Recipes from the American South
Michael W. Twitty’s masterful cookbook Recipes from the American South includes thoughtful historical considerations on the “collision of cultures” that inform its recipes from a vibrant, distinctive culinary region.
Breads, breakfasts, and biscuits start the book’s myriad of clear, appealing recipes, introduced by tidbits of culinary and personal history. Twitty notes that Southern bakers are praised for their “light touch” and the softness of their baked goods, as with Sally Lunn bread and buttermilk biscuits; other recipes underscore Native American and African influences and use corn, sorghum, and sweet potatoes.
The Southern bounty of vegetables and rice further demonstrates how the foundational cultures of Indigenous people, West and Central Africans, and Europeans led to melded foodways and ingredients, as with beans and greens braised with smoked meats. The creative innovations of later Southern immigrants are seen in recipes for Chorizo Dirty Rice and for Mississippi Collard Greens bathed in oyster sauce, garlic, and ginger. While acknowledging racial prejudice, Native American removal, and rigid gender roles, the book also celebrates how Southern cuisine is a rich multicultural amalgam of “hospitality, resourcefulness … and survival.”
The origins of Limping Susan, Pine Bark Stew, and Chicken Bog are covered, and explanations are given for why certain recipes became staples for gatherings like sip-and-sees and political rallies. Regional variations in techniques and sauces for barbecue are described in mouth-watering detail too.
The Southern sweet tooth and hospitality culture is evident in the bounteous dessert and beverage sections, full of sweet iced drinks, fruit and custard pies, and cakes piled high with icing. Photographs, a helpful glossary, and an impressive bibliography round out this defining culinary history.
An instant classic Southern cookbook, Recipes from the American South explores the historical roots of one region’s culture and food.
Reviewed by
Rachel Jagareski
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
