southerngayman

My parents were not crazy about the healthy dinner I prepared for them - they called it nigger food and complained that there was no meat - so Jorge and I offered to take them out. My folks favorite restaurant is The Oaks so that is where we went. I could see the shock on the hostess's face as we walked in with Jorge, who is a dark-skinned Latino but she pulled herself together and led us to a nice table in the back room. I tried to guide my parents to some of the lighter selections on the menu but they wound up ordering the smothered pork, fried mac and cheese, fried okra, hush puppies, and of course that southern staple.... fried green tomatoes. After we had all had pralines and key lime pie the surly waiter brought the check and I was shocked to see at the bottom in small letters "nigger". When I complained to the manager he tried to say that it was kitchen shorthand for hush puppies/green tomatoes...I don't know .... it didn't feel right.

Labels: SOUTHERN COOKING