Product Description
Edna Lewis--whose The Taste of Country Cooking has become an American classic--and Alabama-born chef Scott Peacock pool their unusual cooking talents to give us this unique cookbook. What makes it so special is that it represents different styles of Southern cooking--Miss Lewis’s Virginia country cooking and Scott Peacock’s inventive and sensitive blending of new tastes with the Alabama foods he grew up on, liberally seasoned with Native American, Caribbean, and African influences. Together they have taken neglected traditional recipes unearthed in their years of research together on Southern food and worked out new versions that they have made their own.

Every page of this beguiling book bears the unmistakable mark of being written by real hands-on cooks. Scott Peacock has the gift for translating the love and respect they share for good home cooking with such care and precision that you know, even if you’ve never tried them before, that the Skillet Cornbread will turn out perfect, the Crab Cakes will be “Honestly Good,” and the four-tiered Lane Cake something spectacular.

Together they share their secrets for such Southern basics as pan-fried chicken (soak in brine first, then buttermilk, before frying in good pork fat), creamy grits (cook slowly in milk), and genuine Southern biscuits, which depend on using soft flour, homemade baking powder, and fine, fresh lard (and on not twisting the biscuit cutter when you stamp out the dough). Scott Peacock describes how Miss Lewis makes soup by coaxing the essence of flavor from vegetables (the She-Crab and Turtle soups taste so rich they can be served in small portions in demitasse cups), and he applies the same principle to his intensely flavored, scrumptious dish of Garlic Braised Shoulder Lamb Chops with Butter Beans and Tomatoes. You’ll find all these treasures and more before you even get to the superb cakes (potential “Cakewalk Winners” all), the hand-cranked ice creams, the flaky pies, and homey custards and puddings.

Interwoven throughout the book are warm memories of the people and the traditions that shaped these pure-
tasting, genuinely American recipes. Above all, the Southern table stands for hospitality, and the authors demonstrate that the way everything is put together--with the condiments and relishes and preserves and wealth of vegetables all spread out on the table--is what makes the meal uniquely Southern. Every occasion is celebrated, and at the back of the book there are twenty-two seasonal menus, from A Spring Country Breakfast for a Late Sunday Morning and A Summer Dinner of Big Flavors to An Alabama Thanksgiving and A Hearty Dinner for a Cold Winter Night, to show you how to mix and match dishes for a true Southern table.
Here, then, is a joyful coming together of two extraordinary cooks, sharing their gifts. And they invite you to join them.Amazon.com Review
The books of Edna Lewis--In Pursuit of Flavor, The Taste of Country Cooking, and the out-of-print Edna Lewis Cookbook--should be on any serious cook's bookshelf. Add to that list The Gift of Southern Cooking, which she wrote with fellow Southern cook, Scott Peacock. In her time, Edna Lewis has quietly upheld the virtues of a good meal and the Southern cooking she learned as a child. Her grandfather, a former slave, joined with freed slaves to found Freetown, a Virginia farming community. So Lewis grew up with the food at hand, fresh buttermilk, for example. She moved to New York City early on where she cooked for and rubbed shoulders with artists and actors, musicians and writers, cooks and Communists. And through all her years, through her life and through her cooking, she described the most elegant, simple line. It's there for you to see in each of her recipes, the way she approaches flavor.

Here in her mid-80s Lewis brings out the best of Southern cooking with a collaborator less than half her age. She's a Virginian; he's from Alabama. So get ready for a delicious spread. They are both dedicated to preserving Southern food ways, and to updating whenever they can. The book is simply packed with wonderful treats from Spicy Eggplant Relish all the way to Warm Apple Crisp. It's written in Peacock's voice and unless he says so there's no telling where his recipes end and hers begin. But it doesn't matter. They are peas in a pod, those two. You will not only learn how Southern food should taste with The Gift of Southern Cooking, you will learn why and you will learn how. Neither your fried chicken nor your buttermilk biscuits will ever be the same. --Schuyler Ingle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

A Great Book of Old Fashioned Recipes
Any good cook knows he/she can substitute butter or margarine for lard!I found this book in the library earlier today and since it had a torn page, I asked if I could purchase it.They told me no, but I kept reading the recipes and now I'm going to order one for me and one for a Xmas gift for my aunt.As a cook and cookbook collector, this book will be a welcome addition to my collection.I can't wait to get it.I have other ideas for some of the recipes that I plan to try immediately.I hope to modify the toast cups recipe so I can add an egg, meat, and cheese filling for individual breakfast casseroles which will go good with a breakfast fruit salad.Can't wait to make the chocolate fritters with the molten chocolate centers.....If you are size 2 and living forever is a priority, then you will not appreciate the use of lard, butter, bacon fat, etc.But any southern old fashioned cook knows that these flavors make a dish every time!Ms. Edna is the kind of cook people would love to eat her food at gatherings or would appreciate an invite to a meal at her home.I'm that kind of cook although I am considerably younger, but I'm in my early 50s and grew up on this food.I can't wait for my cookbook!Also, I will try out her other cook book on country cooking as well.

A must have for southern cooks
This is more than a cookbook. The narratives are as interesting as the recipes. The deviled egg recipe is the BEST I ever tasted and my family agrees.

The Gift of Southern Cooking
The Gift of Southern Cooking is a great addition to anyone's cooking library.The book was sent in a very timely fashion, and I have enjoyed cooking from it.

Outstanding recipes from a great chef in her twilight years
Sadly, this is Edna Lewis' last published cookbook.But wow!She left her legacy with a terrific collection of recipes with co-author Scott Peacock.Peacock himself is a rising star:the executive chef at the Watershed Restaurant in the greater Atlanta area.These two have collaborated on a work that would really make anyone enjoy Southern cooking.Peacock can consider himself fortunate:he had the priviledge of working with a woman who is considered one of America's greatest cooks (she once won the James Beard Award for best chef).

