An Heirloom: A Guest Post by Michael W. Twitty
From pastries to stews to gravy and more, this remarkable cookbook captures the diverse flavors and recipes from across the South. Read on for an exclusive essay from acclaimed historian and author Michael W. Twitty on writing Recipes from the American South.
Hardcover $54.95
Recipes from the American South
Recipes from the American South
In Stock Online
Hardcover $54.95
‘An essential addition to the shelf of Southern cookbooks.’ – Wall Street Journal
A home cook’s guide to one of America’s most diverse – and delicious – cuisines, from James Beard Award-winning author and culinary historian Michael W. Twitty
‘An essential addition to the shelf of Southern cookbooks.’ – Wall Street Journal
A home cook’s guide to one of America’s most diverse – and delicious – cuisines, from James Beard Award-winning author and culinary historian Michael W. Twitty
Originally Emily Takoudes the food editor at Phaidon asked me if I could find an author who would take on a project of this magnitude. I didn’t have much luck. Then I tried to find a writing partner, thinking that would be fun, but no luck.
Emily’s response was pretty simple. “Would you want this project?” I think she already knew I would say yes. But then I remembered, I had the preparation, the work, the years that would make this a chance to overcome another hurdle: I had never done a cookbook so big that had a ton of working parts. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy; but I also knew that traveling the South by road, interviewing and meeting tons of people, sitting, learning, growing were key as well as going to the sources countries in West Africa and Europe and wrestling with my own family history and food story gave me a start that not a lot of people have. I wanted to take all of that, push and challenge myself to create a culinary-literary heirloom that would reflect Southerners of all backgrounds.
Picking the recipes took months and for each one, particularly the longer and more involved recipes, I had to make a lot of editorial choices for example choosing a North Carolina sonker (large cobbler with dip) over the usual peach cobbler or macaroni pie over a version of macaroni and cheese. I wanted recipes that had game, wild foods that were foraged and seasonal produce. This book was never meant to be exhaustive or even exclusionary—it’s an invitation to Southern food in all of its classic forms. The values behind Recipes from the American South are creating an awareness of Southern food’s diversity, seasonality, and to fully elucidate the history and culture behind each food and dish. I really just wanted to nourish my readers in their journey to cook and savor Southern cuisines.
When I was eleven, I resolved to write a big book about the whole South. I told my maternal grandmother that I would do just that. Born in 1925, this makes this year her 100th anniversary so this book, Recipes from the American South is ultimately a gift to her. She taught me about my history, so when I think about the sorghum chicken in cabbage leaves, or the porch lemonade or the Icebox rolls and red rice I think of her. Ultimately that’s how much of the Southern culinary heritage gets shared–family of all kinds establish traditions that last across lifetimes–and that feeling of continuity is something I’m grateful to contribute to with this work.