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The Gift of Southern Cooking: Recipes and Revelations from Two Great American Cooks: A Cookbook
Edna Lewis--whose The Taste of Country Cooking has become an American classic--and Alabama-born chef Scott Peacock pool their unusual cooking talents to give us this unique cookbook. What makes it so special is that it represents different styles of Southern cooking--Miss Lewis's Virginia country cooking and Scott Peacock's inventive and sensitive blending of new tastes with the Alabama foods he grew up on, liberally seasoned with Native American, Caribbean, and African influences. Together they have taken neglected traditional recipes unearthed in their years of research together on Southern food and worked out new versions that they have made their own.
Together they share their secrets for such Southern basics as pan-fried chicken, creamy grits, and genuine Southern biscuits. Scott Peacock describes how Miss Lewis makes soup by coaxing the essence of flavor from vegetables, and he applies the same principle to his intensely flavored, scrumptious dish of Garlic Braised Shoulder Lamb Chops with Butter Beans and Tomatoes. You'll find all these treasures and more before you even get to the superb cakes (potential "Cakewalk Winners" all), the hand-cranked ice creams, the flaky pies, and homey custards and puddings. Lewis and Peacock include twenty-two seasonal menus, from A Spring Country Breakfast for a Late Sunday Morning and A Summer Dinner of Big Flavors to An Alabama Thanksgiving and A Hearty Dinner for a Cold Winter Night, to show you how to mix and match dishes for a true Southern table.
Interwoven throughout the book are warm memories of the people and the traditions that shaped these pure-tasting, genuinely American recipes. The result is a joyful coming together of two extraordinary cooks, sharing their gifts. And they invite you to join them.
Together they share their secrets for such Southern basics as pan-fried chicken, creamy grits, and genuine Southern biscuits. Scott Peacock describes how Miss Lewis makes soup by coaxing the essence of flavor from vegetables, and he applies the same principle to his intensely flavored, scrumptious dish of Garlic Braised Shoulder Lamb Chops with Butter Beans and Tomatoes. You'll find all these treasures and more before you even get to the superb cakes (potential "Cakewalk Winners" all), the hand-cranked ice creams, the flaky pies, and homey custards and puddings. Lewis and Peacock include twenty-two seasonal menus, from A Spring Country Breakfast for a Late Sunday Morning and A Summer Dinner of Big Flavors to An Alabama Thanksgiving and A Hearty Dinner for a Cold Winter Night, to show you how to mix and match dishes for a true Southern table.
Interwoven throughout the book are warm memories of the people and the traditions that shaped these pure-tasting, genuinely American recipes. The result is a joyful coming together of two extraordinary cooks, sharing their gifts. And they invite you to join them.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 15, 2003
83 people are currently reading
625 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 8, 2009
I know what you are thinking - a cookbook, Ryann? Really? Yes! I have an unreasonable fascination with Southern Cooking and I devoured this cookbook like it was a big ol' bowl of peach cobbler smothered in hand-churned vanilla ice cream. Written by two great chefs, each from a different generation and a different part of the South, the recipes also describe Southern heritage and friendships. A beautiful book that I might just need to add to my own personal collection. I cannot wait to try many of the recipes contained. A wonderful read as well as a resource.
June 23, 2017
Long before I knew who these two people were I saw an article in Food and Wine with Thanksgiving recipes. It was Lewis and Peacock. The Ultimate Mac and Cheese is to die for. And Edna's dressing (or stuffing) for the turkey was spot on. I had been making these for years before I knew there was a book. Gotta cut down on the cookbooks.
Hungry for the old time simple stick to your ribs food? Then you should try this. Simple ingredients and technique. But all about the best and freshest food you can get. And you don't have to be Southern to love it.
Hungry for the old time simple stick to your ribs food? Then you should try this. Simple ingredients and technique. But all about the best and freshest food you can get. And you don't have to be Southern to love it.
January 8, 2008
MUST MUST MUST have on your shelf, Edna Lewis ended her days living with Scott peacock, From the stories in this cookbook this man truly respects the skills of this culinary legend.
I have tried 90 % of the recipes , and everyone of them executes well, in my estimation , that makes this a damn good cookbook. Whoop whoop.
