Going Lardcore: Adventures in New Southern Dining

by Robert F. Moss

Pimento cheese was invented by New Yorkers. Fried green tomatoes are Yankee impostors. Rum and rye whiskey, not bourbon, were the original Southern spirits. And, nothing could be less surprising than finding good, honest cooking tucked away in a strip mall. These are just a few of the risky assertions Robert F. Moss makes in this collection of articles and essays on eating and drinking in the modern South.

The topics range from the stories behind classic dishes like shrimp-and-grits and she-crab soup to commentary on the current state of dining in the era of New Southern cuisine.

154 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Cal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A witty, insightful read into the recent history of Southern food, drink, and service. Some of the articles in it were published quite recently, so some of them may seem familiar if you read the Charleston City Paper or Free Times much. I got a native-son bonus on this one, as I've been to, lived near, worked at, or at least am acquainted with most every joint mentioned in here- a nice departure from my other food reading, which is either focused more broadly or on those far-away culinary capitals of New York, San Francisco, or Chicago.
I particularly like the authors wrestling matches with valuable but infamously nebulous terms like "authentic," and I think a full volume on this concept alone would be a very worthwhile and debate-worthy read.