Excellent recipes, no matter where you live
This is one fine cookbook, an essential to own, in my opinion. The recipes are clear, well tested, and delicious, the way Julia Child's are, the way Alice Waters's are. While this is a cookbook devoted to a regional cuisine, don't neglect it just because you live, like I do, in a place where nobody grows okra or turnip greens. The Peacock/Lewis recipes can often be adapted to whatever is growing in your garden or available at the farmer's market. (It is July, as I write this, and a cold wet summer means we are pining in Maine for that elusive first ripe tomato.)The emphasis in this book is really on simplicity. Take, for instance, the lovely chicken salad. It does not contain sun-dried tomatoes or chutney or some other designer addition you might find in a food magazine.And it's wonderful. As are the sugared raspberries, the buttermilk pancakes, the roast chicken, the corn bread, and so on.The country captain is worth every bit of prep time.

This is home cooking, utterly refined and utterly transcendent. Throughout "The Gift of Southern Cooking" there are pictures of Miss Edna Lewis enjoying a meal with family or friends. The setting depicted is generally plain and homely, the food anything but. I put up a quart jar of sugared raspberries last July. It hangs out in the back of the refrigerator,andwe've been doling it out all winter on pancakes and yogurt.
M. Feldman ... Read more

Product Description

The owners of Southern Living's longtime "Best Restaurant in the South," the Blue Willow Inn, Louis and Billie Van Dyke have created the most complete and thorough Southern cookbook ever published.

Containing more than 600 recipes in every imaginable category, The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking is a staple in kitchens of everyone who appreciates classic Southern cooking. It is a book that contains not only classic recipes that have been handed down for generations, but also new Southern favorites. Destined to become a classic along the lines of Betty Crocker, Fannie Farmer, and The Joy of Cooking, The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking will sell for years to come.

Recipes include:

Customer Reviews (29)

Outragiously good recipes!!!1
This recipe book contains all of the old time recipes that you want but don't know how to prepare.This is an essential for any cook that wants to impress.

Love the Restaurant, Love the Book!!!
I've been fortunate enough to stop by the Blue Willow Inn on a few occasions for lunch. The food is always a treat to the tummy.

So when my hubby saw the cookbook, and knowing how I collect them, he snatched it up for me and gave it to me for Christmas.

There's not a bad recipe anywhere in this book.

Now though I enjoyed the backstory about the Inn and its owners, the true star of this cookbook is the collection of recipes. While my collection of cookbooks numbers in the hundreds, this one is number two on my list of favorite cookbooks. The recipes are arranged in an easy to find manner, cross referenced and indexed. It is a pretty near complete listing of favorite Southern recipes compiled from real Southern cooks, not Cordon Bleu trained yankees offering their educated take on what Southern cuisine should be. If you're looking for Fried Liver and Onions like your Memaw used to make, well, you'll find it here, along with some good tips on knowing when it's done right. If you've ever wondered how cook okra, or how to fry chicken, how to put up preserves or make cornbread, look no further. It's all here, tried and tested in home kitchens and served up at church socials for years.

Good Cooking
Love this book.I am reading it like a regular novel.It has been fascinating.I love hearing the stories behind the recipes.The book came in great condition and really quick through the mail.I will definitly be using amazon again for purchasing cookbooks.I was glad to see it was at such a great price because the condition of the book was as brand new.

True Southern Cooking
This is the cookbook that all need IF they want true 'Suthern' cooking.Such fun to eat in the restaurant but to be able to prepare the recipes in my own home is a great subsdtitute!

Southern but Not from Scratch
This book is a great for getting great southern "home" cooking on the table in a hurry.Although most of the recipes are not from scratch, they are still reminiscent of some of the dinner-on-the-ground meals we used to enjoy after homecoming services at church. ... Read more

Product Description

More than a cookbook, this is the story of how a little girl, born in the South of Yankee parents, fell in love with southern cooking at the age of five. And a bite of brown sugar pie was all it took.

Customer Reviews (29)

A great cookbook!!!
I bought this for my husband who loves to cook, and he did enjoyed it very much.

Great content but hard to read
Ordered two copies -- one for me, one for a friend.Am returning the one intendedas a gift because the print is far too light and small. When using a cookbook, I like to place it upright in a cookbook holder and refer to it as I prepare the dish, butthere's no way you could prepare one of these recipes without copying it onto something that could be read without a magnifying glass! I believe some of the type used is actually 7 point! Very disappointing because the content is outstanding.

loved this book..
I enjoyed the quirky recipes and stories. I read this straight through like a novel. This book is is not your traditional type of cook book. It contains many recipes that quite honestly, you would have to have grown up with to appreciate. She has offered some substitutions for health reasons, lard being all but outlawed now. This book contains some very old recipes that I had only heard of, but if you grew up in one of those homes that saved the bacon grease to cook with, this book is a keeper. A great cookbook on true southern recipes.

True south
This book has great southern recipes and anecdotes, especially for native Tar Heels.The author is from Raleigh, NC.
Great credentials and a great book to add to your collection.

Great Primer on Southern Style...Cooking and Otherwise
Got this lovely book from the library and read it ( yes read it) cover to cover, cooking all the while.

Before I had even finished it I was on Amazon ordering it.So much more than a cookbook - a history of the Southern approach to food and hospitality, the difference between Southern flour and Northern flour and the results of each, and the very best recipes.I buy a cook book about once every 15 to twenty years and this is surely the one for this decade.A return to real cooking - real kettle fried chicken, real fried green tomatoes and buttermilk all over the place.In the month I have owned "A Love Affair...."I have entertained family and friends and mostly my husband recovering from knee surgery with outstanding results.

The recipes are very clear and concise. There is a wonderful glossary for those who don't know what ramps are. Extraordinary book.

Read it for the stories, enjoy the recipes. Buy this book. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

What mrs Fisher Knows....
This book goes into my historical collection of recipes, many are more simple than contemporary recipes.

