Barbecue is nice, and fried green tomatoes have a catchy name. But if you want the dish that truly represents the South these days, skip them both and turn to another recipe entirely: Shrimp and grits, the shrimper’s breakfast born on the tidal creeks of the Lowcountry, has become the iconic dish of the South. During the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, we expected the jokes about North Carolina’s food, weather and politics.