@BunsenBurner Which Penzey’s Spices?
For future reference, Batch is a Nashville company that does local food gifts from Nashville & Austin in gift boxes. My family has had success with their products, but I think the boxes are becoming more standardized. Previously, I have picked the products for some gifts, but not as much flexibility with that now. It may be because they’ve recently moved to a new warehouse and needed to pull back a little for this season.
OP - I love Abbott farms when driving through SC. Where else can you get peaches, fireworks, raw milk, Mexican coke, Chow Chow, and 50 kinds of jelly? We once delighted the kids by buying TOE jam (tangerine, orange, elderberry).
For future reference, they would have good peach preserves and chow chow in their online store.
BTW - @MoonPie is a hilarious twitter feed. For example “It’s as good a day as any to stick a MoonPie in the microwave, light a couple of candles and scream into a soft pillow”.
Oops - didn’t mean to tag anybody and I can’t untag…
Is Chutney southern? I’m looking at Caramelized Onion Chutney, Sweet Apple and Tomato Garlic &Ginger.
Braswell’s is based in GA and is also a good maker of jellies and preserves. You can find their stuff occasionally at TJ Maxx and they sometimes come in jars that are reusable as glassware. I have a few.
For some reason I love their guava jelly. I know, not really southern, but good. You can heat some up in a pan with the juice of a lime and a sprig of rosemary and use it as a glaze on anything you put under the broiler.
My daughter and son-in-law live in Chapel Hill and have brought us gift baskets from a place called Southern Seasons. I have also visited the store when we were in NC visiting them. You can order gift baskets on line that have many of the items mentioned above. Here’s the link: `http://www.southernseason.com
I never had pimento cheese until I visited my D in Chapel Hill. I’m now addicted to it. Served it to my book group and there wasn’t any left. I made it from a recipe in a cookbook my D bought. Actually, that cookbook might be a good gift too. Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would Be Southerners
Something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Penzeys-American-Heart-Soul-Box/dp/B072Y38XWJ
Here’s game jerky:
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-oz-Elk-Venison-and-Buffalo-Jerky/1405269.uts?slotId=0
@roethlisburger Cool. Love Cabelas.
My aunt gave me homemade peach preserves that are completely sealed but are from last year. Is this O’K to use?
Re preserves: if the seal is intact, go ahead.
I buy country ham and Smithfield ham online from Padow’s in Richmond. Continues DH’s aunt’s tradition of bringing some up north each Christmas, bought at their store. Country is slightly less salty than Smithfield, which isn’t saying much, lol, since they’re both mighty salty. I just get packages of sliced.
I have an odd feeling about trying to guess what a fan of Southern cooking would prefer. If it were me, I’d just splurge on a great pecan pie loaded with bourbon. Or a small bourbon cake. Assuming he’s not a teetotaller.
It’s not “a grit,” btw. Just grits, which is a corn product.
Preserves is a good idea, fruits or veggies. (Isn’t there a spiced half peach concoction that comes stacked in a jar? I believe it’s used as an ingredient.)
^Grits seem like a special order to get the good kind. I think I might special order a select few items. Need to check one more specialty store near here then order. Less salty would probably be best. To my earlier list, I will add black eyed peas (apparently good for New Year’s) and local honey because I can easily get that. These are all great suggestions and help.
Oh, about black-eyed peas. DH’s mom never soaked the dried beans. She got frozen (in NJ.) He wasn’t top thrilled when I got them canned.
@lookingforward Maybe I should do frozen black eyed peas. I will look.
Lol, the real southerners here might scold me for even mentioning that option.
This thread is cracking me up! “a grit” LOL
The only decent black-eyed pea is one you grow in your garden, pick and shell yourself. I have some in my freezer right now for New Year’s Day. I could probably sell them to my friends on Facebook and make a fortune. But I love them too much and worked too hard to get them to let them go.
@musicmom1215 You know I think I meant to make that plural.
And to tell you the truth, Southern food is far more complicated than you’d guess at first pass. 
I would not be fighting over the best maple syrup the way there can be wars over BBQ. I don’t know what any of this tastes like so you guys can’t steer me wrong.
I am at a specialty food store. Sweet pickled watermelon rind, Louisiana pepper sauce and Okra pickles???
Help Southern friends?
Sounds like a good assortment, @gearmom! As someone who seems to enjoy food and cooking, t’ll be fun stuff for him to try regardless.