In recent years, operations have spotlighted down-home classics like po’boys, buttermilk biscuits, brisket and fried chicken. Now making waves are classic Southern desserts. Some chefs are using cast-iron skillets, a prized possession in the South, to cook fruit crisps and cobblers, while others are highlighting classic or riffs of regional Southern recipes like Mississippi mud pie and Kentucky butter cake.
Many of these recipes fall in line with ideals that are important to consumers, such as scratch cooking and real ingredients like butter, as well as today’s comfort food comeback. The plus for operators: Most of these recipes are made with simple ingredients that require standard cooking tools and techniques. Here are five sweet fixin’s of the South on the rise.