Cooking Exceptionally With Gin Lee

Turtle Soup, Nope! None for Me: Growing Up Southern and Dodging the Delicacy If you’ve ever spent time in the American South, you know it’s a place where traditions run deep—and sometimes come with a side of questionable culinary adventures. As a kid, I was no stranger to the inevitable “try it, honey, it tastes just like chicken!” line from my mom whenever she handed me something that, let’s be honest, I’d rather leave untouched. But one thing I always knew for sure: no matter how convincing she was, turtle soup was not on my menu. And that’s a story worth telling. Growing Up Southern: A Tapestry of Traditions and Tastes In the South, food is more than sustenance—it's a way of life, a tradition, and sometimes, a test of your culinary bravery. My childhood was shaped by slow-cooked collard greens, crispy fried chicken, and yes, the occasional mention of turtle soup. It was a delicacy, a family tradition, and an acquired taste that I, thankfully, never acquired. My Pet T...