Californian visiting Georgia!

Hi guys!  Just a quick note as I'm so tired!  First off, wow, gorgeous state!  So green!  And I've pretty much only seen that between Lawrenceville and the airport!  A bunch of us are here from San Diego for a C3 leadership conference at the C3 church on Walther Blvd in L'ville.  We're gonna be someplace downtown Atlanta tomorrow night, check out www.c3church.com  for info, as I can't recall where...and the 2nd thing is, we want some great GA cooking that would be in the Atlanta area which should also include some peach pie or peach melba...we're in GA for goodness sakes, we have to have peaches!  I'm pretty sure when we all try to fly out on Friday, they'll do a blood test to make sure they find peach nectar in our blood....so any suggestions?  Thanks everyone, and I can speak for our group that our time in GA has been too short, but you're all so nice and we'll miss you!  xo Kim

I see you haven't adjusted to the time difference. 

I am assuming you have a rental car.  I  reccomend Blue Willow Inn in Social Cricle Interstate 20 east. It is about a 40 minute drive from downtown, but worth it. Check out the website.

http://www.bluewillowinn.com/   here's a coupon for you



There is also some shopping at quaint shops n the town. This is truly the South. You will see farms, cows, trees, etc on your scenic drive.  On your way to or from stop in Covington (my hometown) and tour the square. You will see Antebellum pre-cival war homes, the historic courthouse featured in Heat of the Night and Dukes of Hazard, and little shops on the square.
If you have room, stop by Scoops on the Square for the bananna pudding ice cream and some candy treats to take home for the kids.  They have a variety of coffee and pastries too. They offer a couple of sugar free choices and some sugar free candies too.

Scoops
1131 Church St., Covington, GA 30014
Phone: 770 787-0807
 



If you need to stay downtown, try Mary Mac's Tea room. Not as good, but an ok substitute.  Mary Macs is snooty soul food. Blue Willow Inn  and Family Buffet is the real thing!

http://www.marymacs.com




The absolute BEST peach cobbler (besides mine) is at an out of the way restaurant called Famly Buffet in historic McDonough Interstate 75 south. About 35 minutes south of Downtown, There is no website.  The food is divine. Just like momma's. $7.50 includes all you can stuff in you and a beverage.  It'll make you wish you hadn't had wls!!!

They have everything southern: fried chicken, greens, black eyed peas, creamed corn, butter beans, chicken n dressing, biscuits, corn bread, slaw, potato salad, yams, PEACH COBBLER, bananna puddin. too much to list.  Their buffet plates are platter sized if that gives you any indication of how good it is.  It is not for the faint of heart.

Their cobbler is overly syurpy sweet and extra buttery. The crust is sticky sweet with a consistiency almost like a creme brulee.  The peaches are moist and tender, with a little bit of a bite left to them.  OH Jesus it is divine!  People come in and just get the cobbler to go.

The crowd is a mix of local politicians, judges, police officers, professionals, and families.  It is near the court house and business district, so during lunch it is a mixed crowd. Evenings are mostly families. It is a jeanS and tee shirt place. Wear ALL YOU CAN EAT PANTS!

If I could pay Dr. Houston to sew my stomach back on, so I could have some of that cobbler I would!  I am sure I can attribute at least 35 pounds to my weekly visit to Family Buffet!

Here's their address. 
(770) 305-9944
355 Macon St
McDonough, GA 30253

Call to confirm their hours.

Go early, so you can do some shopping on the square In McDonough,  Everything on the square closes early. It's a Southern thing.

If you are into shopping, there is a Tanger Outlet Mall 2 exits down in Locust Grove. You can walk off your dinner there.




If you wuld like to try southern barbecue you MUST try 5th Street ribs and blues
http://www.ribsnblues.com/    Their ribs are fall of the bone. The mac and cheese is to die for! They do live bands on weekends.



For a snack try the Varsity Downtown. They have the best chili dogs and onion rings in the world. Wa**** down with an orange frosty.  Nothing here comes in diet, low fat, or low cal.  It is just good. Real good food isn't supposed to be healthy  You will definitely raise your cholesterol level here.   The cashiers yell at you when they're busy " WHATT'L YOU HAVE !WHATT'L YOU HAVE!"  Don't be offended, it's part of the tradition.   They have fried peach pies, but nothing in comparison to Family Buffet.  You need to try a fried pie if you never have.  Anything fried is good.  http://www.thevarsity.com/


                                                      

In the south we fry EVERYTHING. If something is ot on our plate that's healthy, we will  fry it to toxify it... fried okra, fried chicken, fried biscuits, fried mac n cheese, fried corn, fried green beans, fried cauliflower, fried onoins, fried steak, fried pork chops, fried potatoes, fried green tomatoes. Paula Deen even fried butter on her show once.  

We also like our veggies cooked low and slow. Preferably with fatback, butter, bacon grease, or ham hocks.  Whoever heard of sauteeing a collard green in olive oil.  Those chefs should be lined up and shot!

There is a quote in a book I once read " My mama always told me if I ever bite into a green bean and it crunches SPIT IT OUT!"

If there were a way to fry water, southern people would do it and dip it in mayonaise and ketchup to make it go down smoother.


  Y'all Enjoy Your Time in Georgia
 
                      and

        Come Back Ya Hear!!!!
 

BTW  Peach Melba is NOT soul food!!!  Don't go anywhere asking for it. You may get embarrased!

Peach Melba was invented in London. Most real country southern folks wouldn't have an idea of what it is.


The real southern cookin is not going to be found downtown, that is fake southern food!

You need to go to the little country towns in the suburbs for the real deal.

Looks like you got lots of suggestions from LaShelle.  I woudl suggest Mary Mac's Tea Room on Ponce de Leon.  It will give you a real taste of the south.  Also, there is Pitty Pat's Porch right down town.  It is a little touristy but really gives you a taste of the south!

hope you enjoy your stay!
Best suggestion is as listed before, go to the small towns on the outskirts of Atlanta, little unknown places. They are the best, and the Blue Willow is great too

Enjoy your visit!  Cracker Barrel is all I can think of and there is one on every corner.   Yum Yum!  


Lashelle.. I guess I'm a true southerner cause I had no idea what Peach Melba was!  Or does that make me a illiterate country bumpkin.. LOL  


G

Nah, it makes you a true southerner.  I don't think they even server peach melba anymore. It was popular in the 50's.