I have tried 90 % of the recipes , and everyone of them executes well, in my estimation , that makes this a damn good cookbook. Whoop whoop.
July 22, 2020
Not a patch on The Taste of Country Cooking, which is written with the authentic voice of Edna Lewis. By contrast, the writing here is almost entirely by Peacock. Recipes use a LOT of mayonnaise -- a style of Southern eating that is far removed from Edna Lewis's tradition.
February 11, 2022
This book is mightily inspiring, and very unevenly written.
I'm temped to give it three stars, since it contains some serious technical issues. An example of what sucks was the chicken stock recipe. It has you pouring a gallon of boiling water over a raw, 3# chicken, and letting it steep for an hour. I thought 'that probably won't work, but if it does, I'll believe everything I read in this book.' It yielded an undercooked bird (that was nigh-impossible to track down, by the way, 3# chickens are practically unavailable, at any price), and the weakest, most insipid chicken stock I've ever made. It tasted like the stock when some rookie fills the kettle 10" past the level of bones. Totally flooded and anemic.
However, armed with the knowledge that I needed to take the book with a grain of salt, I tried out a bunch of recipes, and found them largely great. Of particular note was the extremely involved, 3-day fried chicken method, which was a colossal pain in the balls, but yielded an almost perfect skillet-fried chicken, and the pie crust recipe, which I am adopting as my new standard. (If you know me, you know that's a big deal.) I tacked on a fourth star just for these two recipes.
This book could use a re-edit by a more scientific-minded chef, but it stands as one of the best southern cookbooks I've read. Perhaps less scholarly than Bill Neal's Southern Cooking, but more comprehensive. This book is worth a read if you can pick up a used copy online, and you want to learn a lot about southern cuisine in a hurry. There are some clunkers, but there are also some gems.
Keep an eye on hotdogsandcaviar.blogspot.com for photos and a more complete review.
I'm temped to give it three stars, since it contains some serious technical issues. An example of what sucks was the chicken stock recipe. It has you pouring a gallon of boiling water over a raw, 3# chicken, and letting it steep for an hour. I thought 'that probably won't work, but if it does, I'll believe everything I read in this book.' It yielded an undercooked bird (that was nigh-impossible to track down, by the way, 3# chickens are practically unavailable, at any price), and the weakest, most insipid chicken stock I've ever made. It tasted like the stock when some rookie fills the kettle 10" past the level of bones. Totally flooded and anemic.
However, armed with the knowledge that I needed to take the book with a grain of salt, I tried out a bunch of recipes, and found them largely great. Of particular note was the extremely involved, 3-day fried chicken method, which was a colossal pain in the balls, but yielded an almost perfect skillet-fried chicken, and the pie crust recipe, which I am adopting as my new standard. (If you know me, you know that's a big deal.) I tacked on a fourth star just for these two recipes.
This book could use a re-edit by a more scientific-minded chef, but it stands as one of the best southern cookbooks I've read. Perhaps less scholarly than Bill Neal's Southern Cooking, but more comprehensive. This book is worth a read if you can pick up a used copy online, and you want to learn a lot about southern cuisine in a hurry. There are some clunkers, but there are also some gems.
Keep an eye on hotdogsandcaviar.blogspot.com for photos and a more complete review.
April 29, 2023
My copy of this book is stained and torn and I lost the jacket years ago. That’s because I’ve used this book so often that it has borne the abuses of my kitchen for years. This is simple, straightforward cooking that I would describe more as “country” than specifically Southern. Every recipe I’ve made out of this book has been a banger. The crookneck squash soup, potato salad, fried chicken, and crab cakes have become household favorites. I have an extensive cookbook collection and this one is one of my all time favorites.
November 20, 2017
Very good meat recipes. We liked everything, but pretty simple stuff. I'd love to eat the fried chicken and the pork roast again
December 20, 2018
Skimmed it, recipes I wouldn't make
August 5, 2019
I found a few recipes and suggestions that I will copy, but most of the recipes are not palatable to me or are too involved for me to attempt at this time.
November 20, 2019
Best of Southern cooking: CHECKED !