Not just a cookbook
This is more than a cookbook (because most recipes you can't recreate), it is a historical account of life as a slave cook.

What Mrs. fisherknows about Old Southern Cooking
The recipes are cleverly presented but they consist of brief summaries or notes about cooking.

Interesting for the student of African-American Gastronomy
"What Mrs. Fisher Knows" is a charming antique and should be read by anyone with an interest in African-American or Southern cookery, or anyone who would like to re-create authentic 19th century American cuisine.

This reprint of "What Mrs. Fisher Knows" was brought into being by Karen Hess.Hess has provided an informative introduction to the recipes (which are reproduced in their entirety), explaining many 19th century cooking concepts which may be unfamiliar to the modern cook and providing as much of Abby Fisher's story as can be found.In Fisher's original text it is interesting to see some of the earliest known written recipes for several dishes and to discover others which are almost unknown today.Fisher's original recipes are typical of 19th century (and earlier) cookbooks.Each recipe is several sentences in a single paragraph, with no separate ingredient list.In many cases it is assumed that the cook will know how to prepare something that is taken as a given in the recipe.This is a cookbook from a time when all cooking was "from scratch", when there were few labor-saving kitchen gadgets, and printed books were luxury items.It is not a step-by-step cookbook.[For that, see Chef Paul Prudhomme or Southern Living.]

"Good Things to Eat" by Rufus Estes is sometimes called the first cookbook written by an African-American."What Mrs. Fisher Knows" was published thirty years earlier.(It could be said that Mrs. Fisher, a former slave, did not actually "write" the book as she evidently did not know how to write; she dictated the recipes to a member of the Women's Cooperative Printing Office in San Francisco which published the work in 1881.)

(The editor, Karen Hess has done similar work on Mary Randolph's "The Virginia Housewife" and "Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery and Booke of Sweetmeats".)

Historical Treasure
As soon as I learned of this book's existence, I ordered a copy for myself.I love cooking (and cookbooks), and I am also fascinated by the kind of first-person, anecdotal history that can be derived from the writings or records of ordinary people living long ago.This work--the first cookbook by an African-American, actually a former slave, originally published in 1881-- appeals to both of those interests, and, in addition, is a curious little conversation piece to display on a bookshelf. The recipes are not ones you will turn to each night when making dinner, but they are fun to experiment with, as long as you rewrite the directions first in their proper order (they are written in a stream-of-consciousness style), and as long as you read the historical notes that define the units of measure used in the recipes.This book could be a great guide for a "historical reinactment" of a Civil War era dinner, or, if not, then it is at least a selective culinary history of the Old South.Most interesting to me are the medicinal recipes, like blackberry syrup as a remedy for dysentery, and the recipe for "infant diet."This edition contains not only the original cookbook, but an informative afterword that explains some historical facts about Mrs. Fisher and the society around her.I would recommend this book to anyone interested in American history, African-American history, or the art of cooking. ... Read more

Product Description
No southern food enthusiast should be without this gathering of 1,300 flavorful recipes for such classic dishes as fried chicken, cornbread, pickled watermelon rinds, and sweet potato pie.

Southern Cooking had its origins in Henrietta Dull's immensely popular cooking column in the Atlanta Journal, whose readers faithfully clipped its recipes. The demand for reprints of perennial favorites or early, hard-to-find dishes prompted Mrs. Dull to compile them into her now-famous book. Not only does it include individual recipes, but it also suggests menus for various occasions and holidays. Her famous Georgia Christmas Dinner, for instance, consists of grapefruit, roast turkey, dry stuffing, dry rice, turkey gravy, candied sweet potatoes, buttered green peas, cranberry jelly, celery hearts, hot biscuits, sweet butter, syllabub, and cake. Mrs. Dull was one of the most sought-after caterers in Atlanta even before she began her newspaper column. Her vast, practical knowledge of food and its preparation, and her embrace of new, but never gimmicky, innovations in cooking served her readers well. Upon Mrs. Dull's death in 1964 at the age of 100, the Atlanta Journal said that her book was "the standard by which regional cooks have been measured since 1928." Southern Cooking is the starting place for anyone in search of authentic dishes done in the traditional style. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent recipes
Recommend for all cooks! Great gift. As good for Southern food as Julia for French food.

Great Cooking Read
My Mom and Grandmother used this book.I have really enjoyed reading it again.I highly recommend it for anyone interested in american cooking history.

The standard by which others are compared
The Atlanta Journal called this book, 'The standard by which regional cooks have been measured since 1928.'

This book was first published in 1928, and then had a major upgrade in 1941. It has been in almost continuous printings since then with probably 200,000 copies having been printed.

In style it's not done like today's cookbooks. The book and each chapter start with some general information. Read it. After she tells you once, she presumes that you know what she says and doesn't repeat it. After that come the recipies, 1,300 of them. Each recipie has been tested, but they tend to be rather terse, enough to give you the information you need, but not a lot of chit chat. Just recipies. Likewise no pretty pictures, just recipies, thirteen hundred of them. 1300 Southern recipies -- Where else would you get instruction on how to butcher, dress and bake an opossum.

Wow -- YUMMMY
I grew up with my Nonna Lucia's wonderful Italian cooking (ingredients FRESH from Arthur Avenue) but the mouth-watering down-home recipes in Mrs. Dull's book (NOT dull at all!) make me wanna stay home and cook em/eat em all!

Wonderful slice of Americana
I first ran across a copy of this cookbook 25 years ago in a used book store. This new, reprint edition is even nicer than the original, with a great new cover, high-quality binding and paper, etc. First rate.

But the main appeal to "Southern Cooking" are the timeless recipes by the famous Mrs. Dull. It is truly a slice of Americana. I've tried many of these recipes, and though they are old-fashioned, they still taste great. I can especially recommend "Mother Dull's Tea Cakes," the gingerbread recipe, and many of the cakes.

