We live in the city, so I can generally find anything needed. Raw ingredients for food. I absolutely love H-Mart. (Google it, Dragn.) I used the ingredients list from the
Woks of Life website to navigate the unknown in Asian markets. We also have scads of markets supporting different ethnicities.
It is much easier to find things these days. Regarding being good country peeps, my parents were from the Appalachian hills. After moving north for work, they would not be able to find "everyday things" in their new location. We would pack the car with WHITE cornmeal, red molasses, chicory, ground cress, ramps, etc. on our way home from visiting our grandparents.
In the North, everything was "different." We went to my elementary school for a Chili Dinner and PTA meeting. Daddy referred to the chili as 'that chili bean macaroni soup.' My mother always put beans in her chili but it was thick. I don't think either ever forgave me for liking the macaroni.
Also, no cornbread. Crackers were served. And the one time we went out and found cornbread, it was loaded with sugar and yellow cornmeal. My mother was completely put-out over being served "Johnnycake." And no one had ever heard of sweet tea. Daddy was a milkman. What he delivered was not "real" buttermilk." We made butter out of same day whipping cream and used the liquid remaining as they viewed that as "real buttermilk." The cultured buttermilk was generally used for cornbread, etc.
Now there is regular consistency most everywhere unless very isolated. But when I was a child, each region seemed so unique.
