“wagon wheel”byRhett Maxwellis licensed underCC BY 2.0
People in the Carolinas are very territorial over these songs because, let’s be honest, they’re both Carolina “anthems.” Maybe N.C. prefers James Taylor and S.C. prefers Old Crow Medicine Show (or Darius Rucker…), but both states love these songs and feel like they help define part of what it means to be from the Carolinas. Basically, these songs belong to us, so get over it.
“Hudson's Bbq - South Carolina”byAnna Majkowskais licensed underCC BY 2.0
Though there are fights within (and between!) the states over which style BBQ sauces are the best, collectively we just have to agree this region knows its BBQ. Vinegar and pepper? Tomato? Lexington style? Doesn’t really matter—when it comes down to it, it’s all good, and Carolinians’ are proud of it!
“tea”byRie His licensed underCC BY 2.0
First of all. Sweet. Tea. It’s just the best thing in the world. Second of all? The Carolinas have, bar none, the best front porches you’ll ever see in your life. Porches that wrap around entire houses, double decker porches, porches with porch swings, porches with rocking chairs…they’ve got it all. Now, if you put sweet tea and front porches together, it’s basically paradise.
If you grew up without swimming holes and creeks, lemme be the first to tell ya that you were deprived. There is absolutely nothing like jumping in a creek or swimming hole on a summer day in the Carolinas. Rope swing, getting pushed in, jumping in on your own…no matter how you got in the water, you got in the water. Every. Darn. Day.
If we could eat biscuits for every meal, we would. And, well, we kinda do…biscuit breakfast sandwiches, fried chicken and biscuits, biscuits and sausage gravy…in the Carolinas, biscuits are like nothing you’ve ever tasted in your life. No part of you cares at all about the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of biscuits. You just want them all of the time. And you can have them. All of the time.
These two fast food chains basically define who we are. Bojangles biscuits are to die for. But, really, their entire menu pretty much redefines everything you think you know about fast food in that it is 1,000 million gazillion times (no exaggeration—OK, maybe a little exaggeration) better than any other fast food you’ve ever tasted. And Chic-Fil-A chicken? Don’t even get me started. Spicy chicken sandwiches all day, every day. Yes. Please.
If you think folks here love their biscuits wait to see how they feel about grits. In the Carolinas it’s grits in the mornin’, grits in the afternoon followed by grits at night. And if you didn’t eat shrimp and grits on Christmas growing up, you missed out.
OK folks, its time to get real for a moment here. Both states have beef with Ohio—For North Carolina, it’s because of the “first in flight” ordeal (Ohio says it’s the birthplace of aviation, but, c’mon, we know N.C. was first in flight). And S.C. pretty much loathes Ohio because of the influx of Ohioans to S.C. and how they’ve influenced our culture (i.e. where the heck are y’all’s manners, Ohioans? And what’s with the shorts and tube socks?)
Moonshine is often looked down upon by those who don’t live in the Carolinas. But we know that moonshine is just misunderstood. Ever since prohibition the Carolinas have had a long and storied tradition of making their own hooch. While that national nightmare is long since over the Carolinas love of moonshine hasn’t waned. So even today, it just isn’t a Carolina home without a secret stash of homemade hooch.
Cook Out is the known for cheap, greasy Southern food and is absolutely the only way to really cure your hangover. So, the only question is: Who’s the least hung-over and willing to drive us there?
