Comments on: The Surprising Origins of Fried Green Tomatoes http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/ A Heaping Helping of Food News, Science and Culture Sat, 18 May 2013 18:34:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Sam Berry http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-15617 Sam Berry Thu, 01 Nov 2012 21:17:50 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-15617 We of the midwest (Owensboro, Ky) have been eating fried green tomatoes for a long long time. When I was young in the early 1940's they were staples from early summer thru Christmas. Green tomatoes were harvested before frost wrapped in newspaper and stored in a cool dry place and selected up to and sometimes into January. I remember my paternal grand mother bragging that her recipe was given to her by her mother and it contained a secret. (some red pepper flake was added to a mix of 1/2 flour and 1/2 white cornmeal) I am deep in my 70's and still love to cook and teach my grandchildren and great grand children to cook. Poppy like his grandmother passes recipes on.... We of the midwest (Owensboro, Ky) have been eating fried green tomatoes for a long long time. When I was young in the early 1940′s they were staples from early summer thru Christmas. Green tomatoes were harvested before frost wrapped in newspaper and stored in a cool dry place and selected up to and sometimes into January. I remember my paternal grand mother bragging that her recipe was given to her by her mother and it contained a secret. (some red pepper flake was added to a mix of 1/2 flour and 1/2 white cornmeal) I am deep in my 70′s and still love to cook and teach my grandchildren and great grand children to cook. Poppy like his grandmother passes recipes on….

]]> By: Kakelady27 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-14479 Kakelady27 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:42:45 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-14479 I grew up in Tennessee, Arkansas, & Virginia, avoiding the ubiquitous fried green tomatoes that were offered at most big family meals, and have been cooked & eaten by both sides of my family (southern, eastern & mid-west) for generations. I have not tried them in over 30 years, & found enough in area farmers markets to make a large batch of piccallili; so, I've decided to put away my childhood prejudice & find a recipe so I can try them myself. Assuming that the movie introduced them in the south is silly, although the movie certainly popularized them in restaurants. Fried green tomatoes are, and always have been, the frugal cooks' way of using everything that comes out of the garden, as is green tomato piccallili (also known as chow-chow or relish, depending on region). I grew up in Tennessee, Arkansas, & Virginia, avoiding the ubiquitous fried green tomatoes that were offered at most big family meals, and have been cooked & eaten by both sides of my family (southern, eastern & mid-west) for generations. I have not tried them in over 30 years, & found enough in area farmers markets to make a large batch of piccallili; so, I’ve decided to put away my childhood prejudice & find a recipe so I can try them myself.
Assuming that the movie introduced them in the south is silly, although the movie certainly popularized them in restaurants. Fried green tomatoes are, and always have been, the frugal cooks’ way of using everything that comes out of the garden, as is green tomato piccallili (also known as chow-chow or relish, depending on region).

]]> By: Back to DARWIN for lots of GREENs! « Kat Eats Syracuse http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-3434 Back to DARWIN for lots of GREENs! « Kat Eats Syracuse Sun, 07 Nov 2010 16:50:49 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-3434 [...] dishes, their “Fried Green Tomatoes.” These were absolutely incredible too. Like this blog on Smithsonian Magazine, I concur that I too did not hear of these green marvels until the 1991 film came out. Tomatoes? [...] [...] dishes, their “Fried Green Tomatoes.” These were absolutely incredible too. Like this blog on Smithsonian Magazine, I concur that I too did not hear of these green marvels until the 1991 film came out. Tomatoes? [...]

]]> By: NMissC http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2866 NMissC Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:18:23 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2866 They are mentioned in a number of southern cookbooks from before the movie. I've responded to the post <a href="http://nmisscommentor.com/food/a-response-on-the-subject-of-the-great-fried-green-tomato-swindle/" rel="nofollow">here.</a> Interesting topic. They are mentioned in a number of southern cookbooks from before the movie. I’ve responded to the post here. Interesting topic.