The writing style is a little loose and it helps to have some knowledge of cooking, but as the notes explain, if you read the section introductions Mrs. Dull gives good instructions. In fact, I think her instructions are cake baking are about the most helpful I have ever had.
Her personality shines through on every page.

This is a classic book at a great price, and it's great to have the 1941 edition back in print. They did a great job. You'll want to buy several copies to give as gifts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

THE best Southern cookbook!
I have a large collection of cookbooks (over 200). I have at least twenty Southern and soul food cookbooks. This cookbook is my go-to cookbook for Southern country cooking. I live in the Deep South, and was raised here by transplanted "northerners" and was never taught how to cook Southern food. This cookbook is SO descriptive in the recipes and tells you what you will see as you are cooking them. I am not a vegetable eater, but my husband is and I made perfect pole beans having never tasted or cooked them before! I love, love, love this cookbook. It doesn't have any pictures inside or pictures of old biddies on the cover, but the recipes are dead on!

Wonderful Book!
I made the Red Velvet Cake for Christmas and my in-laws were so thrilled.It was the best I have ever eaten.Also we made the Hand-Tossed Buttermilk Biscuits and they were so fun and easy to make and delicious!This book is excellent and well worth the money for those that love Southern food.

Not disappointed with this one!
Recently received my copy of the Southern Cook's Handbook, and I am delighted to recommend it to anyone interested in Southern home cooking.Not only excellent recipes, but a step-by-step guide to the methods of southern cooking as well.I have quite a collection of cookbooks, but I can see that I will be referring to this one quite frequently.Even after 40 years of marriage, I have gained new ideas after reading this book.Last night I made the creamy chicken salad, and we loved it!I will definitely be ordering more to give as wedding presents!

Follow the methods and you can't fail
A must have cookbook for anyone who's interested in learning to cook Southern food. The methods section of this book takes you step-by-step though making the all the staples, such as cornbread, gravies, biscuits, etc. and you'll find recipes for many of the favorite Southern dishes.

I've tried a lot of the recipes in this book and they have all worked out great.

Every female in your family needs this one!
Southerners pour so much heart and soul into their food that sometimes they forget to measure.They are notorious for attempting to teach their offspring recipes while using vague terms like, a pinch of this, or a dab of that, or "til the dough feels right"(Thanks Mama!).Sometimes passed down recipes list ingredients without telling us exactly how to prepare the dish or maybe the author really didn't want everyone knowing their "secret".Courtney Taylor's The Southern Cook's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Old-Fashioned Southern Cooking clears up these fuzzy areas for you. Not only will you have some scrumptious tried and true recipes, you will also learn some basic old fashioned skills that will help you apply today's tools and methods to all of your old recipes.

If you haven't prepared this type of food in a long time and you need to brush up on your skills, this book is for you.If you have never made a biscuit from scratch but would like to know how, this book is for you too.This is a must have cookbook for anyone who loves southern cuisine.

I highly suggest that Courtney Taylor's The Southern Cook's Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Old-Fashioned Southern Cooking be added to your shelf.Do your female family members a favor and order them copies as well.They will need it to translate your secretly coded index cards that make sense to you, but not to them.
... Read more

Product Description
From renowned food writer and proud Southerner James Villas comes the definitive Southern cookbook, featuring fascinating Southern lore, cooking tips, and 388 glorious recipes for any occasion. It includes traditional favorites, delicious regional specialties, and new recipes from some of the South’s most innovative chefs. The author of more than a dozen acclaimed books, Villas was the longtime food and wine editor at Town & Country and was named Bon Appétit’s Food Writer of the Year in 2004. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

The "Alabama biscuit muffins" worth it all!!!
I really need to buy this book because I've been checking it out and renewing the book from the public library for about a year.When I first got the book I was disappointed because there are hardly any photos in the book but once I started making some of the recipes, all is forgiven.The "Alabama biscuit muffins" are worth the price of the book alone and they are simple to make.The pecan pie, fried chicken and oven ribs are all excellent.

LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!!!
I own MANY cookbooks. I love to cook.This is one of my favs because it not only gives me recipies for YUMMY food, it also gives me stories about the food.I got it and read it right then....I love cookbooks like this one.Great recipies!!!A must have for any true southern cook!! This would make a wonderful gift for someone. The Glory of Southern Cooking.....YUM!!!!

A True Gem
I bought The Glory of Southern Cooking in the Fall, hoping to impress my Texas and Louisiana family members with some southern dishes.For Thanksgiving I prepared the Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie.My family enjoyed this dish so much they asked for it again at Christmas and New Years Day.I can't wait to explore more recipes in this book.

One of the best
This is now one of my "go to" books for Southern cooking and after receiving my copy I've given it as a gift several times.Highly recommended.

"southern cooking "is a metaphor .
I cannot find fault with this fine effort. Southern Cooking is solid, but illusive, unless you have lived in the south...this book is a real pleasure to read and to follow should one be so inclined. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Great for entertaining
Southern Living always has impressive recipes, I gave this as a gift and got rave reviews!

Musy have cookbook
Southern Living Cookbooks replaced my BC and BHG cookbooks. It it user friendly and more basic info and trade-offs.I should have bought this years ago, but relied on my Southern Living Magazine for new recipes.

repeat
It's good, just a lot of the same. And not as many photos of the dishes as I like to see.

