11 Food Dishes That Are Absolute Symbols of Georgia

Many dishes are prepared in Georgia, but there is a difference between Southern food and Georgia food. Georgia has a way of bringing a different spin to its food because of its key location in the United States. Many of these dishes were heavily adopted into Georgia tradition, whereas others were born there. Let us dive into the fantastic dishes that represent the type of place Georgia is!

1. Fried Chicken

You can only embrace the South by digging into crispy, flavorful fried chicken. Deep-frying chicken in fat was introduced to the South by the first European settlers. West African enslaved people brought to the U.S. showed a different traditional way of seasoning fried chicken. Fried chicken was an ideal meal option for soldiers in the Civil War because it could be prepared fast and did not spoil.

2. Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes are crispy on the outside, tangy, and juicy on the inside! You can eat this food any way you desire. As an appetizer, side dish, or on sandwiches, this dish will surely bring some fantastic flavor to your mouth. Jewish immigrants brought This dish to the U.S. in the 19th century.

3. Peaches

Although not a dish, this state fruit is used in many dishes like peach pie and cobbler. There are other dishes in Georgia, like a peach burger or peach sliders on a doughnut! During the Civil War, soldiers from different states would pick peaches surrounding battlefields. These soldiers were amazed at the deep, juicy flavor this fruit held! Georgia has the perfect environment to help peaches flourish. No wonder it is the official fruit of this state!

4. Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuits and gravy is a dish that goes back to the logging industry in the South during the 1800s. This classic dish has all-purpose flour, milk, and breakfast sausages.

5. Boiled Peanuts

Boiled Peanuts were a popular snack for farmers and laborers in the 1800s. This cheap and convenient snack is traditional in Georgia!

6. Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and grits is a classic southern dish served for breakfast or brunch. Grits origin is from the Native American Muscogee Tribe, who would grind corn in a stone mill, giving grits the gritty texture. In West Africa, the Gullah enslaved people periodically received food for allowance, including grits. Living on the cost allowed them to spice this meal up by adding some seafood. Shrimp! After a chef named Bill Neal added his spin to shrimp and grits, it spread throughout the South by the mid-1990s. Shrimp and grits include those two ingredients, along with cheese and garnishes.

7. Low Country Boil

The low country boil dish comes from the Gullah Geechee. Enslaved people of the Carolinas and Georgia added flavor to sea creatures in low-lying sea-level regions. A low country boil consists of shrimp, corn, potatoes, sausages, and seasonings like old bay.

8. Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese is a dish originating from cream cheese. In the late 1800s, New York farmers made unripened soft cheese that eventually became cream cheese. At the same time, Spain shipped red peppers or pimientos to the United States, sparking ideas in kitchens all over. In 1908, the ingredients were put together and became a hit throughout the Southern regions. Farmers in Georgia started growing red peppers, roasted and canned them. Thus, pimento cheese was born!

9. Fried Okra

Fried Okra has roots in West Africa and were brought to the U.S. through enslaved individuals. This dish is made by dipping it in milk, flour, and seasonings and then frying it into oil. This dish makes for a great side dish or even a snack.

10. Brunswick Stew

There is history over this classic stew between Virginia and Georgia. Either way, this is a beloved Southern dish. The stew is named after the City Brunswich. A plaque on an iron pot in Brunswick, Georgia, says, “The first Brunswick stew was Made in it on July 2, 1898, on St. Simons Island.” Virginia’s side of the story is that the stew was invented by a state legislator chef in 1828 on a hunting expedition. Whatever the history of this dish may be, it is a typical dish in Georgia. This stew is thick and full of veggies and meat.

11. Vidalia Onions

Although not a specific dish like peaches, Vidalia onions accurately represent Georgia. The Vidalia onion was officially declared an official state vegetable in 1990. This is because Georgia’s soil, weather, and farmers bring flavor and life to this vegetable!