The Month of Their Ripening: North Carolina Heritage Foods through the Year

by Georgann Eubanks

Telling the stories of twelve North Carolina heritage foods, each matched to the month of its peak readiness for eating, Georgann Eubanks takes readers on a flavorful journey across the state. She begins in January with the most ephemeral of southern ingredients—snow—to witness Tar Heels making snow cream. In March, she takes a midnight canoe ride on the Trent River in search of shad, a bony fish with a savory history. In November, she visits a Chatham County sawmill where the possums are always first into the persimmon trees.

Talking with farmers, fishmongers, cooks, historians, and scientists, Eubanks looks at how foods are deeply tied to the culture of the Old North State. Some have histories that go back thousands of years. Garlicky green ramps, gathered in April and traditionally savored by many Cherokee people, are now endangered by their popularity in fine restaurants. Oysters, though, are enjoying a comeback, cultivated by entrepreneurs along the coast in December. These foods, and the stories of the people who prepare and eat them, make up the long-standing dialect of North Carolina kitchens. But we have to wait for the right moment to enjoy them, and in that waiting is their treasure.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2018

Reviews

[Rd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic look at some interesting local foods. Some I’d never even heard of. Learning about all of them was a real treat.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgann Eubanks fondly remembers knowing it was September when her grandfather took her out to pick scuppernong grapes. Food, memory, and season are linked in our minds and in this book Eubanks explores 12 seasonal North Carolina foods that were highly anticipated and available only for a short season. Today it can be hard to remember that all food is not available all year round thanks to shipping produce around the world. But, anticipating a favorite seasonal food and savoring it while it's around is an experience more people should have. Many of the foods Eubanks highlights are too fragile to ship around the world, so they become part of the region's history and culture. Eubanks travels all over North Carolina to sample these seasonal foods and talk to experts and people who are working to keep these North Carolina food traditions alive. I definitely learned a lot and it makes me want to explore more of my home state than I already have. In the Acknowledgments Eubanks explains that she was inspired to write this book after listening to the audiobook of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. I wish that she had explained that in the beginning of the book because I think that would resonate with her readers as probably anyone interested in this book has probably read Kingsolver's too. Overall, as a native North Carolinian, I thought this was a great book that highlights part of our state's native food culture.

Some quotes I liked:

"Willy Phillips was four years old when he first saw battalions of small fiddler crabs coming out of the salt marsh and marching toward his childhood home on Hewlett's Creek in New Hanover County. Those crabs were not responding to the moon, however. They began climbing the exterior walls of his parents' house to find purchase on the roof. In that fall of 1954, long before Doppler radar and sophisticated weather prediction was possible, the surge of crustacean refugees was the only sign the Phillips family had that Hurricane Hazel was barreling toward Wilmington." (p. 114)

"Evans says he is one of the last farmers in the area to hire local folks exclusively for the weeding and hand-harvesting of his melons. He does not want all the paperwork and regulations that come with hiring migrant workers. He is proud of providing jobs for his neighbors. 'Everybody in this area at one time or another has worked in the fields. It's a rite of passage,' he says. Lifting melons, especially watermelons, is backbreaking labor. 'One thing about it,' Evans says, 'whatever job a young person gets after doing this work is going to seem like a breeze.'" (p. 166)

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great mix of food, travelogue, history, and maybe a memoir. Broken into twelve parts, it explores the native foods of North Carolina, particularly in the best season to obtain them. While it started off a little sketchy for me (Snow for January, I mean, I guess), the rest of the book was really solid and interesting.

Exploring such foods as oysters, persimmons, figs, etc.; the book really delves deep into the people who cultivate or hunt/fish/etc. for them, the ways in which they are used, and any ecological considerations or issues that are associated with them. I particularly liked reading about the fruit, as I've grown many of the types mentioned in this book in my yard and got some new ideas for them.

While there aren't a ton of recipes, there are a few or at least descriptions of the food that make you want to take a road trip to go find them or buy your own ingredients to try to recreate. I also enjoyed learning about the producers and some of the ways people had historically gathered these foods.

While it was over too quick, I did enjoy the book and definitely recommend it for anyone looking to learn a little food history, or a deep dive into some of the popular foods of this region.

Review by M. Reynard 2022

[Denton · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was visiting City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, North Carolina, last month, I stumbled across Eubank’s fourth book, The Month of Their Ripening. This book explores 12 different heritage foods found within North Carolina while drawing on first hand accounts from the foods’ producers. Along the way, Eubanks reveals fascinating histories of the foods, the people who produce the foods, and the places where they’re produced. One of the pleasures in reading The Month of Their Ripening is the diversity of foods written about, and especially that they range from all areas of North Carolina which in itself is a large, diverse geography. Another pleasure is Eubank's voice which finds the perfect intersection between essay (what some would call creative nonfiction with lush description and personal experience) and investigative journalism (that involves some deep research). This is a fascinating read that will tempt your tastebuds.

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Georgann Eubanks traveled across North Carolina, often with her friend Donna Campbell, to find the definitive ingredient that pervades each month of the year. I love that she starts with snow, for making snow cream, of course. She instructs about the delicate and delectable ramp. She pays homage to the glory of the fig, and goes fishing for shad at the coast with a retired judge. It's all stories about people, of course, and what they do to keep food alive for others, to bring out the best of what this state can offer. It's a wonderful way to learn about North Carolina and its food, but most especially, its people and how they not just hold on to, but pass along a precious heritage.

[Stacy Hawks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Georgann Eubanks takes on seasonal foods in a whole new way with this great exploration of Southern staples. Within its pages are beautiful descriptions of not just foods, but of North Carolina, & the people who call our great state home. Eubanks' way of storytelling through dishes is captivating & enticing. Her research into Southern foods is both deep and enlightening. I highly recommend The Month of Their Ripening for anyone who enjoys a mix of history, culture, & food.

[MB Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cherished this book, a chapter at a time, savoring the story, food, people, place... North Carolina- coast to mountains with many stops in between. To be fully truthful, I'm a foodie, gardener, North Carolinian, having lived In the Piedmont region, Coast and Blue Ridge Mountains. I worked across the state visiting many of the 100 counties and enjoying meeting residents at every stop.
Thanks for filling the last weeks with positive stories about my home state.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really interesting! The author discusses a different North Carolina food each month, including scientific information, history, interviews with local growers and sellers, and personal experiences sampling. I learned a lot! I even enjoyed the chapters about foods I would never eat (oysters, shad), but my favorite chapter was the one about goat's milk.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful read! Ms. Eubanks weaves together food, people and their environment seamlessly, just the way it should be. I not only want to try all these delicious, iconic foods, but also visit all the places in the book. Thanks for bringing sunshine to a few winter nights!

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a joy to read first hand experiences from growers and lovers of local favorites. I found only one I hadn't tried, though even with the description, I'm not sure I could find the little blue berries of the service tree. I enjoyed the first hand stories and feel of home.

[Jessi Waugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was thorough, and I enjoyed learning about the people and traditions linked to our native foods. The personalities of the North Carolinians she interviewed were the highlights of the book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and read it quickly.

[Haley Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a proud North Carolinian, I enjoyed learning about foods native to the state. I especially appreciated how the author took journalistic approach, traveling all over the state to interview farmers and learn about the history and cultivation of each food.

[Amanda Opelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very helpful for some research I'm doing about local foodways. Not too academic, but gives good background on each of the featured foods.