“There’s not much to cornbread.”

It’s probably not polite to disagree with the restaurant owner, but Curt Ausley, owner of Zack’s Family Restaurant in Slocomb, was wrong in making this statement.

Ausley is talking about the Fried Green Tomatoes and Cornbread, a dish at Zack’s that is on the Alabama Tourism Department’s list of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama.

Zack’s Family Restaurant Fried Green Tomatoes and Cornbread one of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

And, sure, the fried green tomatoes in the proprietary breading made crispy and delicious in hot peanut oil are delicious. You would be hard-pressed to find a better fried green tomato in the South.

While most would agree the tomatoes are the star of this dish, don’t discount that fried cornbread. It’s that crispy, dense cornbread like you find in south Alabama and in stark contrast to the cake-like cornbread you find in the northern half of the state. When is the last time you licked your fingers after eating cakey cornbread?

Ausley said business has been slowly recovering since the shutdown caused by the pandemic last year. While sales haven’t returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, he said they’re improving every day.

The Fried Green Tomatoes and Cornbread at Zack’s Family Restaurant is one of 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama. (contributed)

Zack’s Family Restaurant is serving up good country cooking in Alabama’s Wiregrass. (contributed)