Great Recipe Book
It's a great recipe book. I have a much older Southern Living cookbook, but this one defenitly is a great book, I gave it as a gift to a family member. I still will forever want mine. I wish they still made the exact one, but yeah it's a good book. Worth the money. Just be careful with the spiral bound not to rip the pages off.

cookbook
Southern Living America Best Home Cooking Book is a great book. There is so many great recipes that are so easy to fix,and are really good. The first recipe I tried was the Brownie Cookie and they are really delicious. ... Read more

Product Description

"Joe's book makes my mouth water for Southern food and my heart hunger for Southern stories. Not since the Foxfire series has something out of the Appalachian experience thrilled me as much."
-Pat Conroy, New York Times bestselling author of South of Broad

Customer Reviews (16)

Wonderful history of Appalachian culture!
I really love this book! It combines my favorite subject ( Southern comfort food ) with a charming and incredibly interesting history of Southern Appalachia and it's people. The photographs and quotes make the book even more meaningful, and even though some of the recipes aren't really "do-able" nowadays due to requiring ingredients that are difficult to find or even not things most people normally eat today ( squirrel, groundhog, sorghum, to name a few ), the book still holds some gem recipes mixed in with oddities, humor, and the rich folklore! If one wants to learn how the pioneers "put up" foods of all types; the best ways to can, freeze, dry, pickle, or cure almost any food in order to keep it seemingly indefinately, this book has several chapters with complete information and great pictures as to how it was done over the years of homesteading by the many different cultures who immigrated to America. Being of Native American heritage myself, mingled with Scots-Irish, I found the book to be a precious history of my own people and their struggle for survival. Although not cheap, this book is well worth the Amazon price, not just for the recipes, history, and food related information of the times, but for all the wonderful stories and photographs it includes.

A great read...
I wonderful book for the ones who can or want to remember them "good ol' days" and to learn just how Grandma made them biscuits and how Grandpa cooked that possum.I have bought an extra book to give to a friend.

Great Book and wonderful recipes!
I grew up as an child in the Applachian hills of North Georgia and had heard of this book from a cousin.I borrowed her copy and related to so many things that were talked about in this book.I remembered a lot of the recipes that my Mother had cooked that were explained in detail.I liked the book so much that I ordered copies for all my siblings.I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the people that came here from Ireland, Germany, Scottland, or England. I would also reccomend it to anyone interested in how our people survived when they first came to this country.Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread, and Scuppernong Wine: The Folklore and Art of Appalachian Cooking (10th Anniversary Edition)

Exceptional Book!
Header says it all. If you have an interest in the life of an earlier time, this book will paint a picture you'll enjoy again and again.

Scuppernong fun!
This is the most amazing cook book ever! It takes you to the Appelatian mind set and teaches you, step by step how they do things and why.It moves you from history to recipes in a seamless way.You will love this book if you love the history behind the cooking, and then want to cook the things you just learned about.Awesome! ... Read more

Product Description
Before she attended the prestigious French cooking school École de Cuisine La Varenne, Virginia Willis had been shelling butterbeans alongside her mother and grandmother in her Georgia family kitchen ever since she could stand on a stool. These divergent influences inform her passionate homage to the cooking of the South. From simple starters and slaws to generous entrées and desserts, Willis makes down-home cooking refined and haute cuisine friendly, with recipes like Vidalia Onion Soup with Bacon Flan, Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Mama's Barbecue Sauce, and Hot Vanilla Soufflés with Vanilla Ice Cream. Brimming with stories, tips, techniques, and gorgeous photographs, BON APPÉTIT, Y'ALL seamlessly blends Willis's Southern and French roots into a memorable and thoroughly modern cookbook. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (73)

OOPS for jaybees-books
The book arrived in a timely manner and I was surprised to see it was a "library edition".OOPS!...there are pages missing.Pages 215, 216, 217, 218--so far.The condition was said to be "Used - Good"Maybe I didn't understand what that meant.Maybe the seller, jaybees-books, didn't know pages were missing.I'm disappointed since I've ordered other "used" books and never found deficiencies.Guess we all LIVE AND LEARN!What do you think Amazon?

What happens when you meet French technique with the South
I love this cookbook.The philosophy of French and the American south sound odd,
but it's a match made in heaven!Helen Corbitt would be proud!

Suprisingly this book is not all about butter, which I was initially a little worried about, because
when I think French and Southern....

She has some great classic recent-ish trend recipes such as Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts, Walnut Oil
and goat cheese, along with some future trends like different types of grits, purees and slaws.

I did try to make the barbeque sauce, and it was a disaster.I tried using all organic ingredients,
including organic apple cider vinegar and I think sometimes organic doesn't work.This was
one recipe that used a LOT of butter.The organic apple cider vinegar was too tangy for the sauce,
and I think there was a mistake with the amount of butter.That being said, I've heard barbeque
sauce is quite difficult to make...

All in all, love this book and it is my go to book as a gift for friends.

Comfort food to elegant dishes with Southern charm
Great cook book with involved recipes for dishes that satisfy that need for comfort food, while meeting the desire of a little more complicated palate.The recipes are well written for the beginner cook, and the stories behind each one make it personal; like cooking should be.I had the privilege of meeting the cook on a plane ride to Atlanta and purchased the book after a short conversation, it exceeded my expectations. Bon Appetit, Y'all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking

Irresistible Creole Southern Combo
Before purchasing this book, I flipped through the available preview and checked my local library for a copy. After checking it out from the library, I found that I was interested in trying over half the recipes. Since I liked it that much, I bought it. Written by a mom and grandma taught, as well as, French trained chef, and previous kitchen manager for Martha Stewart the book has a lot to offer. She includes recipes as her mom or grandma prepared them and other recipes with her own twist. The book spans from appetizers to desserts including variants on some classic southern and creole dishes. The book is also more than just recipes. Included are notes from methods used by her grandma and mother, as well as special background notes on the dishes.

