An Irresistible History of Southern Food: Four Centuries of Black-Eyed Peas, Collard Greens and Whole Hog Barbecue (The South) [Hardcover]

Rick McDaniel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 2011

Fried chicken, rice and gravy, sweet potatoes, collard greens and spoon bread - all good old fashioned, down-home southern foods, right? 
Wrong. The fried chicken and collard greens are African, the rice is from Madagascar, the sweet potatoes came to Virginia from the Peruvian Andes via Spain, and the spoon bread is a marriage of Native American corn with the French soufflé technique thought up by skilled African American cooks.
Food historian Rick McDaniel takes 150 of the South's best-loved and most delicious recipes and tells how to make them and the history behind them. From fried chicken to gumbo to Robert E. Lee Cake, it's a history lesson that will make your mouth water.
What southerners today consider traditional southern cooking was really one of the world's first international cuisines, a mélange of European, Native American and African foods and influences brought together to form one of the world's most unique and recognizable cuisines.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The South has always been celebrated for its food--a delectable blend of ingredients and cooking techniques connected to the region's rich soil and bountiful waters. And oftentimes what makes a recipe Southern is as much a state of mind as it is a matter of geography--Southerners simply decide a particular food is Southern, and that s that. From the earliest days of settlement, when colonists struggled to survive on a diet of dogs, cats, rats and poisonous snakes, to an era defined by sumptuous dining that blended European, Native American and African cuisines, Southern food truly stems from a unique tradition. Respected Southern food historian and chef Rick McDaniel explores the history of over 150 recipes, from Maryland stuffed ham to South Carolina chicken bog to New Orleans shrimp Creole, without forgetting the meal's crowning glory: dessert.

About the Author

Rick McDaniel is a food historian, culinary anthropologist and author who specializes in the food of the American South with a particular interest in the Federal and Antebellum periods. He is the author of An Irresistible History of Southern Food (History Press, 2011).  

The New York Times, MSNBC and newspapers and magazines throughout the South have interviewed McDaniel about Southern food history and traditional recipes. He has been a consultant to the producers of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network and Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations on the Travel Channel, as well as a Southern Regional panelist for the James Beard Foundation's chef and restaurant awards. His website, chefrick.com, has been featured in the New York Times and was selected as one of the best Internet resources on American cookery by the University of Oregon and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. 

His first book, An Irresistible History of Southern Food is in the reference collections of Duke University, UNC-Chapel Hill, The University of Chicago and Harvard University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: The History Press (April 15, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1609491939
• ISBN-13: 978-1609491932
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #578,706 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Rick McDaniel (1959- ) is a Southern chef, food historian and culinary anthropologist. He grew up in a small North Carolina town, fascinated by the wonderful smells coming out of the kitchens of "three generations of small women who were giants in the kitchen."

Thirty years as a working journalist, restaurant reviewer and food writer coupled with a life-long passion for Southern food and history lead to his first book, "An Irresistible History of Southern Food."

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars if you are southern and like food, buy this. July 26, 2011

By Amber J.

Format:Hardcover

I LOVED this book. It's well written, well researched, and really funnny at times. I loved that Chef Rick to old recipes from receipt books and translated them for the modern cook-and WOAH they are good. A really fun read and makes a great gift.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Southern Cookbook Food Review August 27, 2011

By Suzanne

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was raised in the deep South. This is one of the best cookbooks on Southern Cooking. I love this book and I know real, true Southern Cooking. This is great and the history of the food is very interesting. I want to send this to some of my "Yankee Friends", so they can learn how to cook Southern style. Thank you Mr. Rick McDaniel for all of your hard work, it shows in your book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Food, History and Novel rolled into one great read... July 16, 2011

By John Dorner IV

Format:Hardcover

This book is half cookbook, half history and half novel but it adds up to one fascinating read. I read it like a novel before bed and then tried the recipes the next day! I was surprised to find myself quoting facts and phrases from a 'cookbook'. As a transplanted Yankee, my appreciation for Southern food, and Southern history, was awakened and so were my tatsebuds. I was also able to make healthier versions of the recipes but my truly southern friends can always tell the difference!

Written by Coco (John's wife)