]]> By: Rato de Biblioteca » Blog Archive » Semana do Rato http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2819 Rato de Biblioteca » Blog Archive » Semana do Rato Sun, 15 Aug 2010 14:28:15 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2819 [...] Conheça a origem dos tomates verdes fritos (o prato, não o filme) e veja a receita aqui - nham! (via @ivanisegomes, RT de @ZagatBuzz) (foto: Old Shoe Woman, no Flickr) [...] [...] Conheça a origem dos tomates verdes fritos (o prato, não o filme) e veja a receita aqui – nham! (via @ivanisegomes, RT de @ZagatBuzz) (foto: Old Shoe Woman, no Flickr) [...]

]]> By: Joyce E. Ebersold http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2799 Joyce E. Ebersold Thu, 12 Aug 2010 12:08:26 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2799 i was born in northern Maine in 1929. Our family always had fried green tomatoes but my mother dipped them in flour with a little salt frying them in lard. When I had learned about the corn meal version, I tried it and liked it better. Now that I live in Florida, I have access to them almost all year. Would you believe I have one in my refrigerator now for me to use tomorrow? My son in California wants me to bring a few out to him. i was born in northern Maine in 1929. Our family always had fried green tomatoes but my mother dipped them in flour with a little salt frying them in lard. When I had learned about the corn meal version, I tried it and liked it better. Now that I live in Florida, I have access to them almost all year. Would you believe I have one in my refrigerator now for me to use tomorrow? My son in California wants me to bring a few out to him.

]]> By: Gael http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2798 Gael Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:56:43 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2798 My mother, who grew up in Middletown, New York, during the Depression, often made fried green tomatoes for us when I was growing up in Martinsville, Virginia. She said her mother used to make them and had to sneak the green tomatoes in from the garden because my grandfather didn't want them picked before they were ripe. Of course, they were originally a fall dish made when all of the tomatoes, ripe or green, were picked just before the first frost. So in our family anyway, the dish was carried from the Northeast to the South. She did not use a heavy batter, just a light coating of some sort, and pan-fried them. My mother, who grew up in Middletown, New York, during the Depression, often made fried green tomatoes for us when I was growing up in Martinsville, Virginia. She said her mother used to make them and had to sneak the green tomatoes in from the garden because my grandfather didn’t want them picked before they were ripe. Of course, they were originally a fall dish made when all of the tomatoes, ripe or green, were picked just before the first frost. So in our family anyway, the dish was carried from the Northeast to the South. She did not use a heavy batter, just a light coating of some sort, and pan-fried them.

]]> By: Melissa http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2797 Melissa Thu, 12 Aug 2010 07:42:30 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2797 My Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother (born ca. 1880) prepared her family's "receipt" for fried green tomatoes in east-central Indiana. She used a cast iron skillet and bacon fat. My mother employed her mother's technique, dredging the thinly sliced, very green tomatoes in well peppered flour, and fried them in butter 'til deeply browned. Although we'd appropriate a suitably green tomato from my dad's prized plants occasionally, the true feast came at the end of the season, when frost threatened. Impossible to describe my Mom's heavenly corn fritters, but they were a more elaborate batter preparation. My Pennsylvania Dutch grandmother (born ca. 1880) prepared her family’s “receipt” for fried green tomatoes in east-central Indiana. She used a cast iron skillet and bacon fat. My mother employed her mother’s technique, dredging the thinly sliced, very green tomatoes in well peppered flour, and fried them in butter ’til deeply browned. Although we’d appropriate a suitably green tomato from my dad’s prized plants occasionally, the true feast came at the end of the season, when frost threatened. Impossible to describe my Mom’s heavenly corn fritters, but they were a more elaborate batter preparation.

