Customer Reviews

Best of the Best from North Carolina: Selected Recipes From North Carolina's Favorite Cookbooks

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My parents were western Carolinians and nobody was a better Southern cook than my Mom. However, feeling that we're all somehow immortal and will be around forever, I kept putting off recording her recipes for all the great dishes that I associate with the South. I thought this book would provide some of those great recipes, or reasonable facsimiles. Alas, I was wrong. The book contains not even one recipe for Fried Chicken, Cornbread, Baking Powder Biscuits, Gravy (Red Eye, Sawmill, or any other.) It contains no recipes for any of the greens commonly associated with the South (Collard Greens, Kale, Mustard Greens, etc.---not even one recipe for okra!) Quite a disappointment for me personally. I have rated the book with three stars because it is beautifully presented, has a few wonderful pictures, and some interesting recipes. But---I can't recommend it to anyone looking for the kind of southern dishes you'll find at Cracker Barrel. Now, on the other hand, if you crave Kiwi Coladas and Almond Champagne Chicken, you might want to give this book a try. But if you're looking for Southern Fried Chicken with Biscuits, Cream Gravy, and a nice serving of Turnip Greens with Country Ham, you haven't found the right book.

I received this as a gift. I was born and raised in Eastern North Carolina and then moved to the mountains. The cookbook seemed a little Eastern and Piedmont heavy. Not that that is bad, however, I was hoping for some good recipes from food so commonly found in the western part of the state, especially sauce for barbecue. I am totally in love with Western N.C. barbecue (Eastern is vinegar based, Western is tomato based) Also lacking in cornbread and biscuit recipes. I will say that the recipes that I have made out of it are excellent, therefore I gave it a 3 star rating.

Although I would prefer a regional cookbook to include strictly regional recipes, the recipes are interesting and certainly concentrate on Southern food.

The ingredients are easily obtained and the directions are clear. If you like to "try before you buy", all the recipes indicate which cookbook they are taken from and cover photographs and descriptions of the contributing cookbooks are included.

Overall -- a useful addition to your library.