Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (Milt)

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:28:45 GMT

We moved to the south over 25 years ago - after having lived our lives in the plains states and the southwest. The south definitely knows how to do vegetables. Our first introduction was the lamented Po' Folks chain - now Folks in the Atlanta area. I enjoyed their fried chicken and catfish - but I usually ordered a vegetable plate.

Now there are several places around the Atlanta area for the traditional meat and three type meals. Chip's Country Cookin' in Alpharetta uses only fresh vegetables according to their menu. Midway Meal House in Cumming has been around for years. Family Traditions has two locations - Hickory Flat and Towne Lake (both in Cherokee County). All three are very good. The Collonade and Mary Mac's in Atlanta are well known for their excellent southern food preparation. All five places serve consistently good vegetables - unlike the popular restaurants in much of this great country of ours.

Have you noticed how many of the topics above relate to potatoes? Potatoes are probably more creatively prepared outside of the south - but when you want okra, squash (winter or summer), corn, beans of any kind, rutabagas, greens of various types, come to the south and enjoy!

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (PhenoBarbieDahl)

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 16:27:43 GMT

Mert's in Charlotte SC. Only time I've ever liked collards. Amazing squash, mac & cheese, and cornbread, too. Also loved the sides at Elliston Place in Nashville TN, especially the squash cassarole, but I had a delicious slice of ham with 'em so it doesn't really count. ;)

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (beachykeen)

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 14:46:45 GMT

I love Threadgills Armadillo World Headquarters in Austin, TX on Riverside drive near Congress Ave. Some of their vegetables are healthy: Broccoli, Green Beans, Cabbage, Carrots etc. But - Being the "Phood-o-Phile" that I am, I loved: Squash casserole, spinach casserole, broccoli casserole, scalloped potatoes (it's been 3 years, I can't remember) Anyway, I loved their 5-vegetable plate. Everything used cheese and love as their ingredients - plus great candid photos of Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen et.al. on the walls from back when Austin used to be a REAL rock-n-roll town! GREAT cornbread muffins!

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (Jimeats)

Sun, 02 Jul 2006 08:48:26 GMT

Hearts of lettuce salad. Where has that item gone? It use to be on a lot of menus never see it anymore. There are a couple of places that I'm a somewhat of a regular coustomer and they make it for me when asked. Another salad item that has dissapeared is the Waldorf salad great for a summer luncheon. Chow Jim

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (bgwangel)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 22:02:17 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by RubyRose

We had breakfast at a family-owned restaurant I have mentioned before – the Willows in East Texas, PA. I copied down the vegetable selection from today’s dinner menu:

Potato filling
French Fries
Tossed salad
Stewed tomatoes
Fresh yellow beans
Lettuce with warm bacon dressing
Cooked carrots
Cabbage & noodles
French fried pumpkin
Buttered squash
Broccoli with browned butter
French fried eggplant
Homemade applesauce
Apple fritters
Buttered corn
Brussels sprouts w/ browned butter
Pickled cabbage
Pickled beets
Pickled eggs
Rhubarb sauce
Cucumber salad
Sauerkraut
Cottage cheese with apple butter
Whole browned potatoes

Menu says – Vegetable platters available at $1.25 per vegetable

It's not a buffet so it's hard to narrow them down to 2 or 3.

Hi,
Would you happen to know what happened to The Willows? We drove by the other day and it was closed down.
Thanks

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (lunamoth)

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 17:02:39 GMT

I love the vegetable plates served at Ethiopian restaurants...the soft spongy bread, with varied dollops of spicy greens, legumes, saucy....ummmm

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (cyrano)

Sat, 29 Apr 2006 19:50:05 GMT

They may not be world-class, but I miss the veggie plates I used to get at Threadgill's in Austin and even (gasp) Black-Eyed Pea. Yes, a chain-- but their namesake dish was reliable, they did a spicy BEP soup once a week that was tasty, and their rolls counterbalanced the lame attempts at healthy eating I kidded myself I was doing by ordering only veggies and not, say, chicken-fried steak.

Veggie selections in great cafeterias, such as the one in Texarkana and the late, lamented Highland Park in Dallas were always a treat.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (jellybear)

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:12:00 GMT

Better yet, fry up a pork chop then cut in strips and add to the cabbage and noodles,cook till brown.It dont get no better!

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (xannie_01)

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 14:41:27 GMT

never heard of halushki before but can't wait to make it this weekend..the hubster wants to go vegetarian but he's a real eater; this should fill him up...thanks!