]]> By: Chris http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2796 Chris Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:02:45 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2796 My family has cooked fried green tomatoes for 4 or 5 generations, going back at least to my great great grandmother, who was of Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish descent, lived from the mid-nineteenth century until about 1920, and who lived her whole life in northeastern Ohio. Until the book (and then movie) came out when I was in my 20's I had always figured they were only a Pennsylvania Dutch/Amish thing. We made similar to the way you describe your New Orleans ones, I have never seen them as fritters (although we ate a lot of apple fritters) even though my grandfather is from Upstate New York. We used to have a hard time getting any ripe tomatoes because my mom and aunt were always stealing the green ones. Some days the stove would never get turned off, they just kept running outside for another tomato to slice, bread, fry, eat, run out for another round of tomatoes, repeat! My family has cooked fried green tomatoes for 4 or 5 generations, going back at least to my great great grandmother, who was of Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish descent, lived from the mid-nineteenth century until about 1920, and who lived her whole life in northeastern Ohio. Until the book (and then movie) came out when I was in my 20′s I had always figured they were only a Pennsylvania Dutch/Amish thing. We made similar to the way you describe your New Orleans ones, I have never seen them as fritters (although we ate a lot of apple fritters) even though my grandfather is from Upstate New York. We used to have a hard time getting any ripe tomatoes because my mom and aunt were always stealing the green ones. Some days the stove would never get turned off, they just kept running outside for another tomato to slice, bread, fry, eat, run out for another round of tomatoes, repeat!

]]> By: Margaret Kraght http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2793 Margaret Kraght Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:54:21 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2793 My mother fried green tomatoes as far back as I can remember, and I was born in 1925 (Los Angeles). Mother was born and raised in Kansas, and her parents came from that area, also. There was no southern history in our family! Could it be that Grandma, or Mother, just had some green tomatoes and tried frying some? All we did was dip them in flour and fry them, salting them as we started. I still love them. My mother fried green tomatoes as far back as I can remember, and I was born in 1925 (Los Angeles). Mother was born and raised in Kansas, and her parents came from that area, also. There was no southern history in our family! Could it be that Grandma, or Mother, just had some green tomatoes and tried frying some? All we did was dip them in flour and fry them, salting them as we started. I still love them.

]]> By: Robin B http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2788 Robin B Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:35:43 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2788 I have been eating fried green tomatoes all my life,50+ years. It all started in Ohio with my great grandmother, who had been eating and cooking them her whole life which started in 1895. But the recipe is a little different than the standard I see every where. I have been eating fried green tomatoes all my life,50+ years. It all started in Ohio with my great grandmother, who had been eating and cooking them her whole life which started in 1895. But the recipe is a little different than the standard I see every where.

]]> By: B Shaddock http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2787 B Shaddock Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:35:54 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2787 I've had fried green tomatoes all my life and I'm from Arkansas. We had them while waiting on the rest to ripe in the spring. I’ve had fried green tomatoes all my life and I’m from Arkansas. We had them while waiting on the rest to ripe in the spring.

]]> By: Kat Robinson http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2786 Kat Robinson Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:22:01 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2786 Greetings! I came up with a similiar article last month at Tie Dye Travels, referenced here on Eat Arkansas, the Arkansas Times' food blog: http://www.arktimes.com/EatArkansas/archives/2010/07/06/southern-staple/ Please feel welcome to try my version of the recipe. Cheers! Kat Greetings!

I came up with a similiar article last month at Tie Dye Travels, referenced here on Eat Arkansas, the Arkansas Times’ food blog:
http://www.arktimes.com/EatArkansas/archives/2010/07/06/southern-staple/

Please feel welcome to try my version of the recipe.

Cheers!
Kat

]]> By: Wanda Steiner http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2785 Wanda Steiner Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:07:54 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2785 I also grew up in Tennessee eating fried green tomatoes, since the 1950's. My grandmother cooked them before that. So they seem to be in all sections of the country, maybe just not in cookbooks and restaurants. I also grew up in Tennessee eating fried green tomatoes, since the 1950′s. My grandmother cooked them before that. So they seem to be in all sections of the country, maybe just not in cookbooks and restaurants.

]]> By: Deborah http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2010/08/the-surprising-origins-of-fried-green-tomatoes/comment-page-1/#comment-2783 Deborah Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:44:04 +0000 http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/?p=6406#comment-2783 I never had them until I moved to MS in early 2003. They are delightful and much better than boiled peanuts (which are also green and unripe but no doubt "southern"). I never had them until I moved to MS in early 2003. They are delightful and much better than boiled peanuts (which are also green and unripe but no doubt “southern”).

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