Florida gets a bad rap when it comes to being authentically "Southern." Slander, I say. Sure, there may be a lot of transplants from Long Island and other distant regions concentrated in certain parts, but for proof of the state’s essential Southerness we need look no further than Florida’s long, proud barbecue tradition. 

In the past decade, Austin, Texas, has become the unlikely vodka capital of the South. First came Tito’s Handmade Vodka, the first spirit legally distilled in Texas. It took off in the early 2000s and is a fixture in bars across the country today. Next came small-batch successors like Dripping Springs Vodka, made in the nearby town of Dripping Springs, and SAVVY Vodka, a Texas-only brand distilled with spring water from founder Chad Auler’s family ranch.

In the coastal South, crab dip is a classic summertime treat. Fresh crab, blended with mayonnaise, cheese, and spices, brings the flavor of the sea to picnics and cocktail parties alike. Grocery-store crab dip rarely amounts to much, but a new product from Charleston, South Carolina’s Big T Coastal Provisions, a husband-and-wife operation run by Tony “Big T” and Tracy Blanchard, gives the homemade stuff a run for its money. Rich, creamy, and packed with tender claw meat, the Blanchards’ crab dip, available in regular and jalapeño varieties, has spread to grocery stores all over the South in the five months since the couple launched it. We caught up with Tracy earlier this week to ask her a few questions.

These days, many people consider bourbon the South’s spirit of choice. But long before Southerners were sipping corn whiskey, they enjoyed glasses of locally made fruit brandy. During the colonial and antebellum years, planters routinely set aside acres for orchards—not just to fill pies, but to fill their copper pot stills, too. As late as 1872, there were more than 1,800 active brandy distilleries in the Southern states, the majority in Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

These are busy times for Edward Lee, longtime head chef at Louisville’s 610 Magnolia. Three months ago, he opened MilkWood, an Asian-inflected bar and restaurant, to big crowds and rave reviews. Three days ago, he and his wife welcomed a new baby girl. Next Monday, after the Derby, Lee will be headed to New York City to attend the James Beard Awards as one of the finalists in the Best Chef: Southeast category. 

When it comes to shopping your favorite local boutiques, you no longer have to spend an entire afternoon driving all over town. The Nearby— a new geo-targeted shopping app— lets you browse current inventory at local shops directly from your smart phone. Created by Laura Vinroot Poole—owner of Charlotte, North Carolina, boutiques Capitol and Poole Shop—The Nearby allows you to keep up with the shops you frequent most and discover new stores both at home and on the road.

We only have one problem with most movies about food: We leave hungry. 

Looking to celebrate Earth Day in Southern style?

Ever drop a handful of roasted peanuts into an ice-cold Coca-Cola? The sweet and salty pairing, rare above the Mason-Dixon line and vanishing below, conjures vivid memories from Southerners of a certain age

Having a slow Thursday? Here's a fish tale to get your adrenaline flowing