Customer Reviews

Hearty Country Cooking: Savory Southern Favorites

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With this book, history, topography, culture, and recipes come together. At last there is one book that covers the Appalachian region from western Maryland to northeastern Georgia. This is a regional cookbook of tested recipes from a trained chef. It is not a book of family recipes.

In 1997 this book, published as Mouintain Country Cooking, was nominated by the James Beard Foundation for book of the year in the category of Foods of the Americas.

I am the author of the book and would like to hear from you.

Reading this cookbook is like taking a journey to my past in the mountains of Kentucky. My parents and grandparents (and on back for generations) all lived in the southeastern part of KY (in the Appalachian mountains). My favorite memories are of my grandmother's wonderful country cooking. She's 96 now and I live in New Mexico, so I can't get recipes from her easily (no, she's not on the web!). Now that my hobby is cooking, I want to cook like she did!

When I picked up this cookbook, I knew I had found the recipes! All the wonderful old favorites I remember are in here, and yes, he gives exact measurements. Trying to get my grandmother to write down her recipes was impossible - it was always 'a dash of this and a splash of that'!

For each recipe in this book, he gives a 'difficulty' rating (Easy, Moderate, Difficult), and explains why he gives such a rating (which helps when you're pressed for time). He also gives 'Healthy Choice Alternative' suggestions (although I can't imagine southern cooking without the butter, lard, sugar, etc.). Along with the recipes are stories of the mountain people and discussions on ingredients, etc.

Let's just say this ... if you want a cookbook that gives you tried and true southern/mountain recipes, buy this one!

This is an absolutely delightful book. It is both a cookbook and a guide to the culinary culture of the region. Sprinkled among the recipes are short essays on historical, cultural and culinary topics, anecdotes and personal reflections. The writing style is beautifully simple and clear, colorful and engaging. It communicates the author's love for the region, the people, and the food.

I'm nearly finished reading the book from cover to cover. I've tried two recipes; both were easy and excellent. The recipes are relatively simple for an experienced cook and there are no superfluous steps. This cuisine is not natively the most healthful for those who live a modern sedentary lifestyle, but many nutritious dishes are included that are low in sugar and fat. Where possible, Mr. Sohn makes suggestions for healthier versions.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in southern cooking, American regional cooking, food of people living by subsistence farming, or just plain good recipes for both widely known and local dishes. In fact, I hereby nominate this book for Best Cookbook on a Regional or National Cuisine for its impeccable organization and presentation and the author's evocation of Appalachian food and culture.