The Good Book of Southern Baking: A Revival of Biscuits, Cakes, and Cornbread

by Kelly D Fields, Kate Heddings

100+ beloved recipes proving that Southern baking is American baking—from the James Beard Award-winning chef and owner of the New Orleans bakery Willa Jean.

“Kelly Fields bakes with the soul of a grandma, the curiosity of a student, and the skill of a master.”—Vivian Howard, author of Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • Bon Appétit • The Atlanta Journal-Constitution • Garden & Gun

Celebrated pastry chef Kelly Fields has spent decades figuring out what makes the absolute best biscuits, cornbread, butterscotch pudding, peach pie, and, well, every baked good in the Southern repertoire. Here, in her first book, Fields brings you into her kitchen, generously sharing her boundless expertise and ingenious ideas. With more than one hundred recipes for quick breads, muffins, biscuits, cookies and bars, puddings and custards, cobblers, crisps, galettes, pies, tarts, and cakes—including dozens of variations on beloved standards—this is the new bible for Southern baking.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Southern, Culinary, Reference

336 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2020

Reviews

[Rhiannon Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.




The photos and recipes included in this collection are exactly what I am looking for in a cookbook. The photos inspire me, the instructions are easy to follow, and there is just the right amount of backstory included with each recipe (I'm side-eyeing you food bloggers who make me scroll through your life story before I find the info I came for).

My husband had mentioned a few times that he liked carrot cake. I had never eaten carrot cake and definitely never made one. When I saw the carrot cake recipe in this collection I decided to give it a shot. Especially when I saw that one of the ingredients is spiced rum!

My mistake: I baked my cakes for the 30 minutes suggested but did not test the middle (which the recipe does say to do--oops!). The middles were not done so I used a large circle cookie cutter to take out the centers. This also meant I could't horizontally cut the 2 cakes to create 4 layers so I stuck with the 2 layers. I ended up with a cake shape akin to a bundt cake. Aesthetics aside, the end result was a sweet success.

Now, what recipe should I try next? 🤔

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[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kelly Fields grew up in low country South Carolina where both her mother and grandmother loved to bake and share their desserts with family and friends. Fields discovered her own love of baking while working in bakeries and decided to go to culinary school. After working in several restaurants, this cookbook is the culmination of her own baking point of view - making classic Southern desserts and baking more modern. The cookbook is organized into categories like cookies and bars, cakes, etc. While a lot of the pictures looked yummy most of the recipes have a LOT of ingredients. I know baking isn't simplistic, but these recipes seem more fancy and professional than for the average home baker. It's a beautiful cookbook and I LOVE Southern food, but I personally felt like this was not geared toward the average home cook.

[Chantal Lambeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Id die a happy person if I were buried in cornbread and biscuits. Kelly Fields's The Good Book of Southern Baking: A revival of Biscuits, Cakes, and Cornbread brought me back. Back to the years I spent at southern tables with folx that fed and cared for me. Nostalgia blended with twists and tricks to improve my baking. You can see the years of experience in the readability of the recipes. Baking can often be overwhelming, but in this book they are much less daunting.
The only negative I found, is that the recipes arent weighed out; I much prefer to measure my ingredients by weight when baking.
Otherwise this book is going to make a love addition to my baking section, and Ive made biscuits every other day for nearly a week straight!

Thank you to Lorena Jones Books for my free copy of The Good Book of Southern Baking in exchange for a free and unbiased review!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed the author's take on "traditional", as I dislike how many chefs can take a regional or specialty cuisine and go "this is the only way it is done if you want to do it right" nah nah because the concept of tradition is so wildly unique to the individual I don't like placing too much emphasis on it when discussing an entire cuisine. Fields did a nice job of saying "some do it this way, some feel like it should be that way, I like it this way, you may like it a different way, and every take is perfectly valid". Love it

Scrumptious recipes, certainly a book worth purchasing. However, I'm not sold on the Puddings & Custards chapter. The bread puddings can all get in my belly, but the custards....................................I think the issue here is just me tbh bowls of semi-gelatinous goo make me feel gross

[Sara Brockunier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, really liked this book. The photos were beautiful; the recipes easy to follow and well written; and the choices were abundant. My favorite sections were: 1) Puddings and Custards ... some interesting puddings such as Bananas Foster Bread Pudding and Cornbread Bread Pudding;
2) Cobblers, Crisps, Galettes, Pies, and Tarts ... because I love fresh fruit and baking with it this section was my favorite. 31 mouth watering recipes which I am sure I will be making;
3) Basics which had recipes for doughs, creams, and fillings all neatly arranged to help with your baking. All in all...I liked this book a lot and would recommend it.
"I've received a free copy from Lorena Jones Books in exchange for a free and unbiased review."

