Southern Living Off the Eaten Path: Favorite Southern Dives and 150 Recipes that Made Them Famous (Southern Living (Paperback Oxmoor)) [Paperback]

Morgan Murphy (Author), Fannie Flagg (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2011 | Series: Southern Living (Paperback Oxmoor)

Take a tasty tour along the highways and unique back roads of the South with author Morgan Murphy as he uncovers the best eateries and unique recipes this region has to offer. Part cookbook, part delicious journey through the South, Southern Living Off the Eaten Path is a discovery guide for people who love Southern food.

Readers will accompany former Southern Living travel and food editor Morgan Murphy as he winds his way through the South to discover the restaurants and watering holes that showcase the true flavor of the region. Full-color photography takes readers inside these community landmarks. Prized recipes are pried out of secretive restaurant cooks and vetted in the Southern Living Test Kitchens so they can be replicated at home when readers can't hit the road for their roadfood fix.

Helpful tips accompany each recipe and explain how to up the flavor ante of classics like mac-n-cheese or country-style coleslaw the way the best diners do. Recollections and reflections from owners, patrons, and employees of these "off the eaten path" spots round out this book of travelers' tales and delicious food finds. Southern Living Off the Eaten Path features:

• 75 "dives" in 18 Southern States: from Texas to Florida to Maryland, and all points in between
• A feature on each restaurant, including two recipes, location information, fun facts, and a "Don't-Miss" tip about their signature dish
• Rubbernecker Wonders: reviews of kitschy roadside attractions worthy of gawking, such as Solomon's Castle in Ona, FL, and South of the Border on I-95 in Dillon, SC, where Dixie meets...Old Mexico
• Food Finds: blurbs about food purveyors along the route (cheese shop, dairy, sausage processor, etc.), local products produced in the area (honey, barbeque sauce, dressing, spice blend, etc.), and more

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Morgan Murphy is the former travel and food editor for Southern Living magazine. He has also written for Forbes, Vanity Fair, and Harper's Bazaar. Morgan's diverse background includes an M.B.A. from the University of Oxford and a love of vintage American cars. This passion led to his lauch of the world's first online social network for classic car enthusiasts, Motorpool.com. He lives in Mountain Brook, Alabama.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Oxmoor House (May 10, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0848734459
• ISBN-13: 978-0848734459
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,729 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #43 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > U.S. Regional

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars My go to cookbook May 1, 2011

By Jamere

Format:Paperback

Oh, YUM! Best purchase ever and amazing recipes - BLT hash browns are my favorite. Southern soul food - I'm starving just thinking about it. What's nice is that it includes a picture of what you're cooking because, as we know, a picture speaks a thousand words. I can tell a lot about the dish from the picture. The print is big enough to actually read (go figure!), nice slick pages that won't get gross, and not a bunch of filler and chatter, so more room for recipes! 150 recipes! Going to fry some catfish now.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Cover-to-cover fun and delicious May 23, 2011

By Marissa Loper

Format:Paperback

It's not often that I pick up a cookbook and read it cover-to-cover, but that's exactly what I did after I purchased my copy of Southern Living author Morgan Murphy's Off the Eaten Path. It was a quick read, full of Southern humor that made me laugh. I was proud to see Southern Hands, a great restaurant just a few miles from my house, featured in the book -- and even more thrilled that the author was able to convince the owner to give up her famous cornbread recipe. I've driven to Southern Hands JUST to pick up some of that delicious cornbread! Now, I can also bake it in my home. I'm also grateful that Southern Living published the book in full color with photos -- making it as much a recipe/travel book as a lovely coffee table book. I plan to buy this book for Christmas gifts for my Southern friends who have moved too far north to get any fried pickles or bacon bourbon. Well done!

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The South at its Finest! May 26, 2011

By Kathryn E. Tuggle

Format:Paperback

If you're looking to explore the south through both travel and taste, this is the book for you. As a well-traveled Southerner who knows good food, I was impressed that the author managed to find hideaways that even I'd never heard of. I can see myself consulting this book in my kitchen--and in my car. I can't wait to go to some of these places! Most of the small mom-and-pop restaurants covered in the book have never gotten much national attention, but this book really puts them in the spotlight they deserve. Amazing photographs, amazing food, good writing--all in all it's a winner. Great as a gift for the road warrior, chef, or southerner in your life!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Come and Get it! June 2, 2011

By M. Pavelkis

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Love this Cookbook. It's filled with good old fashioned down home Southern recipes, and the pictures to go along with it. If you've ever stopped at out of the way diners, and loved their food, then this is the book for you.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Off the Eaten Path May 28, 2011

By Kathy Bobbitt

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

nice to have the location of all these "off the road" eateries, but was very disappointed in the selection of the recipes....if you are buying for recipe potential....don't purchase,otherwise, at least you have some great locations to find and enjoy

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read . June 5, 2011

By Beth Jenkins

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've only tried one recipe and that was the lemon bars they were delicious! I made them for Mother's Day since they are one of my favorites. I'm not sure that they are much different than most recipes but I ate almost the whole dish myself!! Not in one day of course! The book is filled with beautiful picture's not only of food but of the towns and history etc.. I found it fun and interesting to look through. There are two peanut butter pies I'd like to try and a turkey sandwich called The Hot Brown. Some things have different names and you don't know what they are by the name so you need to check the ingredients. I enjoyed it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun cookbook February 1, 2012

By Lindsey Allison

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I purchased this cookbook as a gift for my mother. She has a vast collection of cookbooks but nothing quite like this. She absolutely loved it. Bonus was one of the featured places in the book is minutes from her house. We loved it so much we ordered 2 more for additional gifts. I highly recommend this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book January 21, 2012

By Leland Meinhardt

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Bought this as a gift for my wee, and she couldn't put it down; then left it on the coffee table and had some guests over--and THEY couldn't put it down! Interesting, entertaining series and great recipes. Well worth the price!