February 14, 2020
not as good
February 22, 2017
This was awesome! Not just a cookbook - fun and interesting stories about Edna Lewis. I loved stories behind recipes - some of them reminded me of childhood meals and experiences. The recipes combined with the stories made me want to try recipes for foods I have never had. This is the kind of cookbook I would like to own.
May 19, 2011
I think if I could have one Southern cookbook, this might be it ... which is saying something, because I have about 25 Southern cookbooks. This book has the tried and true recipes that you want to make -- for example, I want the very best recipe for biscuits, and I also would like a little of the history behind it, and the "secret" tips for how to make them perfect. This book delivers, with two recipes -- one for "angel biscuits," which are buttermilk biscuits with added yeast, and then traditional buttermilk biscuits. I had a "biscuit bake-off" of sorts, and this book's recipes were by far the winners. Overall, the recipes in this book outshine other traditional Southern books, such as Paula Deen's cookbook or others, because they're not just traditional, they are the very best traditional recipes. This book is bound to be my go-to Southern recipe book for years to come.
June 16, 2010
This is an excellent book on southern cooking. Because many of the recipes use regional, in-season ingredients it has classic southern recipes and some long-forgotten ones. Since the growing season in the South is long this book has many of the recipes needed to make relishes or jellies from late season vegetables. Chow-chow is my absolute favorite along with tomato gravy and chess pie. The book has commentary and tips throughout and gives readers a good understanding of the chefs, techniques and ingredients. I read a lot of cookbooks and love southern cooking and this is by far one of the best I've read. If you get any cookbook on classic southern cooking, make it this one.
February 2, 2009
Classic southern dishes. I've been trying to remake many of the memories I have from my South Carolina grandmother's spectactular meals, some successfull re-creations and some, not-so-much.
This book by Edna and Scott, has many of the flavors and tastes I remember from those early days in the old South.
This book by Edna and Scott, has many of the flavors and tastes I remember from those early days in the old South.
January 11, 2019
After my tiny Kentucky grandmother passed away, I wrote to relatives to ask if they had her peach cobbler recipe. No one did but they all wished they had it. None of us could make it like hers. I think I discovered why in an optional take for a recipe in this book! 💚 The book is a pleasant read in any case and made me nostalgic for visits to relatives' southern kitchens.
September 11, 2011
If you love to cook and eat great food, this is the book. The flavors are true to the South. I' ve made most of the receipes. You do have to corral your grease gene and cut some lard from the ingredients or have a standing appoint with a cardiologist!
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May 25, 2012I have made the angel biscuits a few times...her iced tea is the best method around and tonight I am making Grandmaw Peacock's Chicken and Rice! This is a fantastic cookbook..I have it checked out from the library, but this is a definite future purchase!
March 29, 2013
seriously inspirational and one of the most underrated cook books ever. every chef and cook should own a copy. I'm lucky enough to have met and lunched with Scott and he's every bit as wonderful as his and Edna's book. if you never buy another cookbook again make sure you have this.
July 10, 2013
Wonderful cookbook on southern cooking. This is a great book for those that like to garden and want to know recipes that our grandmothers and great grandmothers used for every item in the garden. This book is definitive on southern cooking.
January 8, 2008
love love love love it. everything in here is pure gold. also, not a single recipe calls for olive oil. :)
September 29, 2008
This is my favorite Southern cookbook. We use it all the time. Often, I have to make changes to make things a little healthier but I just love Edna Lewis so much!
February 13, 2008
This is where my sweet tea addiction began for me - awesome!
September 29, 2008
The Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Receipe is my favorite.
June 18, 2013
An amazing story of friendship over and about food...plus a perfect pie crust.
January 20, 2010
Edna Lewis is one of a few cooks with which I would have loved to spend a weekend - at her elbow with tons of questions!
June 23, 2017
This book comes across as pretentious and tedious.
January 13, 2010
Continuing to embrace my Southern heritage through food. This one is exceptional!
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July 27, 2011Edna is such a wonderful cook and story teller, I love her recipies
July 29, 2011
Edna Lewis is the acknowledged queen of Southern cuisine and her cookbooks are chock full of information in addition to recipes
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews