The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook

I couldn't disagree more with the previous review that calls the binding of this cookbook "horrible." In fact, the binding is one of the best things about the book because it lays completely flat while you're cooking. I've been cooking for about four decades now and own a slew of cookbooks. Except for the local and community-based ones that generally have a spiral binding they're a struggle to keep open while you're cooking. It's even difficult to keep them open while you're copying a recipe. To save the binding on my books, after having broken a bunch of them (expensive!), I usually photocopy the pages if it's a long and complicated recipe. I've tried a variety of book clips over the years. They can be helpful but half the time they slip off plus you have to reposition them every darn time you turn the page.The binding choice here eliminates all that hassle! In general the book has a nice feel. It's a good size and a good weight, the design is colorful and fun, the paper is high quality, and the recipes are laid out and written in a clear, straightforward manner. My one suggestion if there's another edition would be to list the recipes of each section on the first page of the section. It's a little cumbersome to search through the section for the recipe or have to go to the index each time.There's a story with each recipe that tells something about the person who created it and the place they're from. I like it that these cooks who are not famous are given credit for what they do. So much attention goes to celebrity chefs these days. It's refreshing to learn from everyday people who are passionate about their cooking. I have learned a lot about the South too from this book. It's rich! The recipes from each region are really different.I don't belong to the Southern Foodways Alliance but now I'm going to join. There's depth to what they're doing here. The book is quirky and sometimes kind of goofy fun. The "bacon forest" is an out-there concept (a lot of bourbon flowing that day?) but I can see it for a fundraiser celebrating local farmers. And, hey, Southerners, like the British, do love their pork.I got this cookbook as a gift and it's a truly interesting present. I've made the fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, spoonbread, beef stew and, finally, the caramel cake (heaven). Many of the recipes have a special twist to them (evaporated milk for the fried chicken, grits in the spoonbread). This is good for beginners and for experienced cooks.

In what universe did someone think it was a good idea to bind cookbook pages in an open-toothed wire spiral and then fasten the pages to their hardboard backing by slipping the open teeth through flimsy cardboard slots? Every time you try to pick this book up, the two part company. A-r-r-r-g-g-h-h ! (NOTE: See update below.) If they COULD pick it up, collectors of Southern cookbooks would find a lot of little bits to like. There's a delightful foreword by Alton Brown and preface by co-editor John T. Edge, and there are witty little introductions to each section and to each recipe by people who obviously love their subject. For example, "But there's a sad side to gravy. The terrible thing about gravy is it's so hard to get all of it." The chapter on Rice is subtitled "Limpin', Hoppin', and Every Which Way." Then there's an odd little two-page spread on "How to Build a Bacon Forest." Like the gravy, though, there's a sad side to this book. Much of the material feels like some kind of inside joke that tickled the compilers but would puzzle non-Southerners (like the recipe called "Sopping Chocolate a.k.a. Chocolate Gravy" -- if you weren't raised "sopping" biscuits). It's a light-hearted overview of Regional recipes, but it certainly won't replace all your favorite food-stained community cookbooks. A pleasure to read but not to cook from, don't buy it unless they re-issue it with a different binding.Update 2010-10-25 I checked a copy in the local bookstore, and not all of these bindings fall apart. I'm returning my original copy for a replacement; maybe it was the ONLY one with a defective binding.

Southern cooking is roots cooking and this book proves it. There was a time when the table was the cultural hearth of American life. The recipes and anecdotes that make this book so wonderful bring together the fusion of cultures, the richness of our pre-industrial agriculture, and the importance of our most life-sustaining and economically under-valued arts -- those of the kitchen. Purchasing this book also helps to sustain the Southern Foodways Alliance which is a gem of a historical/anthropological research institute housed in the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi. Do something good for your brain and your body. BUY THIS BOOK.

I grew up in the south, but I didn't learn how to cook until after my divorce. I wish I had this book then. I like the recipes because they are easy to follow even though they may be considered difficult to prepare. One dish I always wanted to know how to prepare was chicken and dumplings. This recipe was included and they turned out delicious. It was a great buy and the book itself was in excellent condition.

A truly unique cookbook. For those who aren't southerners, a look into little used and seldom found ingedients. Warm anecdotes are found throughout this charming volume!

This is a fine cookbook. However, it is not so much the old traditional recipes that I expected.

Loved It. Shipped Very Quickly & well packaged! 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The book arrived very quickly. I'm very excited about trying out the recipes! I love a good Southern cookbook!