here is my top ten Southern Desserts. You will notice some of the desserts are the same as what you saw on the Southern Living.

Dalton's Top Ten Southern Desserts

1. Coconut Cream Pie - I was shocked this dessert did not make the list. It is far and away my favorite dessert, southern or not. My birthday is June 5th, my dad's was June 3rd. Guess what. His favorite dessert was coconut cream pie. My granny, the one who could cook, would make each of us a coconut cream pie for our birthday. When I I worked at the Pocahontas Star Herald, my boss, Anita Murphy, would make me a coconut cream pie for my birthday. Now that we live in Alabama, my wife Marilyn (M) makes me one on my birthday. I had a great-uncle who would eat chocolate cream pie for breakfast every morning. I would easily and with great glee eat coconut cream pie for breakfast.

2. Strawberry shortcake - Ok, I realize the origins in strawberry shortcake are set in England a few hundred years ago. But is there a southern home anywhere that doesn't serve this summertime treat on a regular basis? I have spent the last 26 years living in Arkansas and Alabama. Strawberries, depending on the mildness of the winter, can be ripe in nearly to mid-April, though usually it is toward the end of the month.

Currently, our favorite strawberry place is Allen Farms in Moulton. Last April and May we made three trips down there to buy strawberries, and there was one time we bought some in Arkansas.

Now there are variations to the "cake." My mother and my granny would use pie crust, which is still my preference. M prefers a cake, like something you would make with Bisquik. No complaints, it is good as well, especially when warm. I prefer real whipped cream, by Cool Whip will do. Suffice to say, i love strawberry shortcake anyway it is served.

3. Fruit cobblers - When I use the term fruit cobblers I mean peach or blackberry, or a mixed berry. I like it made with real pie crust not cake, again just a preference. There are very few things better than hot cobbler right out of the oven, topped with a scoop of real vanilla ice cream. Thee crust stuck to the juice of the fruit, you would scrape it off the side. Oh my, I'm getting hungry. It was good cold for breakfast as well.

4. Fried pies - I talk about my granny's cooking a lot and that is because her cooking was so exceptional. one thing, besides the coconut cream pie, that always makes me think of her are fried pies. If you are not aware what a fried pie is, it is pie dough, that you place pie filling inside, fold over and fry in the skillet. Some sprinkle powdered sugar over the top. When I lived in Arkansas, occasionally Granny would call me and say, "I just made a mess of fried pies, come over and get some to take home to you and Marilyn." Yes ma'am, I'll be right over. My favorites were very similar, apricot and peach. Just melt in your mouth goodness. M makes a pretty good coconut cream pie, but I haven't found anyone yet who makes fried pies like granny did.

5. Pecan Pie - Sitting on our kitchen counter this very minute is a pecan pie M made yesterday. We each had a piece last night after dinner and it was very tempting to eat the remaining three-fourths of the pie this morning for breakfast. Pecan pie is decadent, I am not sure if there is any dessert that reminds me more of the old south than pecan pie. There are variations, chocolate pecan pie, bourbon pecan pie, they are all good. Just give me the original, like the one I am going to go partake of as soon as I finish this blog.

6. Key Lime Pie - Besides sunshine, warm weather, seafood and hurricanes, Florida has given us the Key Lime pie. I came across this gem late in life, I was in my 40's when I tried it for the first time. My first thought was I have wasted 40 years of my life not eating this. It is sour, a little sweet, almost always on a graham cracker crust. Another hint, let someone else make it. M and I made one once. It was good, but it would have been easier to feed the 5,000. I've had key lime pie all over Florida, from Panama City to Key West. It's all good. But let me share this one nugget. If you're not going to Florida anytime soon, buy the one at Publix. They are based in Florida, and they have the best, without exception, store bought key lime pie on the planet. I'm heading to South Carolina next week, which is close to Florida. I'll have key lime pie at some point.

7. Banana Pudding - I have one rule about banana pudding. It must be made with Vanilla Wafers. No exceptions. This was number one on the Southern Living list and honestly could have been higher on mine. Another favorite of my Granny's. Did I mention she lived to be 98 and cooked up until the last few months of her life. She was an amazing lady. Anyway, banana pudding was another of her summertime staples and she would serve it warm with, once again, homemade whipped cream on top. It was delightful, it was glorious, you thought you will never be satisfied by any other dessert again. It was that good. It didn't matter, warm or cold, my spoon was ready.

8. Pound Cake - One of the great things about southern desserts is just how incredibly versatile they are. Pound cake is no exception. Often baked in bread pans, once cooled I can remember from my childhood eating it plain, or with peaches or strawberries, or ice cream or just whipped cream on top. Seems like we always had it when company was coming over. Mom liked pound cake. I do too.

9. Lemon Chess Pie - Here is all you need to know about lemon chess pie. A few weeks before Christmas, M asked my mom what she could bring when we came up for the holidays. Without hesitation my mom said, "please make me one of your lemon chess pies." If that is not a validation of the goodness of this sweet and sour dessert, I'm not sure what is.

10. Sweet Potato Pie - Another treasure I discovered while living in Florida. I was the nighttime supervisor at the General Aviation facility at the Naples Airport. We handled private aircraft and stayed pretty busy. My nighttime security officer, whose name I have forgotten over these 30 years, every Saturday night would bring in a sweet potato pie that his grandma had made. He was African-American and his grandma had spent years as a cook before retiring. I'm sorry I never tried any of her other creations because after the first bite of my first pie, i just closed my eyes and thought, "wow, this is what a pie should be." It tastes similar to a pumpkin pie, but there is a subtle difference. I think I've had one sweet potato pie since leaving Florida in '98. I'm more than ready for another.

That is my list, Enjoy it, make your own, but if you do share it with me. Stay warm this week, be good to each other.