tucson: A friend from Charleston wants some southern cooking for an ucoming birthday. Take out is fine. It doesn't have to be a 5 star place. It's the food that matters. Hamhocks and lima beans, grits, etc Any ideas?Thanks.|||Well I would check out some sites online. But you can't beat the classic Southern Dinner of Fried chicken, Cream Gravy, Mashed Garlic roasted Taters, and BBQ'd Corn on the Cob and some good southern biscuits. Heres some recipes for that dinner: Southern Fried Chicken With Gravy INGREDIENTS: oil or shortening 1 chicken, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds, cut up 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper . Cream Gravy 2 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup milk 1 cup water PREPARATION: Have a deep heavy skillet or Dutch oven with oil or hot fat about two inches deep. Combine flour, salt and pepper; sift into a pie plate or wide bowl. Roll each piece of chicken in flour and place in the hot fat (about 370掳 F). Put the largest pieces in firs, in the hottest part of the skillet. When all pieces are in the skillet and heat is regulated, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove top and turn chicken pieces when the underside is well browned. Replace top for another 5 minutes, remove and cook in open pan until the bottom side is browned. About 30 to 35 minutes in all will be required for cooking chicken if it is not too large. Try to turn the chicken only the one time. The fat should be deep enough to cover the pieces when it boils up, but make sure you use a deep skillet, preferably one made for frying chicken, and watch carefully. To make cream gravy: Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons flour; blend and cook until golden brown, scraping browned bits from bottom of skillet. Gradually stir in 1 cup milk and 1 cup hot water. Stir until smooth and thickened; add salt and black pepper. Pour into a gravy boat and serve with hot biscuits, potatoes, or rice. Southern-Style Buttermilk Biscuits 2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred before measuring* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup lard or vegetable shortening, chilled 2 tablespoons butter, chilled 3/4 cup buttermilk PREPARATION: Heat oven to 450掳. Adjust oven rack to center position. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Cut in chilled shortening and butter until you have pieces the size of small peas. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; pour in buttermilk. With a wooden spoon, gently blend dry ingredients into the buttermilk, just until mixture is clumping together. If necessary, add a few more teaspoons of buttermilk. Transfer dough to a lightly floured board. Pat out in a circle about 8 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2 to 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake on center oven rack for about 10 to 12 minutes, until tops are browned. Makes 10 to 12 biscuits, depending on size of cutter. *For the lightest biscuits, use a Southern white all-purpose flour if available Good Luck this meal is so worth the work!|||You should try French Quarter.. 3146 E Grant Road Tucson, AZ 85716-2808 520) 829-9077 They have some really good southern cooking!! They have wonderful crawfish, hush puppies and you can also have a few purple hays to celebrate your friends birthday!