Thoughts from my front porch

As I sit on my front porch eatin a spicy pimento cheese sandwich I reflect, what is southern food, what does it mean to cook southern food? My first thought, people, community. Southern food is hospitable, it's making sure there is always plenty in case someone happens to stop by.  It's thoughtful and simple, allowing each flavor their own space and then possibly smothering it with gravy. It's seasonal, but not so much with what is being produced from the ground, but what is in the atmosphere. The air tends to produce a mood, a stirring in the heart for what the palate desires. Sunday afternoons in the summer produce an appetite for cold fried chicken picnics with lemonade while fall evening crave chicken pot pie. We are headed into spring, but Tuesday night felt a chill in the air as tornado weather arrived at our front door, my recipe to soothe a southern heart on a stormy billowing night, you guessed it....chicken pot pie.
I had grilled some chicken breast the following evening for a simple dinner of Jerk Chicken Sandwiches with grilled asparagus, (grill chicken breast and asparagus, grab some Caribbean jerk seasoning and mix it with mayo and tada!!! for a real Caribbean feel grill some pineapple to a top the chicken with it....yummy!)
So with the leftover chicken I felt like pot pie was a must!
Start with bacon, most good southern dish seem to have this common theme.

Fry your bacon until done and set aside, with the remaining fat add flour. This will depend on the amount of fat you have left over, I usually add a tablespoon at a time until I get a pasty* mix. If you have read my post before this will seem familiar, you will be thinking at this point, "I think I am making a roux" which I would gladly interrupt your thoughts to tell you that "YES!! you are most certainly making a roux" If you did not have that thought and wish that you had, I would direct you to the early post entitle 'The Art of Roux'
Constantly stir until your roux begins to take on a shade of brown. At this point add your two carrots( chopped), a celery (chopped) and an onion(chopped). Let these cook while stirring for about 2min. Add 1/2cup to 1cup of white wine and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan...which of course as any good southern would use is cast iron. Throw is some marjoram(about a tablespoon).  At that point I add milk until I get a sauce that's not too thick and not to thin. After you have your desired consistency, add your mushrooms(I usually use a whole bag). Let this cook for a little bit over a simmer, stirring every now and again. While your mushrooms soak up the flavor. Take your pre-thawed pastry sheets and line the bottom of your butter greased casserole dish with one of the sheets. Place it in the oven pre-heated to 350. Chop your chicken(already cooked) and your bacon. Add the chicken and bacon to the sauce, I had some leftover asparagus I had and chopped that up and threw it in too(any veggies would be great added to this. I just used what I had, another great trait of southern cooking.) Add some Parmesan cheese and salt to taste. When the puff pastry is starting to rise add the filling, cover with the other pastry sheet and brush with butter! When the top layer is lightly brown and the liquid is bubblin, stick a fork in it...it's done!

*pasty: inbetween saucy and crumbly