Southern Living

After living in South Carolina for 9 years, I have grown accustomed to "Southern" ways. Well, almost all of them. I always thought that since I was from Texas that meant I was southern, but not necessarily. Here are a few examples of the differences between what I grew up with in Texas and South Carolina's ways...

1. Purses vs. Pocketbooks. I will never get used to this. In Texas, we call our handbags "purses". It took me a year to figure out that a "pocketbook" is not a South Carolina name for a wallet.

2. Sweet Tea. I had never even heard of a restaurant serving sweet tea until I moved here. I thought it was something that people made at home.

3. Chicken Biscuit. What?!? I still shake my head when I see a sign for a chicken biscuit because it sounds so disgusting. Who eats this stuff? Oh, yeah. Like EVERYONE I know in South Carolina.

4. Pork Chop Biscuit. This is even grosser than the chicken biscuit. Come on. Really?!? This is one of the main reasons I don't eat at Hardees (besides the fact that Paris Hilton did a really inappropriate commercial for them a few years ago where she was practically naked. The ban is on!)

5. Duke mayonaise. I don't get this either. I tried to stick to my guns on this one, but Brian insists we buy Duke. It confuses me when I go to the grocery store and almost all of the Duke mayo is gone. I guess it is a southern tradition, but whatever. My mother-in-law would purchase jars of it and bring it with her to Pennsylvania when she lived there because they didn't sell it up North. Personally, I don't think it's all that great, so there.

6. Y'all. I don't have an accent, but I do say "y'all" as much as I say "the". Why don't more people say this in SC? I guess it is a Texas word.

7. Sweet Potato Souffle. Never heard of it before 1999, but now I'm a big fan. I didn't even know I liked sweet potatoes before I had this. In Texas, we have yams, which means sweet potatoes covered with burnt marshmallows. YUCK! Obviously, Texans were missing some pecans and a whole lot of brown sugar.

8. Football. The majority of the women I know in South Carolina LOVE football. What the heck is that all about? Maybe it's because I didn't go to college so I don't have a team to support, but for the love. Wouldn't it be more fun to go to the mall?

9. Vera Bradley. I have to admit I've gotten on this band wagon. Never heard of it before I moved here, but now I am the proud owner of four Vera Bradley quilted bags. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Last but not least...

10. Frito Chili Pie. I remember talking about this particular craving one day at work and I got the doe in the headlight look from my friends. Um, it's a yummy mixture of Fritos, cheese, chili, and onions. In other words, an ooey, gooey sensation! Don't know why you guys have been deprived for so long, but I'm glad that I could enlighten you.

Later.