Taste of America Road Trip: South

Mountain Mist, Pie & Grits

By Karyn Spencer

With its spectacular mountain views and rushing waterfalls, the Blue Ridge Parkway is justifiably one of America's favorite drives. Capped at 45-mph speeds and managed by the National Park Service, it winds through the Appalachian Mountains with no billboards to interrupt the view. In early summer, frilly pink and purple rhododendron blossoms cover mountainsides, followed by red-orange flame azaleas. Spend a week camping or RVing along the parkway, or explore a shorter section on a long weekend. The route here begins north of the parkway, at Shenandoah National Park near Luray, Virginia, and ends in Cherokee, North Carolina, near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

To learn more about the road trip highlights on the map, please pick up the June-July 2019 issue of Allrecipes magazine.

Best of the South Top Summer Recipes

1. Dave's Low Country Boil

"Famous in the Low Country of Georgia and South Carolina. This boil is done best on an outdoor cooker. It has sausage, shrimp, crab, potatoes and corn for an all-in-one pot all-you-can-eat buffet!" — Lisa

2. Yellow Squash Casserole

"Tender squash, gooey cheese and crunchy crackers make this a memorable side dish or a hearty main course. This is a great dish that can be made with low-fat ingredients and is still just as good!" — ROSECART

3. Best Fried Green Tomatoes

"You can also fry up red tomatoes with this recipe but make sure they are not over ripe or they will be mushy. Serve these tomatoes outside with a glass of iced tea one summer night and enjoy the sunset with someone you love." — Diana Swenson-Siegel

4. Blueberry Pie

"This is the best when made with fresh picked blueberries! It is a beautiful sight with a lattice top." — ASHESP

5. Peach Pie the Old-Fashioned Two-Crust Way

"This is a simple, quick, old fashioned, baked, two crust peach pie made with fresh peaches and simple ingredients. It's great during summer peach season." —BERNIERONE

VIDEO: Peach Pie the Old-Fashioned Two-Crust Way

6. Roasted Okra

"As a good Southern gardener, I find myself bringing in okra by the armload nearly every other day. Stewed okra is great, but for a little variety, we like to roast ours from time to time. This is so simple and easy and the okra tends to not be nearly as gummy or slimy when roasted. Chopped tomato makes a great addition when we have some handy." — ncope

7. Juiciest Hamburgers Ever

Egg and evaporated milk lend moisture, and Worcestershire and cayenne add kick to these tasty burgers.

8. Tzatziki Sauce

"Easy dressing for gyros or Greek salad. Also makes a nice dipping sauce for Veggies. HINT: Tastes best when chilled for at least 1 hour after preparation." — DEBNJAMES

9. Georgia Peach Homemade Ice Cream

"This is the best peach ice cream you'll ever eat!!!" —Nancy Drummond Ransom

10. Baron's Blackberry Cobbler

"Easy blackberry cobbler. My father-in-law grows huge blackberries and always has tons. I tried a number of recipes and none really hit the spot. So created this one and it worked so well that my fiance said it was the best she had ever had. Serve warm with heavy or whipped cream." — Baron

VIDEO: Baron's Blackberry Cobbler

Check out our collection of recipes from Virginia and North Carolina.