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not generally a baker but I will say that after having read through this cookbook, there are many recipes that I will attempt. While there are some ingredients list and instructions in some of these recipes that may scare some newbies in baking, there are many that are simple. I think from patience and preparation beforehand, many will find satisfaction from baking biscuits, cakes, and cookies. The stories behind these recipes were enjoyed and the photos are beautiful. I think this cookbook would make a wonderful addition to the baker's library. I've received a free copy from Lorena Jones Books in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Twists on Old Favorites!

I started drooling from the first picture in the book. The pictures are gorgeous, the recipes for the most part are easy. Great recipes for old favorites like pies and puddings and many recipes that will become my new favorites like Bananas Foster Bread Pudding. I am looking forward to trying many more recipes in the book. This cookbook is definitely a keeper!

I've received a free copy from Lorena Jones Books in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[Barbara Monaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as this book arrived, my daughter, our resident baker, grabbed it and couldn't put it down. There are so many outstanding dessert recipes in this book. It's sure to become a classic for people who love to bake. The recipes range from the simple to the sophisticated. This book will get a lot of use in my house. I've received a free copy from Lorena Jones Books in exchange for a free and unbiased review.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

So helpful and a great blend of easily accessible and more complex and impressive recipes. The perfect mix, really -- the baker's biscuits are a life changer, tbh, and understanding a bit more about the science and nuance to what makes the magic happen (but like, digestible science, if you'll pardon the pun.)
What a treat to bring a little willa jean energy to NY when I can't visit!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from my public library, and went out to buy my own copy before it was even due for return. Great foundational recipes, as well as unique spins on old classics. My only quibble is that I prefer when books have the weight measures listed instead of just by volume. On the upside now that I have my own copy I can just add my notes in the margins.

[Mskychick · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 to 3 stars for my purposes
I do like the many tips scattered throughout the cookbook
The recipes are mostly ones that I already from other sources, or they are ones that I don’t need to add to my armamentarium

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is the truth. Read it in the pandemic and read it again recently because it’s so gorgeous. LOVE her variations on Jiffy mixes. The cornbread and biscuit recipes are heirloom level and perfect. Ate a lot of these biscuits during quarantine.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is glorious! The recipes require time and attention but it’s so worth it. All the extra steps elevate the product to another level. It’s really upped my baking game. Easily my favourite cookbook.

[Amandeep · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I cannot eat any of these recipes, they look delicious. The author takes time to explain the purpose of ingredients and how they affect the end result, she also shares personal stories.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful cook book. I can't wait to make biscuits!

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wish I could cook and eat all this!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Multiple biscuit recipes. The best peanut butter cookies ever. CAKE. Creole cream cheese. Did I mention cake? Oh, and hand pies! So many good recipes in this one cookbook.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to bake, and really enjoyed reading the recipes and particularly her helpful hints. Some of the recipes are rich, so I am taking my time making them.

[Tiffany T · Rating 5 out of 5]

That pancake recipe! Wowzer!

[Beka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked me from the first sentence. Lovely photography and so many great recipes/recipe techniques that I'm dying to try!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sooo much butter and sugar!

[Dray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. All the necessary ingredients, talented baker, love of craft, love of place and culture, regional wisdom. The highest praise I can give a book is to buy it. Done!

[Brendan Behan, MFA · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped reignite my desire to expand my baking repertoire after I had spent quite some time focusing on fermented breads. For me, this book had been a great resource for biscuits, quick breads, and cornbread. I regret that I still haven't had a chance to try one of the cake recipes (perhaps soon), so I can't speak to those recipes. I'm particularly a fan of the pancake recipe, which has now become an annual tradition on my husband's birthday.

The recipes I've made from this book: "The Baker's Biscuit"; "Willa Jean Cornbread"; "Sticky Buns"; "I Really Love Pancakes"; "Warm Chocolate Pudding"; and "Oatmeal and All the Dried Fruits Cookies." Of the basics recipes, I made "Pastry Cream," and "Danish Dough."

[OvercommuniKate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is how a cookbook introduction is written! This is an enjoyable read about different types of sugar, chocolate, and flour affecting different baked goods.

The tip about letting cornbread dough rest is brilliant.

Note: for the pop culture idea of Southern food being "down to earth" the chef uses some expensive, imported ingredients.

Normally if I like a cookbook I cool a few recipes from it as a challenge but I don't feel like trying to track down European flour right now.