A Real Treasure
This is the absolute best cookbook I have read in years.The stories are charming and the recipes are easy to follow without long lists of hard to get ingredients.A good solid cookbook for those who have graduated from the early ranks of cooking and want to prepare something with a little more depth guaranteed to turn out well and be well received by family and company.You won't be disappointed in this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook Bigger, better, expanded, enhanced, and a just whole lot more of the reliable, authentic dishes readers expect from Southern Living. This all-inclusive and completely revised edition packs in more than 1,250 recipes in its 512 pages, all tested for prep times, health-consciousness, convenience, and, of course, exceptional taste. Longtime fans of Southern Living as well as novice cooks will love the comprehensive "Kitchen Basics" chapter and abundance of enticing photographs.Features

More than 1,250 recipes, 75% all new, with a greater emphasis on authentic Southern cuisine—divided into 18 basic food chapters

24 expanded dictionaries—including chocolate, wine, fish, and more

Easy-to-find, easy-to-use recipe banners help locate favorites in a flash

Each recipe includes complete nutritional estimates and detailed preparation time ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

the all new southern living ultimate cookbook
another winner from southern living.this one is as good as the first ultimate cookbook.

Great cookbook
This Southern Living Cookbook is a great wedding gift for newly married couples that do not have much experience cooking.It contains a lot of good basic information, solid recipes, and then some more challenging ones for later on.Big fan of this cookbook!

Wonderful and accessible
This is the ultimate cookbook and includes all the basics as well as some fancier recipes for special occasions. There is an extensive section on spices, cuts of meat and cooking techniques that is helpful even if you aren't a novice cook. I bought this book a few years ago, and it remains a favorite. Everything I've made has turned out great particularly the pizza dough and bread recipes. I've always been kind of intimidated by the idea of making bread, but these recipes are simple and easy to follow. And I really like that they included a section on meatless meals because that's something that I'd like to incorporate into my meal planning. Southern Living never disappoints.

Great Book - Better Food
I have been trying recipes from the Southern Living magazine so decided to try this cook book.....bought it from Southern Living and shared it with a friend who owns a deli.He liked the book so much that he wanted one for himself.I ordered another copy from Amazon, and it was less expensive than from Southern Living directly.

Recipes are so easy to follow and the food is great.One of the best cookbooks I have even gotten and I mostly love the back of the book where it has 'substitutions' for ingredients.......

LOVE this book!!
I bought this cookbook for a friend's engagement party. She knows nothing about cooking!! This will be perfect for her! It even has a section in the beginning on organizing your kitchen and what tools you will need! How awesome is that? The recipes are all classic southern living style...scrumptious! There is a 2 page menu planner in the back! Wish I had this when I first got married! I'm sure my husband did too! I would definately recommend this to anyone from beginner to experienced! ... Read more

Product Description
The best of Southern comfort foods, from the leading authority on Southern cuisine. Features over 400 authentic, homestyle recipes from community cookbooks across the South, everything from picnics to canning produce. Over 100 sumptuous photographs, easy-to-use directions, plus the assurance that Southern Livings staff kitchen-tested each recipe, make Southern Living Homestyle Cooking a must-have for cooks of all skill levels. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Great Book
This book has great recipes. I bought it because a friend had it. Two other friends also bought it. Book was in very good condition.

Most used cookbook in my house
Out of two packed shelves of cookbooks, this gets used the most for good, everyday, simple cooking.I have used about two dozen recipes out of this so far, and only disliked one.Some of the recipes are now my favorites, and get used 2-3 times a month.Great go-to cookbook for a novice or veteran cook!

LOVE SOUTHERN LIVING HOMESTYLE COOKING
I originally checked this book out of my local library and made so many recipes out of it within a week that I knew I had to buy it.I love the Burbon Brownies, sloppy joes, pecan shortbread and Love Love Love the Sweet Potato biscuits!All the recipes are easy & fun to make.This book is a must have for anyone who likes to cook!

Wonderful Cookbook Addition
I really love this cookbook.It is filled with lots of great dishes from really simple to really elegant, but nothing that is overly difficult to prepare like some cookbooks.Highly recommend it to anyone.

Awesome Cookbook!
My wife had previously purchased this from a cookbook club, so we decided to buy a couple for Christmas gifts.I think it's out of print, so it's hard to find.She's fixed a lot of dishes out of it and they've all been great!Nice photos and recipes with tips and information.I think it's her favorite cookbook. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent, If a little whimsical.
The is a wonderful cookbook.It is a new focus on Southern traditional cooking.It will not replace my treasured Charleston Receipts and my many other traditional southern cookbooks, but it is refreshing.

Fun to Read, Horrible Binding
In what universe did someone think it was a good idea to bind cookbook pages in an open-toothed wire spiral and then fasten the pages to their hardboard backing by slipping the open teeth through flimsy cardboard slots?Every time you try to pick this book up, the two part company.A-r-r-r-g-g-h-h !(NOTE: See update below.)If they COULD pick it up, collectors of Southern cookbooks would find a lot of little bits to like.There's a delightful foreword by Alton Brown and preface by co-editor John T. Edge, and there are witty little introductions to each section and to each recipe by people who obviously love their subject.For example, "But there's a sad side to gravy.The terrible thing about gravy is it's so hard to get all of it."The chapter on Rice is subtitled "Limpin', Hoppin', and Every Which Way."Then there's an odd little two-page spread on "How to Build a Bacon Forest."Like the gravy, though, there's a sad side to this book.Much of the material feels like some kind of inside joke that tickled the compilers but would puzzle non-Southerners (like the recipe called "Sopping Chocolate a.k.a. Chocolate Gravy" -- if you weren't raised "sopping" biscuits).It's a light-hearted overview of Regional recipes, but it certainly won't replace all your favorite food-stained community cookbooks.A pleasure to read but not to cook from, don't buy it unless they re-issue it with a different binding.
Update 2010-10-25I checked a copy in the local bookstore, and not all of these bindings fall apart.I'm returning my original copy for a replacement; maybe it was the ONLY one with a defective binding.
... Read more

Product Description
Southern cuisine has a tradition and a charm all its own, with specialties as varied as the South itself. This collection of over 450 new, traditional and secret family recipes covers everything from hors d'oeuvres and punches to pies and preserves, all with a Southern flair. Smoked Oyster and Corn Casserole, Crab Meat and Bacon Rolls, spicy Shrimp Jambalaya, Southern Fried Chicken, Baked Ham with Sweet Potatoes, and the preferred way to prepare a Southern Mint Julep are all included, as well as the baked favorites: Hush Puppies, Corn Bread, Lane Cake and Pecan Pie. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Art of Southern Cooking
My wife has the original paperback edition of this cookbook and has almost worn it out over the last twenty plus years. I bought her the hardback edition for her birthday,she loves it!

