Here is a question about "food discrimination." What exactly is "gourmet" food? I will list a number of

foods, and you tell me how many of them you would consider to be "goumet" foods. My guess is that you will pick very few of them, unless you are from the South. I think that "gourmet" food is food enjoyed by the rich and famous in the Northeastern part of the U. S. How many of the following would you consider to be "gourmet? 1. Chicken Fried Steak with cream gravy 2. girts 3. Purple Hull peas 4. Blackeyed peas. 5. cornbread 6. turnip greens 7. fried okra. 8. Deep fried fresh water catfish. My guess is that you think very few of these would be "gourmet" food. Am I right? If so, it just proves that Southern culture and Southern foods are considered inferior by many of you. Tell me what you think.

Gourmet food is used as an adjective for meals of especially high quality, whose makers or preparers have used special effort or art in presentation or cooking the meal, or for facilities equipped for preparing such meals, such as a restaurant. The term and the practice may have negative connotations of elitism or snobbery, but is often used positively to describe people of refined taste and passion.

AS for those foods you've listed:

1 - I would call it comfort food rather than gourmet

2 - I wouldn't call it food

3 - unfamiliar with this one

4 - comfort food

5 - comfort food

6 - soul food

7 - see #2

8 - I have had this in what I would term a gourmet restaurant, so maybe this one can be 'gourmet'

I didn't say that comfort food is not gourmet - I just think more folks would recognize it as such. If you are questioning me about any perceived "anti-southern" thoughts, I take great offense to that, as I'm sure forefathers would . . . they being from the Carolinas. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/accuse_write?qid=20070825142406AAXUpTb&kid=GaZtL1XnAEHyCIVO0NhA&s=comm&date=2007-08-26+16%3A42%3A39&.crumb=

I think if you look for prejudice, you will find it. Just as I believe that if you look for the good in folks, you will find it. More often than not, that sentiment is a reflection of ourselves and our attitudes. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/accuse_write?qid=20070825142406AAXUpTb&kid=GaZtL1XnAEHyCIVO0NhA&s=comm&date=2007-08-26+16%3A42%3A59&.crumb=

What do you care if that type of food is labeled gourmet? Does it make the food taste better/worse? I think not. I don't care if folks want to label it as comfort food - that's a compliment in my book. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/accuse_write?qid=20070825142406AAXUpTb&kid=GaZtL1XnAEHyCIVO0NhA&s=comm&date=2007-08-26+16%3A45%3A13&.crumb=

They would be ethnic or regional foods. Not necessarily gourmet. I hae only tried cornbread out of those, and probably not a great one at that. Would be tottally up to trying ANY of these - they all sound great!

Don't be so down on your foods...

Actually, in the past few years, the trend is to upscale comfort food. Many expensive restaurants are reinventing burgers, grits, mac and cheese-during a business lunch couple weeks ago, I came across a "homemade mac and cheese" in NYC that was $60 a portion. They also had blackened catfish with fried green tomatoes, so there you go.

I don't like Southern food because I find it too heavy, and I hardly ever eat fried food, but that's just my personal preference.