I have been keeping a mental poll for most of my life or how many people know what "cracker" references to down here in Florida......to this point....it is about 95% don't know.
It refers to the sound of the bullwhip...turn of the century, Florida's biggest industry was cattle ranching...hence "cracker" from the cowboy's use of the bullwhip...
Here's one......How did "shoofly pie" come about....or "hushpuppies".....
You'd say "hush puppy", while throwing the dog a piece of cornbread, while out on the trail to keep him from barking. Or that's what I was told. Shoofly, because that's what you'd have to do after you get the pie out of the oven. Everyone knows molasses attracts flys. Am I close?
I'm Southern born Southern bred When I die I'll be Southern dead
As my gramps explained...hushpuppy...when deep frying fish...folk would take some of the breading....wad it up in a ball and fry it...the result was fish flavored from the grease...the dogs got a snack, and the folks got to eat all the fish.
A shoofly pie was made of molasses and was intended to attract the flies away from the "real" food... Yes Glitch, you are truly Southern too
and by the way glitch, ya'll are some of the greatest and funnest guys to hang around. right now things are a little slow on the house finishing but one day it will be done and i will be somewhere above atlanta.
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Yes Glitch, you are truly Southern too 