ANDREA McVEIGH falls for the historic grist mill, whistle-blowing trains and antique shops of the little town of Juliette as she explores the Peach State...

FRIED Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café - even the very words make my mouth water. In a case of life imitating art, the fictional café from the 1991 movie now exists in real life, in the little town of Juliette, Monroe County, right in the middle of Georgia in America's old South.

The movie folk filmed in Juliette, having fallen for its historic grist mill, whistle-blowing trains and antique shops, and restored its run-down buildings into the fictional community of Whistle Stop. Once filming had ended, Robert Williams opened the café as it now stands - with antiques and movie memorabilia lining the walls, and a traditional Southern menu, based around those famous unripe tomatoes, sliced, battered and fried.

"People in the South love fried green tomatoes, but after the film, people everywhere took an interest in them," explained Robert. You'll find them in restaurants and cafes across Georgia, not just at the Whistle Stop - they could even be considered a state delicacy.

Georgia , the Peach State, is known for its historic homes as well as being the setting for Gone With The Wind, but it's also a big hitter on the culinary map of America and is famous for its Southern hospitality.

To read the rest of Andrea McVeigh's two-page feature of her trip through Monroe County and see all the pictures, pick up a copy of Northern Ireland Travel News...

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