Gas Station Eats

Gas stations in the American South are more than just a place to fillup the truck. It's palce to get a hot meal, whether it's fried chicken ro shwarma. A new book chronicles this truly American phenomenom. It shows not just gas stations but places to enjoy a warm meal and meet neightbors and friends.

Regular contributor and a Southerner hersle,f Kim Severson wrote about this new book in today's New York Times Wednesday Food section.Southern photographer Kate Medley takes astounding and  soul revealing snaps of  this big part of SOuthern life. She was raised in Mississippi so going to the local gas station for everything form flour to Coke was normal for her. Her book also has an opening written by fellow Southerner Kiese Laymon who also grew up in Mississippi, He too spent his childhood eating fresh not food  in gas stations.On of his childhood memories involves heading to eat at one with his grandmother and her boyfiend. They would order a box of dark meat chicken a foam container of fried fish and  fried potato wedges also known as potato logs. Ms. medley discovered this way of lif when she was coveirng the area for the New Yrk Times  after Hurricnae Katrina. She also finished a master's program in Southern studies which also allowed her a glmpse into the unique lifestyle.

It's a get her done attitude that's even spreading to immigrants settling in the South. Ms Medley wanted to show this diversity so she took pictures of Nita Patel and her samosas at Tasty Tikka located inside a Shell station in Irmo, South Carolina and Gina Nguyen holding a garlic butter shrimp banh at Banh Mi Boys which opened in a family owned Texaco in Metairie Louisiana. She took Ms. Severson to another immigrant run place in Leland Mississippi in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. The Frattesi family opend up a combo of gas station and eatery in 1941.There s their famed cheesesteaks and pork roasts next to bait to be sold and pantry staples. A freezer holds frozen steaks and bags of shelled pecans.It even runs on the honor system where visitors tell the cashier what they had for lunch.There are no paper bills here.Locals put their groceries and gas on a runnung tab.Unfortunately after the owner Mark Frattesi, son of the original owner retires that's it. Th next generation does not want to take over. Up the road a better story exists.A forner gas station is home to Betty's Place. Owner Betty Campbell and her husband opened it while her brother Otha serves as a maire d'.She used to cook for blues great B.B. King and brings that devotion to the place that hosts hundreds of tourists from all over the world yearly.

Gas station and hot food served in them are as much a part of Southern life as barbecues and football. They represent a unique facet of an interesting lifestyle. The new book Gas Stations will show this slice of life..