An authentic Southern meal will most likely include hushpuppies. There are several stories about how they got their name, but a solid, proven version has yet to be discovered.

One story says fishermen offered fried balls of dough to their dogs to keep them quiet, as the dogs would howl at the smell of the food.

The first mention of these fritters was described in a dish called Red Horse Bread, which was made by Romeo "Romy" Govans, a man born into slavery in the 19th century.

After the Civil War, Govans settled in South Carolina and hosted popular fish frys where he served fried cornmeal dumplings alongside river redhorse fish.

The term "hushpuppy" existed before Red Horse Bread came along and was used to describe keeping something quiet, such as a scandal.

By the 1940s, rounds of fried cornmeal dough went by several different names, but by 1948, “hushpuppy” became the most commonly used name and hushpuppy mixes were being sold.