5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Southern Goodness, from start to finish, December 8, 2009
This review is from: B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style (Hardcover)
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My family is from the South. I fondly remember my grandmother and aunt cooking good old fashioned family dinners that included the best of Southern cuisine when I was a child. As an adult, I thought those days were gone for good. I would find a recipe here and there, but nothing like they made in the past. I always longed for some good old fashioned Southern foods. I knew the basic (and a few not-so-basic) dishes, but nothing like what they used to whip up. I decided to give this book a try. Southern food has traditionally been high in fat and and rich ingredients. I can remember watching my grandmother nonchalantly toss an entire stick of butter or huge scoops of lard into her dishes. The author discusses this topic and reveals that she took traditional Southern dishes and attempted to modernize them by making them healthier and less fattening. She accomplishes this, for the most part. However, there are still plenty of rich dishes for those who want to go all out (cheese grits anyone?)
The dishes themselves offer a nice variety. There are the more exotic: (alligator, turtle soup, poached quail eggs), the less exotic: (chitterlings, chicken livers), and the normal: (grits, cornbread, okra, gumbo, hash, catfish, etc). Recipes are offered for brunch, appetizers, breads and dressings, soups and stews, salads, meats, poultry, seafood, side dishes, sauces and condiments, desserts, and beverages. There is a nice diverse mix of dishes to satisfy every palate. I admit, I haven't tried all of the dishes offered in this book (and doubt I will ever try some, such as the gator), but there are more than enough dishes available that remind me fondly of my roots. The author even throws in welcome little familiar touches that I had grown accustomed to, like tossing a little sugar in the cornbread mixture to make a sweeter bread. Some of my favorite dishes from the book: cheese grits, smothered chicken livers, lobster grits, buttermilk biscuits, cornbread, corn fritters, seafood gumbo, jerk spiced beef tenderloin, marinated fried chicken, chicken fried steak, bacon wrapped scallops, spiced catfish with black eyed pea gravy, southern styled collard greens, and ALL of her desserts! For good measure, a few cocktail mixes are tossed in. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are offered. The recipes are clear and easy to follow. Even inexperienced cooks should have little difficulty preparing them.
The book is hardcover. The pages are mostly standard grade black and white text. There are several b/w pictures throughout and there is a 16-page full color glossy section in the middle that features some of the highlighted recipes. It's not the fanciest cookbook around, but it gets the job done.
What is true "Southern" cooking is a subjective topic. Some consider southern cooking the traditional "soul food" while others consider it a little more exotic like raccoon & gator (One of these I actually ate. Hint, it wasn't the gator). There are several dishes that I ate as a child and considered Southern cuisine that aren't included in the book. There are also some dishes that I'd never heard of prior to reading this book. The main thing I looked for were the staples: greens, cornbread, pork dishes (including chitterlings), fried chicken, grits, black eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, and catfish. All of these are present and plentiful in this book, along with many more. Mrs. Smith starts with brunch and ends with a nightcap. Regardless of whether you have your own particular feelings about what is or isn't Southern cooking, you are sure to find some cherished favorites in this book, from beginning to end.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Root Beer Pulled Pork, Cornbread, and Pecan-Coconut Cupcakes., December 14, 2009
This review is from: B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
The book is fun to page through, and has a nice mix of recipes, some challenging, others easy to make. I made the root beer pulled pork, and it was really excellent. The cupcakes and cornbread were good accompaniement, with a simple salad. An easy Saturday night meal. I know that this food is southern, with greens, catfish, and easy comfort foods, but it is the kind of food that goes well with cold beer and comfortable friends, flavor with a certain style and charm. I buy about ten cook books per year and keep three of the ten, and this one stays.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Southern cooking cooking gets an update, December 2, 2009
This review is from: B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style (Hardcover)
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Southern cooking gets a bit of an update thanks to B. Smith. She offers a wide variety of southern recipes including some old favorites while providing updates with a healthy twist for some recipes. Her cookbook also offers a good selection of liquor recipes so you can make up an Almond Joy or Creme Brulee Martini.
Traditional recipes include Red Beans and Rice, Cornbread Oyster Dressing or Corn Fritters. Ham Steak with Red Eye Gravy has a bit of cream tossed into the gravy to help round out the flavors.
You can give alligator a try by trying Alligator Sausage Gravy or Alligator Sliders.
Lighter recipes include Fat-Free Mango Ice Cream with Mango Sauce or Low-Sugar Maple Barbecue Sauce.
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