A classic cookbook
I have had a tattered copy of this cookbook in my kitchen for as long as I can remember.I stole it from my mom when I was young, so I bought her this one recently to replace it.I ADORE this cookbook.For anyone who is a fan of southern cooking it is a must buy.My favorite recipe is the banana nut bread, but the entire book is filled with gems and it has become a favorite in my kitchen.I was just happy to replace it in my mother's kitchen since I absconded with hers. ... Read more

Product Description
Sure to become a must-have addition to the kitchen bookshelves of Southern Living cooking aficionados nationwide, the Southern Living Homestyle Cookbook combines fresh new comfort foods with the traditional, old-fashioned recipes we've come to know and expect from Southern Living.

Four hundred hand-picked recipes are included, all kitchen tested and tried-and-true favorites of home cooks from Southern Living magazine readers, plus the best dishes from over 4,000 community cookbooks.

The Southern Living Homestyle Cookbook highlights favorite down-home and delicious recipes from across the South, with a special section describing distinctly Southern flavors, such as Chesapeake Bay, the Low Country, Cajun and Creole, and the Heart of Dixie.

Features:

Product Description
Damon Lee Fowler's critically acclaimed and award-nominated celebration of classic Southern cooking returns to print in a fully revised and updated edition. Hailed as a bible of Southern foodways and a major contribution to the literature of American culture, this compendium of more than two hundred traditional recipes broke new ground in food writing. Rooted in meticulous scholarship, a passion for good cooking, and a deep love for the unique culture of the South, Classical Southern Cooking presents the history and substance of this cuisine in a uniquely casual and anecdotal way that has earned it a reputation as a modern classic.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great book, but...
This is a terrific cookbook that has been out of print for some time.Not only is it full of wonderful recipes, but it presents a bit of history too.One problem though: Amazon is listing this as a hardcover-it's not.They seem to be the only ones making this mistake and it needs correcting. ... Read more

Product Description
In this paperback edition of a classic cookbook, one of the South's foremost cooking authorities assembles more than 150 down-home dishes inspired by the gracious traditions, regional cooking techniques, and mouthwatering ingredients of her Southern heritage.

From Hearty Chicken and Ham Gumbo to Kentucky Spiced Beef, from Old-Fashioned Greens with Bacon to New Orleans Praline Ice Cream, the recipes in this lusciously illustrated, easy-to-use cookbook are rich with nostalgia and inspired by their blend of hearty Southern flavors and textures. Appetizers, soups, salads, meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, breads, grains, desserts—they are all here in abundance, and they all add up to beautifully orchestrated meals any cook would be proud to serve. The rich photographs, specially commissioned for this volume—and helpful sidebars, covering such subjects as how to shuck an oyster and how to roast a chicken to perfection— assure success to cooks at every level. It's a true "cook's tour" of the American South, guided by the deft hand of a master cook and entertainer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Best biscuit recipe in the world.
I had the good fortune to come across the original edition in a thrift shop for two dollars. Camille Glenn was a genius before her time. The recipes are attended by her wonderful stories,and her advice to 'use local,fresh ingredients in season'came generations before the slow food movement. I love this book. You won't be sorry you tried this out. She was a gifted writer and cooking teacher and so she explains how to make each dish,and gives a little history behind most of them.

Great old cookbook
My mother has one of these and on a recent visit I furiously copied recipe after recipe. Then I found a copy on Amazon and ordered this wonderful book. For those of you who cook, you know that your favorite recipes are stained and pages worn, etc. Whomever owned this book before was not a cook because there is no sign that it was ever used. The condition was impeccable except for a very small tear on the cover. This book is a compendium of old Southern recipes and from an old Southerner, it is excellent. The purchase process was easy, the cost was low, and shipping went without a hitch.

Every recipe a winner
I am 53 and a serious cook.I subscribe to Gourmet and troll Epicurious buttime and again come back to this gem.I have to agree with the other reviewers who wrote that all of the recipes in this book are amazing. The only other cookbook that comes close is Lee Bailey's Southern Food. You won't be sorry if you purchase this book.

Severely abridged edition with many favorite recipes missing from the original work
I wish I had read the critical one-star review "Deception Through Omission" before ordering this severely abridged edition. So many of my favorite Camille Glenn recipes are missing in this adaptation: Roast Teal (duck)with Wild Rice Stuffing, Grits Souffle, South Carolina Country Jam Cake, and the wonderful Moravian Ginger Thins that have become a treasured Christmas tradition in my family during the last two decades. Very disappointing!

I blindly bought this 252 pp. heavily illustrated edition thinking it would be a hardback replacement for the two soft cover copies of the original 470 pp. Heritage of Southern Cooking that I've already worn out. I guess the copy of Heritage of Southern Cooking that I ordered back in the 1980s from the Quality Paperback Book Club is the only true original.

Still, this abridged edition is a handsome cookbook with many important Camille Glenn recipes that could also double as coffee-table decoration. It should please many cooks who want to explore Southern cooking. I will gift the copy I bought to somebody who is not familiar with the original canonical work.

As for me, I will continue my quest to acquire a second replacement copy of the original 1986 paperback (sigh).