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (mtgreen)

Fri, 21 Apr 2006 14:15:37 GMT

my father operated a small cafe in south-central alabama for over fourty years. lunch time(meat & three)always included a veg.plate option.with 5 or 6 selections(mac&cheese,peas,greens,okra,sliced tomatoes etc. very popular with his customers

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (rachel d)

Wed, 20 Apr 2005 03:01:06 GMT

Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria in Greenwood, just south of Indianapolis, serves wonderful, home-style (read Southern-style---I'm from WAY South, but live in Indy now) vegetables. You can get soft, flavorful butterbeans, several types of well-seasoned greens, melty cinnamony candied sweet potatoes, green beans and corn and several other options, as well as a variety of "casseroles" as side dishes or on a vegetable plate. Our family's favorite is what we call "everything" casserole---it looks as if they took all the leftover vegetables from the steam line and drained them thoroughly, chopping them a bit if need be, and then added in a cream sauce/soup and lots of cheese, as well as those french-fried onions which usually only see the light of day atop a green-bean casserole. There are tiny diced carrots as well as big tender rings, peas and lots of whole-kernel corn and tender broccoli and butterbeans, just depending on the occasion, and what must have been left in the larder. But always, brussels sprouts. Whole, softly steamed ones which have all their own graces and flavors, with none of that sat-too-long cabbage taste. They are left whole, and are the one incongruously-large note in an otherwise uniformly sized concoction, and just the combination of the sweet kernels and the salt of the other vegetables and the soft, unctuous smoothness of the broccoli and sprouts, mixed with the crisp, salty fried onions---I can see that this may have begun as a savings measure, and it has blossomed into our favorite dish.

I duplicate it (almost) at home occasionally, as well; Hubby and I usually choose several different dishes and share---we always order our OWN side of everything casserole.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (AndreaB)

Fri, 15 Apr 2005 12:50:50 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by Al-The Mayor-Bowen

"PO' FOLKS" one of the Pre-Cracker Barrel Chains in the south had a "PO' Plate" on the menu that consisted of 4 of the veggie's of the day at that particular foodstand. I think most of them are closed now, but they had a good thing going for awhile.

I remember "PO' Folks". I used to visit the one in or near Elizabetown / Fort Knox KY --- I think it might still be there. I remember creamed corn, beets, creamed spinach and sweet potatoes. And, the iced tea they served in one of those glass mugs that has a screw top.

Andrea

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (sugarlander)

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 18:41:27 GMT

Ruggles restaurants in Houston have a great vegetable plate.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (tiki)

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 18:29:50 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by momhardin2

New to this board. I am trying to get in touch with Mayhaw Man. I have looked high and low on the internet for watermelon rind relish. I was wondering if he had the recipe for the relish. Thanks. Debbie, Tx

Momhardin---he can be found over at egullet where he moderates the nLouisana forum! Tell him tiki say hi and to drop by some time---i miss his comments here alot!

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (Rusty246)

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 16:47:10 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by CarolinaBill

Rusty -

"Wax Bean" is another term for yellow bean. Not sure how it got the name, nothing particularly waxy about it. If you like green beans, you'll like these, but you don't find them fresh very often. The canned ones taste just like canned green beans, which is to say, YUCK!

Carolina Bill, I thank you. I love green beans, they're one of my favorite vegetables. If you're SURE that's what wax beans taste like I'll give them a try granted I find fresh.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (CarolinaBill)

Tue, 22 Feb 2005 16:42:47 GMT

Rusty -

"Wax Bean" is another term for yellow bean. Not sure how it got the name, nothing particularly waxy about it. If you like green beans, you'll like these, but you don't find them fresh very often. The canned ones taste just like canned green beans, which is to say, YUCK!

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (Rusty246)

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 16:10:40 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

quote:
Originally posted by emsmom

I saw some of the greasy beans at the Ashevile Farmers Market. They look sort of like a pole bean with a greasy sheen to them. I guess when they are cooked, they will look like you cooked them in alot of grease. Must be a local mountain thing or something.

emsmom,
The "greasy beans" sign was on a back state road outside of Canton, North Carolina, heading more or less toward Georgia.
Yes, it is a mountain thing, I've come to find out. They have a sheen, like you said. The original plant was a mutant, and what exists now came from that one. I've actually found reference to them on the web by doing a Google search.
Go get you some, ask of some of the locals how to cook 'em up, and let us know what they taste of. I'm bettin' they'll be larrupin' good.
Outflatlandishly, Ort. Carlton in Piedmontal Athens, Georgia.

