Heavens

I know, that sounds kind of strange. Just got back from my NOLA to Nashville tour (trip report coming) and was looking for a really good compilation of good southern recipes from all those regions and states.

Didn't really find anything go buy on the trip. Thought I might ask you folks.
Jr. Leagues often sell wonderful cookbooks. I want some Creole, BBQ, sides and good ole recipes tried and true. Any of you know of one that is a must have that I can order off the internet? Amazon or someplace like that? Would love to start cooking more southern style. We just LOVED the food down there. We are from California, and we have good food too. Just different.

Have you ever heard of ribbon syrup? Our friends in AL served us some with our biscuits when we went to their house for dinner. Pretty awesome stuff...

iceeu2

My favorite cookbook ever is "The Southern Living Cookbook"...look at Oxmoor House for it.

birgator

My old standby is Mrs. Dull's Southern Cooking. A classic for good old recipes as it's at least 50 years old -- find it on eBay if not on Amazon. It's also a good read!

Jambalaya from the New Orleans Junior League is super, straight forward and fool proof. I use both the jambalaya and gumbo recipes from this with rave reviews.

B/

GoTravel

Charleston Receipts (what recipes were originally called) first published in the 1950s.

The quintessential southern cookbook and guide to southern cooking.

Heavens

I meant to say besides bonniebroad's post on southern cooking, which has provided a few recipes. Am dying to try her potatoe salad.

Any other must haves?

msmolly

Here are a few of the cookbooks I use.
River Road- Jr. League of Baton Rouge
Talk About Good- Jr League of Lafayette
I have used these for years and now have copies that tavel with us. If you would like, I could find the phone numbers.
Molly

DownSouth

I highly recommend River Road Recipes published by the Junior League of Baton Rouge. The first edition is the leading best selling community cookbook in the country and still sells very well even after 46 years! Spinach Madeleine, an award-winning recipe, appears on every south Louisiana table at Thanksgiving and Christmas! This cookbook has been recommended by famous chefs such as Paul Prudhomme as the one to purchase when you want to begin cooking creole. The 3rd Edition is the heart healthy one and the newest one, Warm Welcomes, which came out last year, is a beauty.

Being from California, you may enjoy the newer ones but no kitchen, IMHO, is complete without River Road Recipes. As it has been said many times, it's the Bible!

msmolly

I agree with Downsouth. I have all three RiverRoads. I have my mom's origional from 1959! Some of the beverage recipes are funny. Egg Flip has brandy, rum, milk and egg. Its suppose to be good for colds.
Molly

aileen679

Check out this site:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...rid=3e1kAE1Czb

#9, put out by the Junior League of Savannah is always a good one.

msmolly

juniorleaguebr.com here is the link for River Road. I have to pack all my cookbooks up today. We are moving at the end of the month.
Molly

MzPossum

I've totally blanked out on her name--can someone help me? Her name is something like "Deana" and she is on the Food Network--really down home country cooking and I know her cookbooks would be available on the internet.

seetheworld

Paula Dean?

aileen679

That's right, Paula Deen. Her cookbooks are also available at most of the Big book stores like Barnes and Nobles. I have two of hers. She uses a lot of prepared stuff like cream of mushroom soup and coolwhip. Not what I would call real southern cooking. Her dessert book, "Just Desserts" is good. She really loves to use cream, sugar, butter, more cream, more butter and cover it all with whipped cream. Oh, YUM!

Byrd

Heavens,

I think you must mean "ribbon cane syrup," at least that's what we call it.

It's the preferred syrup here in southwest Alabama, as opposed to "sorghum syrup," made and served up in north Alabama in the Sand Mountain area.

Absolutely agree with Talk About Good (I have volumns 1, 2, and 3), and River Road.

Let me add Magic (Birmingham Junior League), and especially Break Bread with the Black Belt, from my home town of Demopolis,AL, and created by the Episcopal churches of the Alabama Black Belt .

Byrd

Wayne

If you had ony two cookbooks in the whole world, I would tell you to get River Road in any edition, and the second is Cane River Cuisine from Natchitoches, Louisiana. Those two books will give you enough cooking and eating pleasure to last a lifetime.

MzPossum

yes, Paula Dean, thanks aileen and seetheworld.
Heavens, for mainly cajun and creole cooking, look for cookbooks by Chef John Folse (barnesandnoble.com is one site).
He is a south Louisiana chef that is not only a wonderful chef but a historian on cajun and creole cuisine and cultures. I have "Something Old, Something New" which has both the original recipe and on the facing page, a heart healthy one. His newest book is the Encylopedia of Cajun and Creole Cooking. History, beautiful pictures, as well as recipes.
Sadly, he's not too well known outside of this area (unless perhaps you're in the restaurant or food industry)

fairfax

I like Lee Bailey's cookbooks. All of his have some southern recipes, and he's got one on Natchez with recipes from each of the important plantation houses.

Byrd

And for good reading as well as good recipes, Ambrosia from Vicksburg is great.

Some of the stories are hilarious.

benj

I have many of the books mentioned & love them all.
If you want a good website with some easy to fix & tasty recipes then go to www.wwltv.com & click on the Frank Davis icon. Cooking in the Kitchen with Frank & Mary Clare (his wife) is on the tv morning news here every Tuesday morning. He also has a line of seasonings & several cookbooks.
He started out as a cameraman for WWL & went from there. He also does the "Fishin Game" report. I have tried several of his recipes & they are good.

GoTravel

Funny Paula Dean story, I was in Savannah and happened upon her at a book signing (or was it Columbia??), anyway, I asked her what her favorite cookbook was and she answered besides her own, Charleson Receipts!