The best of all Southern cookbooks
I have the original edition of this book.Every recipe I've ever made from it is divine.Try the Sour Cream Poundcake; it truly is the best I've ever tasted, and I have tried thousands.My husband's family is from Kentucky, and these recipes are true Kentucky heirloom cuisine.Try the Hot Brown -- a casserole of thick slices of toasted bread topped with sliced turkey breast and tomatoes, the whole gloriously covered with a cheddar cheese sauce and baked till the sauce is browned on top.It's a dish so good you'll bless those dried-out Thanksgiving turkey breast leftovers! ... Read more

Product Description
Southern Living’s devoted readers love great cooking, so when over 300,000 of them test, taste, and rate their favorite recipes online, you can bet the results are fabulous! The 400 winning recipes cover every cooking need imaginable, and each is accompanied by reader reviews from the AOL Food Website.

Key Features:* First-ever collection of Southern Living reader-rated favorites* Over 400 5-star recipes, including the Top 10 all-time winners* Double tested by Southern Living Test Kitchens and home cooks ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Couldn't live without it!
I only ever use Southern Living recipes when I cook.I have total confidence in their recipes and have had multiple dinner parties where I made a meal I have never made before and I have never been let down.This book comes with comments from others that offer suggestions to let you know what was kid friendly and what they may have tweaked in the recipe and I find those very helpful as well.

Favorite cookbook
I purchased this cook book about two years ago, and I use it more than any of the other cook books that I have.I've used several of the recipes and have never been dissatisfied.

Souther Living Reader's Top Rated Recipes
I received this book as a birthday present, and my mother (who collects cookbooks) liked it so well that I got it for her for Mother's Day.I've made several of the recipes, and they have all been really, really good.It has become my "go-to" cookbook--I highly recommend it!

Excellent!!
This is one of my favorite cookbooks to pull off the shelf and use.I have cooked so many meals from this book that my friends all went out and bought the book.This book is great for those that love to cook.Since everyone loves it so much I have even given it as gifts.

I recommend Our Readers Top-Rated recipes
I have been using this book for over a year. The copy I bought on Amazon was a gift for my mom. It has a combination of classic Southern favorites and newer updated recipes. Many of the classics are the exact same recipes published in The Southern Living Cookbook (1985) and The All New Ultimate Southern Living cookbook (1999).

Every recipe has at least one Cooks Chat blurb saying how good the recipe is, and sometimes a new variation that makes it even better or a preparation tip. The recipes are easy and several use convenience items such as mixes, frozen pie crusts, refrigerated dough, canned and bottled items, and pre-packaged produce. ... Read more

Product Description
Southern cooking, the most interesting and complex regional cuisine in America, remains a mystery to many professional cooks and southerners. With a stellar collection of recipes, Neal reveals the background and subtleties of southern foods. He uses imaginative new ways with old standards to make the recipes more accessible, but he never resorts to shortcuts or processed ingredients. He also shows how the meeting of Native American, Western European, and African cultures has created this cuisine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Classic Southern Cooking
Old school - no pictures or low fat/low carb blandness, only strongly flavored hi-cal classics. There's also a nice narrative with each recipe giving context and meaning to a lot of the recipes. In general, a good book.

Wonderful Southern Recipes
If you are looking for some of your grandmother's favorite recipes...this is where you will find them!

shrimp and grits
Bill Neal's Southern Cooking is a great cookbook for Southern foods. These are recipes to make in a cast iron skillet, not a microwave. The recipe for shrimp and grits, the signature dish at the late author's restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC, is itself worth the cover price. Somewhat like Carol Field's "Italian Baker," this book offers some insight into the history of the recipes but is not full of fluffy digressions. My copy is dog-eared and bears a few sauce stains after years of use. It is nicely organized into sections such as soups, breads, rice, vegetables, fish and shellfish, meats and desserts. Besides shrimp and grits, I'm very fond of the recipes for chess pie and Sally Lunn bread. Like THE JOY OF COOKING, this book offers precise directions on the finer points of cooking that make a difference between a good dish and a great one. Highly recommended.

The Sine Qua Non of Southern Cooking
No sense going into a long, elaborate and flowery review of this well-educated, native southern boy's book. If you're really interested in doing authentic, down-home southern cooking -- not the Yankeefied stuff some try to foist off as southern food -- then just buy this book.

Trust me, I know real southern cooking when I taste it: My mother learned to cook from my grandmother, who was born and grew up in Kentucky. I grew up on their cooking, but didn't have sense enough to record the recipes. Wasted a small fortune on wantabe southern cookbooks. Then I found this book, cooked a bunch of the recipes and they were exactly like back home at my mother's and grandmother's tables.

Just buy Bill's book. The price is right. You'll never regret it.

Southerners Rejoice!
My husband and I have had this cookbook for several years, and given many copies of it as gifts.Bill Neal hasn't simply listed recipes, he has written a historical summary of many traditional southern foods.All are interesting, and most shed light on how certain recipes came into being.

That said, the 150+ recipes themselves are terrific!Our favorites are Herb Crust Pork Loin with Onion Gravy (much requested by frequent visitors!) and the famous Shrimp and Grits, Crook's Corner Style...Crook's Corner was Bill Neal's restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC.Living ten minutes from it means we have been able to enjoy the "original" Shrimp and Grits, which is unique and outstanding.Neal claims the restaurant serves that dish 10,000 times each year!Fortunately, the recipe is fairly easy to make at home as well, and just as tasty.

The book includes such southern basics as spoonbread, Brunswick Stew, gumbo, peanut soup, crab cakes, and fried chicken.Most of the recipes are not complicated, but some do require effort and time.Devoted cooks will recognize that the results are well worth the effort!Some of the recipes are quite simple, however, like the Raspberry Fool... with divine results!Neal is quite detailed in his instructions, so they are not hard to follow, as well as including some serving suggestions and recommended equipment.

There are no photographs in this cookbook, but they are not needed.(This from a die-hard "all my cookbooks must have color photos" fanatic!:)Bill Neal paints a complete picture of what the dish should be.Your imagination and taste buds will do the rest.

Happy Eating! ... Read more