I wonder, are they any relation to the "wax bean". That is one bean I have NEVER eaten, just doesn't sound good.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (CarolinaBill)

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 15:54:26 GMT

Few things better than a veggie plate at a good "Meat & Three". But don't be delusional that it's healthier or lower cal...in many cases the meats are healthier than the veggies! (that's why they're so good).

Personal favorite veggie plate ever:

Fried Okra
Charleston Red Rice (or Savannah depending on where you are)
Fried Cabbage
Fresh Beets with lots o' butter

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (BT)

Sun, 13 Feb 2005 23:19:44 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by b-n-kchefservice

my favorite veggie dish prolly has to be fresh corn cut from the cob sauted with some crumbled bacon and sweet onion sprinkled generasly with salt and pepper.

You have come upon something that much reminds me of cajun maque choux, one of my own favorites:

quote:
This is a recipe for a vegetable dish, Maque Choux, given by "Miss Pat" Johnston, of Mowata, Louisiana. It sez in the Augusta catalogue that she "won two Gold Medals for her Maque Choux". It's a simple dish, but takes some time to make correctly.

- 8 to 10 ears of cleaned corn
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
- 3/4 cup peeled & chopped fresh tomato
- 1 tsp sugar
- stick oleo or butter (I sometimes use bacon grease)
- salt and pepper to taste

Clean corn thoroughly. Cut the corn off of the cob, by cutting lengthwise 1/4" from top. Then scrape the corn cob with the side of the knife, to get the juice. Saute onion and bell pepper in oil. Then mix in all ingredients, season to taste. Reduce fire to low, cook 3/4 hour uncovered. Stir occasionally. Serves 4 to 6.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (momhardin2)

Sun, 13 Feb 2005 14:06:14 GMT

New to this board. I am trying to get in touch with Mayhaw Man. I have looked high and low on the internet for watermelon rind relish. I was wondering if he had the recipe for the relish. Thanks. Debbie, Tx

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (b-n-kchefservice)

Tue, 11 May 2004 01:29:48 GMT

my favorite veggie dish prolly has to be fresh corn cut from the cob sauted with some crumbled bacon and sweet onion sprinkled generasly with salt and pepper.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (Ort. Carlton.)

Mon, 10 May 2004 21:02:34 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by emsmom

I saw some of the greasy beans at the Ashevile Farmers Market. They look sort of like a pole bean with a greasy sheen to them. I guess when they are cooked, they will look like you cooked them in alot of grease. Must be a local mountain thing or something.

emsmom,
The "greasy beans" sign was on a back state road outside of Canton, North Carolina, heading more or less toward Georgia.
Yes, it is a mountain thing, I've come to find out. They have a sheen, like you said. The original plant was a mutant, and what exists now came from that one. I've actually found reference to them on the web by doing a Google search.
Go get you some, ask of some of the locals how to cook 'em up, and let us know what they taste of. I'm bettin' they'll be larrupin' good.
Outflatlandishly, Ort. Carlton in Piedmontal Athens, Georgia.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (pogophiles)

Mon, 10 May 2004 20:35:20 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by PCC

A few years ago I bought some mini Moon Pies on a trip back to KY. But I haven't seen any since. Was that just a one-time deal?

Nope. Have some in the pantry right now. Daughter takes them to school for snacktime...

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (PCC)

Sat, 08 May 2004 02:09:32 GMT

quote:
Originally posted by Sundancer7

As a matter of fact, Walmart sells them in their Knoxville stores, and yes, they are great. Probably better than Moon Pies, The main reason Moon Pies are great is their history. They got passed up by better snack cakes, but who can forget a Moon Pie and a RC cola? I carried papers back in the 50's on my bicycle and I used to stop by an old country store each day and buy a moon pie and a RC Cola. At that time, it was better than anything I had ever known.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

I know what you mean. Here in Nebraska they don't have Moon Pies, but every grocery store knows me because I always get a RC Cola out of the cooler as I check out.

A few years ago I bought some mini Moon Pies on a trip back to KY. But I haven't seen any since. Was that just a one-time deal?

