Essentials of Southern Cooking: Techniques and Flavors of a Classic American Cuisine

by Damon Lee Fowler

Overview

An authentic collection of recipes celebrating Southern traditions.

Southern cooking as most people think of it doesn’t exist. After all, there are as many ways to make real corn bread, gumbo or fried chicken as there are cooks. Instead of dwelling on conventional notions of authenticity, Essentials of Southern Cooking honors the spirit, the history, the people, and the taste of the classic Southern table by focusing on the essence of great Southern food and combining traditional ingredients in fresh ways. In this tempting collection of over 250 recipes, author Damon Lee Fowler balances the enduring appeal of rural Southern flavors with the modern sensibilities of today’s cook. It’s an engaging and informative look at the heritage of Southern cuisine.

Sampling of recipes:

Creamy Chicken Pot Pies

Sweet Potato Cobbler

Scalloped Oysters

Lowcountry Crab au Gratin

Baked Vidalia Sweet Onions with Ham

Bourbon-Grilled Flank Steak

Shrimp Étouffée

Pecan-Crusted Cat Fish

Butter-Bean and Okra Ragout

Old-Fashioned Southern Shortcake

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493004003
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	12/17/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	432
File size:	47 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Damon Lee Fowler is a culinary historian, food writer, and the author of a number of cookbooks, including Classical Southern Cooking, Fried Chicken: The World’s Best Recipes, Damon Lee Fowler’sNew Southern Kitchen, New Southern Baking, and The Savannah Cookbook. His work has appeared in a number of national publications, including Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, and Relish. He lives, eats, and writes in Savannah, Georgia, where he is the featured food writer for The Savannah Morning News

Table of Contents

Preface vi

Introduction: A Southern Kitchen 1

A Southern Pantry 7

1 To Begin With 37

2 Eggs: For Breakfast, Before, and Between 59

3 Grits and Rice 69

4 The Southern Soup Kettle 83

5 Fish and Shellfish 107

6 Beef, Veal, Lamb, and Pork 131

7 Chicken and Other Poultry 159

8 Vegetables 183

9 Of Leaves and Leftovers 229

10 The Southern Bread Basket 251

11 Cakes, Cookies, and Pastries 309

12 The Southern Dessert Table 389

Acknowledgments 413

Resources 415

Index 416

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Damon Fowler’s mastery of Southern cooking shines through this book. It feels like Damon is standing patiently by, guiding, giving a bit of kitchen wisdom, then tossing in a fact no one else knows—such as the first recipe for pimiento cheese or something about Thomas Jefferson—while telling a story that captivates. His voice is unique, his teaching skills whetted by years of student cooks, and his recipes stand the test of time.”
—Nathalie Dupree, author of Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking and host of cooking shows on PBS, the Food Network, and TLC

“No one knows more about Southern cooking, its origin, its evolution, and its place among world cuisines than Damon Lee Fowler. Essentials of Southern Cooking puts Damon’s wisdom, grace, and passion for all things Southern between two covers. And that includes the most tantalizing, lusciously photographed collection of recipes to come my way in ages.” 
—Jean Anderson, James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame author of A Love Affair with Southern Cooking and From a Southern Oven

“Gorgeously produced and exquisitely written, Damon Lee Fowler’s book expertly captures time-honored recipes that have been passed from generation to generation, as well as illuminates the newer influences of the Southern kitchen.”
—Virginia Willis, author of Bon Appétit, Y’all!, former kitchen director for Martha Stewart Living Television, and executive producer of The Discovery Channel’s Epicurious

“[Damon Lee Fowler’s] simple yet elegant recipes, entertaining and insightful headnotes, and excellent sense of place and history make all of his books culinary stand-outs. This new and fully updated combination of two earlier books will bring twice as much delicious South to your mouth.”
—Cheryl Alters Jamison and the late Bill Jamison, four-time James Beard Award–winning authors of The Rancho de Chimayó Cookbook, American Home Cooking, Smoke & Spice, and many other cookbooks

“Bravo to Damon for bringing the classics of Southern cooking to today’s modern cook. All the essentials are here, with a delicious nod to new tastes like Asparagus Shortcake and Peach-Orange Marmalade. It’s a love letter to the foods I crave.”
—Cynthia Graubart, author and James Beard Award winner

Editorial Reviews

"Damon Fowler's mastery of Southern cooking shines through this book. It feels like Damon is standing patiently by, guiding, giving a bit of kitchen wisdom, then tossing in a fact no one else knows––such as the first recipe for Pimento Cheese or something about Thomas Jefferson––while telling a story that captivates. His voice is unique, his teaching skills whetted by years of student cooks, and his recipes stand the test of time."––Nathalie Dupree, author of Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking and host of cooking shows on PBS, the Food Network, and TLC "Whenever I want to know something about Southern food, to find a particular recipe and trace its origin, Damon Lee Fowler is the one I call. No one knows more about Southern cooking, its origin, its evolution, and its place among world cuisines than Damon. His recipes, always carefully tested, work––increasingly rare these days. Essentials of Southern Cooking puts Damon's wisdom, grace, and passion for all things Southern between two covers. And that includes the most tantalizing, lusciously photographed collection of recipes to come my way in ages. I can't wait to begin cooking my way through Essentials. It belongs in every kitchen—front and center." —Jean Anderson, James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame author of A Love Affair with Southern Cooking and From a Southern Oven "Essentials of Southern Cooking reveals a South filled with fresh meat and fish, heirloom vegetables, and pots simmering with soothing spoonfuls of grits and rice. Gorgeously produced and exquisitely written, Damon Lee Fowler's book expertly captures time-honored recipes that have been passed from generation to generation, as well as illuminates the newer influences of the Southern kitchen, proudly demonstrating that Southern cooking is a vibrant, living cuisine. The writing is witty, yet knowledgeable, historical, yet helpful. As you cook you will find Damon, as I do, a friend at your side. It's a delicious book one could gleefully enjoy snuggled up in a cozy chair for an afternoon of reading––but with so many incredible recipes, I honestly doubt I would be able stay out of the kitchen."—Virginia Willis, author of Bon Appétit, Y'all!, former kitchen director for Martha Stewart Living Television, and executive producer of The Discovery Channel's Epicurious "From the time Damon Lee Fowler began writing about Southern food, we have been avid fans of his work. His simple yet elegant recipes, entertaining and insightful headnotes, and excellent sense of place and history, make all of his books culinary stand-outs. This new and fully updated combination of two earlier books will bring twice as much delicious South to your mouth."––Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison, 4-time James Beard Award-winning authors of The Rancho de Chimayo Cookbook, American Home Cooking, Smoke & Spice, and many other cookbooks "Bravo to Damon for bringing the classics of Southern Cooking to today's modern cook. All the essentials are here, with a delicious nod to new tastes like Asparagus Shortcake and Peach-Orange Marmalade. It's a love letter to the foods I crave."––Cynthia Graubart, James Beard Award winner

From the Publisher