southern cookbook recommendations?

I just got back to NYC from a trip to Charleston and Savannah, and I'd love to get some good books on the cooking of the Deep South. Does anyone have any recommendations? I'm looking for old-fashioned (boiled peanuts, pimento cheese) but I wouldn't mind some more modern recipes as well, and anything with good appetizer and vegetable sides would be especially appreciated.

Thanks so much!

Posted by: lorimer82
May 18, 2014

2859 views
15 Comments

15 Comments

mamariz May 31, 2014

No question -- get a copy of Charleston Receipts. Classic Junior League cookbook -- real Southern cooking.

Shuna L. May 28, 2014

Shuck beans, Stack Cakes, and Honest Fried Chicken by Ronni Lundy. Great stories, photos, methods by legendary southern musicians. I bought this book 20+ years ago and it's still resonant in the baking I do today.

SBMCW May 28, 2014

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/23/southern-food-books_n_5373164.html?utm_hp_ref=taste&ir=Taste

FYI

plainhomecook May 20, 2014

I like "Seasoned in the South," from the chef at Crook's Corner in Carrboro, NC. http://www.crookscorner.com/smith.htm

SoupLady May 19, 2014

I second Edna Lewis & Scott Peacock's 'Gift of Southern Cooking' - it's truly a wonderful book. I would also add Bill Neal's 'Southern Cooking' and the Lee Brothers Charleston Cookbook. If you want to go old-school - Mrs. Dull's Southern Cooking and Charleston Receipts.

ChefJune May 19, 2014

any book by Edna Lewis is a treasure! also any book by Nathalie Dupree. And check out "Bon Appetit, Y'All" by Virginia Willis.

petitbleu May 19, 2014

Anything by Edna Lewis (she's the real deal). I also love the Lee Brothers (they just came out with a really nice-looking book on Charleston cuisine). Don't rule out the paperback junior league or church cookbooks, though. Often, those cheap and ragged spiral-bound things are great representations of regional cooking (although you often have to sift through the condensed soup non-recipes to get to the good ones). Try looking at Bonnie Slotnick's for some of those.

SBMCW May 19, 2014

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edna_Lewis

This is a good resource for Southern cooking.

Patti I. May 19, 2014

I would recommend the fun book "Being Dead is No Excuse: The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral" which has great recipes for Pimento Cheese!

mainecook61 May 18, 2014

The Art of Southern Cooking (Lewis and Peacock) is a wonderful book; I second those recommenders. My copy is all marked up.

Sam1148 May 18, 2014

Here are two very good ones.
The Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook: http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Fish-Club-Cookbook-Celebration/dp/0762435526

And Frank Sitt's Southern Table: http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Stitts-Southern-Table-Stitt/dp/1579652468/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

Dave O. May 18, 2014

Get yourself a subscription to Southern Living.

sexyLAMBCHOPx May 18, 2014

Check out this blogger and her cookbooks: http://hollyherrick.com/

amysarah May 18, 2014

Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock authored this wonderful book: http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Southern-Cooking-Revelations-American/dp/0375400354/ref=la_B001IGQF5E_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400418990&sr=1-1
Also, Craig Claiborne (raised in the deep South) has an excellent book on Southern cooking - he's not mentioned much around here, but he really was one of the best recipe writers: http://www.amazon.com/Craig-Claibornes-Southern-Cooking-Claiborne/dp/082034334X

pierino May 18, 2014

The Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock collaboration (The Art of Southern Cooking) is indeed something of a milestone. So is Edna Lewis's earlier book, A Taste of Country Cooking.

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