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (emsmom)

Thu, 06 May 2004 11:06:19 GMT

I saw some of the greasy beans at the Ashevile Farmers Market. They look sort of like a pole bean with a greasy sheen to them. I guess when they are cooked, they will look like you cooked them in alot of grease. Must be a local mountain thing or something

quote:
Originally posted by Ort. Carlton.

Dearfolk,
Wandering back to Georgia from a holiday in N. C., we passed a farm selling produce. Various loveable crayon-lettered-on-cardboard signs extolled the available stuff-of-the-day, but one in particular caught my eye: "GREASY BEANS ARE IN", it read.
Now what's a greasy bean? Are they pre-larded for refrying? Do they not need butter when you cook 'em up? Or do they have sideburns and drive souped-up 1957 Chevrolets with the back end jacked up and loud durgle-durgle mufflers? - Won't somebody tell me, or do I have to drive all 123 miles back up there (I know just where it's located at) to buy some, bring 'em back, and have my favorite restaurant, The Normaltown Cafe', fix me up a mess of them?
I will be anxiously awaiting any even semi-serious response.
Beanlessly (I Haven't Got A Clue, Nor A Flue To Smoke It Out Through), Ort. Carlton in As-Of-Now-Ungreasy Athens, Georgia.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (Liketoeat)

Mon, 15 Sep 2003 13:46:04 GMT

RubyRose, chezkatie, Shara, NancyPeter, from all of your descriptions of and praise of the cabbage-onion-noodle combination dishes, they are something which I must try. As mentioned earlier, I like cooked cabbage or cabbage & onions and also noodles of all sorts - alone as a side dish, with meats or chicken as a main course, etc.- but I've never had, never before heard of, and never ever would have thought of the cabbage-noodle combination. Its something which apparently has never gotten to our area. I can't wait to try it, as I can't imagine either the taste or texture. Thanks for surely expanding my food horizons with this one.

And, Ort, when saw your "Greasy beans are in" sign, my first thought was it meant green beans are in and available for making good old southern greasy (with salt meat) long cooked, cooked to death green beans. Second thought though was don't believe that's it. Then wondered if greasy beans could refer to wax beans. Doubt that too. Will be interesting to learn real meaning of the term. Yesterday in a different forum I was praising Ryan's in ElDorado, AR, for both its quality and variety of foods. This reminds me that last time there in addition to couple of green bean casseroles they also offered just plain green beans cooked two entirely different ways - the old fashioned southern, greasy, soggy ones and then those which had been prepared al dente. Any place with this many different green beans dishes can't be all bad.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (NancyPeter)

Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:42:23 GMT

My Slovak grandmother made haluski and that term described the noodles only... Boy, do I miss those delicious homemade noodles, but I miss her even more

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (pogophiles)

Mon, 15 Sep 2003 11:04:32 GMT

Ort -- I wonder if they meant to write: "Creasy Greens are in"... much different meaning! ;^)

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (Ort. Carlton.)

Sun, 14 Sep 2003 22:10:04 GMT

Dearfolk,
Wandering back to Georgia from a holiday in N. C., we passed a farm selling produce. Various loveable crayon-lettered-on-cardboard signs extolled the available stuff-of-the-day, but one in particular caught my eye: "GREASY BEANS ARE IN", it read.
Now what's a greasy bean? Are they pre-larded for refrying? Do they not need butter when you cook 'em up? Or do they have sideburns and drive souped-up 1957 Chevrolets with the back end jacked up and loud durgle-durgle mufflers? - Won't somebody tell me, or do I have to drive all 123 miles back up there (I know just where it's located at) to buy some, bring 'em back, and have my favorite restaurant, The Normaltown Cafe', fix me up a mess of them?
I will be anxiously awaiting any even semi-serious response.
Beanlessly (I Haven't Got A Clue, Nor A Flue To Smoke It Out Through), Ort. Carlton in As-Of-Now-Ungreasy Athens, Georgia.

RE: Vegetable Plates I Have Known and Loved (Shara)

Sun, 14 Sep 2003 21:45:54 GMT

Takes it out of the meatless realm, but I've had cabbage and noodles with bacon that is just delicious. Basically you chop, then fry a pound of bacon and drain most, but not quite all, the fat. The bacon is then simmered along with a chopped head of cabbage, sauteed onions, and butter over a low flame till the cabbage is wilted soft. I like to add caraway seeds to it as well (and pepper, but easy on the salt if the bacon is salty). When it's done, I mix it with fresh-cooked egg noodles. It's great and filling on a cold night (and even better the next day).