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Paul and Angela Knipple's culinary tour of the contemporary American South celebrates the flourishing of global food traditions "down home." Drawing on their firsthand interviews and reportage from Richmond to Mobile and enriched by a cornucopia of photographs and original recipes, the Knipples present engaging, poignant profiles of a host of first-generation immigrants from all over the world who are cooking their way through life as professional chefs, food entrepreneurs and restaurateurs, and home cooks.
Beginning the tour with an appreciation of the South's foundational food traditions—including Native American, Creole, African American, and Cajun—the Knipples tell the fascinating stories of more than forty immigrants who now call the South home. Not only do their stories trace the continuing evolution of southern foodways, they also show how food is central to the immigrant experience. For these skillful, hardworking immigrants, food provides the means for both connecting with the American dream and maintaining cherished ethnic traditions. Try Father Vien's Vietnamese-style pickled mustard greens, Don Felix's pork ribs, Elizabeth Kizito's Ugandan-style plantains in peanut sauce, or Uli Bennevitz's creamy beer soup and taste the world without stepping north of the Mason-Dixon line.
"A "Southern" cookbook like you have never seen before, but one that is absolutely, authentically Southern just the same."
-Quarter Moon at Topsail blog
"The book is not just a cookbook. It's a portrait of the New South."
-Winston-Salem Journal
"So much more than a cookbook, this is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the constantly evolving culinary landscape in the most complex and compelling food regions in the world."
-Al Dente Blog
"Even more important than its ability to demystify kimchi or tuna tartare, what The World in a Skillet does is bring into focus the dozens of little restaurants, food carts and cafes you no doubt pass every day on your way to the Cracker Barrel."
-Biblio Buffet
"A marvelous collection of portraits and stories from the field. Paul and Angela Knipple show that change is in the wind and that the South in particular seems to be welcoming and incorporating these new ways into its old menus."—John Egerton, author of Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History
"Let fastidious foodies whine that American food isn't what it used to be. Paul and Angela Knipple celebrate the delicious truth that the fare of our nation—in this case, the South—indeed is always changing and incalculably enriched by new dishes brought by immigrants from around the world."—Jane and Michael Stern, Roadfood.com
"Through engaging stories and meticulous documentation, the Knipples prove that Southern food is a melting pot unto itself, a unique and exciting food culture spiked with influences that extend far beyond the Mason-Dixon line and incorporate the best flavors from around the world."—Kelly Alexander, James Beard Journalism Award-winning food writer and author of Hometown Appetites: The Story of Clementine Paddleford, the Forgotten Food Writer Who Chronicled How America Ate
The World in a Skillet is an important book. Southern cooking is often viewed through the rear-view mirror of nostalgia. Here Angela and Paul literally take a look straight out the windshield to see where our regional cooking is heading. And it is exciting! From a Bosnian refugee's Kentucky kitchen to an Ethiopian in Memphis's advice on sopping up gravy, this book opened my eyes. I learned more about the world and how wonderful sharing recipes can be and to slow down when a restaurant in a strip-mall catches my eye. Beyond the stories these new Americans kindly share there is also a tremendous amount of information on ingredients, techniques, and global utensils. The Kitchen Passports throughout the book ease the way for these authentic recipes to find a way to my own kitchen. This book is a loving visit told in the new accents of the South. A whole world of flavor is just right down the road a piece- and thanks to the Knipples I'm inspired to take a kitchen trip!—Martha Hall Foose, 2009 Winner James Beard Award for American Cooking and author of A Southerly Course Recipes and Stories From Close to Home
Foreword John T. Edge ix
Preface: We Are All from Somewhere Else xi
Introduction: Keepers of the Flame 1
Part I Seeking The American Dream
1 Mexico: Up by the Bootstraps 17
2 Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic: Refugees, Politics, and the Plate 35
3 Kurds: A People without a Country 59
Part II Living the American Dream
4 Central and South America: Family 75
5 Vietnam: Community 102
6 Bosnia: Extended Community 118
7 The Indian Subcontinent: Feeding the Technology Boom 133
8 Japan and South Korea: Blue Collars and Bluefin 153
Part III Bringing Tradition to the Table
9 China: The Secret Menu 173
10 Kosher and Halal: Keeping the Faith in the Land of Pork 192
11 Europe: Haute Cuisine and Double Standards? 213
12 Africa: Returning from Gumbo to N'gombo 236
Afterword 253
Suggested Reading 255
Acknowledgments 257
Index of Recipes 259
General Index 261
Overview
Paul and Angela Knipple's culinary tour of the contemporary American South celebrates the flourishing of global food traditions "down home." Drawing on their firsthand interviews and reportage from Richmond to Mobile and enriched by a cornucopia of photographs and original recipes, the Knipples present engaging, poignant profiles of a host of first-generation immigrants from all over the world who are cooking their way through life as professional chefs, food entrepreneurs and ...