What Country Cooking Really Looks Like in Lawrence County
When you hear the phrase country cooking, it sparks something deep in the soul — memories of Sunday dinners after church, big family get-togethers, or pulling up a chair at Grandma’s table where the biscuits were always fresh and nobody left hungry. We asked our LCtoday community: “When you think of country cooking, what’s the first meal that comes to mind?”
And y’all didn’t just answer — you took us back in time, straight to the heart of home kitchens across Lawrence County.
🥘 The Classic Country Spread
If we had to build the ultimate “country cooking” plate based solely on the replies we got, it’d go something like this:
Fried Chicken – This bird took the crown. Whether crispy and golden or pan-fried to perfection, fried chicken came up again and again. It's a meal that says gather 'round and dig in.
Pinto Beans – The undeniable champion of country sides. Slow-simmered with fatback or ham hock, served hot with cornbread to soak it up, pintos might just be the soul of Southern cooking.
Fried Potatoes (with onion, of course) – These are a must. Fried taters with caramelized onion popped up nearly as often as beans and chicken. It’s the kind of side that turns humble ingredients into something that tastes like home.
Cornbread – This wasn’t just a side dish — it was required. Some like it crispy, some sweet, and some crumbled in a glass of buttermilk. However you take it, cornbread is the glue that holds it all together.
Sweet Tea – It might as well be the official beverage of Lawrence County. Iced cold, syrupy sweet, and served in a tall glass, it’s what’s in hand while the food’s cooking and once you’ve got a plate in front of you.
🍅 Fixins That Made an Appearance
There was no shortage of fixins, either. Y’all brought out the whole garden and then some:
Sliced tomatoes and onions – Fresh from the garden, often served raw alongside the meal. Some even mentioned slathering a slice of tomato with mayo and calling it lunch.
Purple hull peas, fried okra, turnip greens, and fried squash – The South’s finest veggies (most of 'em fried, of course) made a strong showing. Fried corn and creamed corn were close behind.
Macaroni & cheese, chicken and dumplings, slaw, and even kraut and wieners got a few shoutouts, showing how rich and varied “country cooking” can be depending on whose kitchen you’re standing in.
🍳 Let’s Talk Breakfast
Country breakfast got its due respect, too. Biscuits and gravy might just be the backbone of a Southern morning:
Gravy and biscuits, country ham, eggs cooked every which way, bacon, grits, and fried apples – it was all there.
Some of y’all said that a plate of sausage, eggs, biscuits, and hash browns was the real country gold. And let’s not forget about ham and red-eye gravy, or a slice of fatback with a biscuit on the side.
🍰 No Country Meal Ends Without Dessert
You didn’t skip dessert, either — and bless y’all for that.
Peach cobbler, banana pudding, chocolate gravy and biscuits, and fried pies made the list, closing the meal the way only Southern desserts can.
💬 Quotes That Just Felt Like Home
“Anything Momma made.” – Rick Terry
“Beans, fried taters and cornbread.” – Julia Kathleen Craig Cole
“That would be bacon, fried eggs, biscuits and gravy with sliced tomatoes and a hot cup of coffee… now that’s country cooking at its best.” – Judy England Louallen
“Beans with ham hocks, crispy fried potatoes, cornbread, and onion. (And the cornbread must be sweet—I’m 1/2 Yankee!)” – Vikki Zerbe Becker
Sometimes the simplest answers say the most.
❤️ More Than Just a Meal
What this post showed us is that country cooking isn’t just about what’s on the plate — it’s about who you’re eating with. It’s memories of Granny’s house, stories passed down over a pot of beans, and love served up one helping at a time.
It’s where tradition meets taste, and where even the humblest ingredients — beans, potatoes, and a chunk of cornbread — come together to create something that fills you up body and soul.
So whether you're frying up chicken on a Sunday or just craving a bowl of pintos and some fried taters on a Tuesday night, know that you're carrying on a legacy — one plate at a time.
👉 Got a photo of your favorite country meal? Tag us or send it in — we’d love to feature the real kitchens and tables of Lawrence County!
🗣️ And if you’ve got a family recipe that’s been passed down through generations, we’re all ears. Country cooking is meant to be shared.
