My family on both sides are deep South - southern GA, lower AL, FL panhandle. I remember both sets of grandparents very well. My dad used to say that, when he was a boy, his mother would fry water if she could. I believe him. And her fried chicken was incredible. My maternal grandmother made the best vegetables, lemonade, and banana pudding. I have uncles who could have won awards for their barbecue and smoked turkey. Dad introduced me to fried catfish, raw oysters, peel & eat shrimp, and Tabasco about the time I was in 1st grade. Mom raised us on the classic Southern breakfast (see below). I discovered bourbon at UF. I've been blessed.
My list of top southern foods:
1. Seafood (freshwater and from the Gulf)
2. (tie) Bourbon/BBQ/Classic Southern breakfast (Mom's version: fried eggs chopped into cheese grits with Tabasco, sausage, tomatoes, fruit, biscuits and gravy)
5. Fried chicken
6. Smoked Turkey
7. Lemonade
8. Fried vegetables (green tomatoes, okra, zucchini)
9. Banana pudding
Edit:
10. Pecan pie, by my maternal grandmother. Can't believe I forgot to include that. She'd be hurt.