The other night, we went to see “Shut Up and Sing,” the Dixie Chick’s anthem to free speech. These women rock: on the road, making great music together, and they bring their kids along for the ride. They endured a lot of flack for their 2003 remark that they were embarrassed to be from Bush’s home state and for their general anti-war stance. How prophetic they proved to be.

If you have a hankering for southern grub after seeing the movie, but you’re in Yankee territory, like NYC, the New York Times has a solution for you: NY southern-style ham. Now, NY is not the place I’d go looking for a good ham. Virginia, maybe, but not New York. Nevertheless the Times provides a list of home-made hams, that is to say, brined and smoked by the butcher who sells them, and where to get them.

Here’s a list of purveyors of country ham, from the country, and a little ham history, courtesy of the Southern Foodways Alliance.

Colonel Newsome’s Country Ham (See interview below): www.newsomscountryham.com/
Harper’s Country Hams: www.hamtastic.com/
Finchville Farms: www.finchvillefarms.com/

Nancy Newsom Mahaffey talks about her family’s ham making operation in Kentucky: http://www.southernfoodways.com/oral_history/bacon/nancy_newsom_mahaffey.shtml

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1. Cheslea: Tipsy Parson for When You Have a Yen for Almost-Southern
2. Virginia Restaurant: Southern Kitchen
3. Learn How to Cook Southern at Astor Center Classes July 18