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Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread & Scuppernong Wine: The Folklore and Art of Southern Appalachian Cooking
Winner of the James Beard Cookbook of the Year award, Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread & Scuppernong Wine combines delicious recipes of Appalachian cuisine with the folklore surrounding the area's pioneer and present-day homesteaders. A modern-day classic, Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread & Scuppernong Wine serves up scrumptious Blue Ridge hill-country food and folklore in celebration of the fine people, rich traditions, and natural beauty found in one of the South's most treasured regions. Each page is packed with engaging stories on moonshine and bourbon, corn bread and biscuits, and the succulent glory of wild game and smokehouse ham! Simple (and often surprising) recipes for home cooks call forth memories of grandma's kitchen table, and photographs bring to life the history of the trees, foothills, and mountain towns. Don't read on an empty stomach! Praise for Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread & Scuppernong Wine : "Joe's book makes my mouth water for Southern food and my heart hunger for Southern stories. Not since the Foxfire series has something out of the Appalachian experience thrilled me as much." ― Pat Conroy, New York Times bestselling author of South of Broad "Joe Dabney's prize-winning book humanizes Southern food with its charming stories and interviews."― Nathalie Dupree, author of Nathalie Dupree's Shrimp and Grits Cookbook
528 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1998
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189 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
July 26, 2015
For those out there who want something more than just a compendium of recipes, look no further. This is more than just a cookbook; it's a snapshot of a way of life that is rapidly disappearing. In addition to recipes and cooking techniques you'll find interesting facts about Appalachian culture and the people who live there. Before the influx of German, Scotch-Irish and English settlers, this region was first home to the Cherokee, and their influence can be seen throughout this book.
Between the covers you'll can find everything from hog killing to the history of moonshine. In addition to wines, beers, brandies and teas, there's recipes for making your own corn liquor and Kentucky moonshine using an 80 gallon still.
In addition to recipes for bear, raccoon, venison, squirrel, opossum and other wild beasts (even snapping turtles,) there's sections on wild fruits and nuts, as well as local greens with advice on how to use them without getting poisoned,
"Knowledgeable mountain folks have long known that while poke is an effective springtime pick-me-up, the nightshade plant has to be handled with care. Only the early first shoots should be used and even they must be parboiled before being fried and eaten."
There's also information on canning, putting up preserves and a number of other practices that have been lost to modern convenience. This along with the Firefox series are my first go to resources for information and recipes on this unique slice of Americana.
Between the covers you'll can find everything from hog killing to the history of moonshine. In addition to wines, beers, brandies and teas, there's recipes for making your own corn liquor and Kentucky moonshine using an 80 gallon still.
In addition to recipes for bear, raccoon, venison, squirrel, opossum and other wild beasts (even snapping turtles,) there's sections on wild fruits and nuts, as well as local greens with advice on how to use them without getting poisoned,
"Knowledgeable mountain folks have long known that while poke is an effective springtime pick-me-up, the nightshade plant has to be handled with care. Only the early first shoots should be used and even they must be parboiled before being fried and eaten."
There's also information on canning, putting up preserves and a number of other practices that have been lost to modern convenience. This along with the Firefox series are my first go to resources for information and recipes on this unique slice of Americana.
May 14, 2021
Oh my goodness! I took a long time reading this one. I started reading this about the time when the pandemic started. We were also having rolling blackouts and while we were dealing with that, this book was a comfort, reading in front of the woodstove.
I was raised by two southern applachian parents and my mother of course was cooking food that she was raised on. Though of course she had to improvise because of not being close to fresh farm bounty. Though I do remember one year we ordered two hog heads from a Safeway store. We spent several days making headcheese. Reading this book felt like home!
I was raised by two southern applachian parents and my mother of course was cooking food that she was raised on. Though of course she had to improvise because of not being close to fresh farm bounty. Though I do remember one year we ordered two hog heads from a Safeway store. We spent several days making headcheese. Reading this book felt like home!
January 1, 2008
I picked up a copy of this food history/cookbook in N GA while on vacation and quickly devoured its tasty mix of history and food lore. This amazing book tells the story of the Celts who immigrated over the Great Philadelphia Wagon Road in the 1700s. There are many old recipes, some sound strange, others tasty, but this is far more than a cookbook. Chapers deal with folklore, family traditions, and the social life of these stubborn, hardscrabble mountain people. The author, himself a product of rural NC life, has interviewed many mountain people, and the book bursts with their collected memories. In the vein of the Foxfire series, this is a great book about mountain folks and food.
January 4, 2019
I actually have the first (1998) edition, but it was not a selection. A James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year winner, this book is a treasure-trove of Smoky Mountain and Blue Ridge Mountain folklore and folkways. The book is aptly sub-titled "A celebration of foodlore handed down from Scotland, England, Ireland, Germany, and the Cherokee Nation." Divided into 4 sections - Folklore, Art, Foods, & Blessings, all of which are chocked full of mouth-watering recipes. Very nice B/W photos and quotes, poems, and writings of locals, some well-known but most not. A very good read and anyone interested in the history, culture, and heritage, not to mention foods, of the mountains of NC should own, enjoy and use this book.
May 6, 2025
This is a great book, but the author really only focuses on a few places in GA, SC, and NC, sometimes KY (that's not in southern Appalachia). I know it's already a hefty tome, he could have looked at other areas, too. It did remind me of all the good food I ate at home and my grandmas' houses. I sure miss that and will be making the effort to return to those foods to make sure my kids know them, too.
May 13, 2024
This is a really good overview of Appalachian food culture, which includes a lot of good history and recipes. Some of the content is a bit repetitive, but it's a fascinating read and matches a lot of what my grandparents have told me about their lives growing up in 1940s and 1950s Western North Carolina.
May 3, 2021
A wonderful, well written, informative, and completely researched. I loved every page, every recipe, and all the fascinating stories. 100% recommendation for you to read and enjoy this book!!
October 1, 2014
Review of: Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread, & Scuppernong Wine, the Folklore and Art of Southern Appalachian Cooking
By Joseph E. Dabney
Review written by Tiffany Kreierhoff
I love flipping through cookbooks. I tend to find interesting recipes that I want to try out on my own. Or at least I find pictures of this I wish I had the skill and patience to make. This cookbook was different. I was unable to do that with this one. In no way does this mean that I didn’t find some interesting recipes, this book has many. But it also has so much more. I read it cover to cover, and while I picked it up at the library I do plan on purchasing a copy of my own.
Joseph Dabney did a wonderful job researching this book. He peppers the work with plenty of quotes taken directly from mountain people that he interviewed. There is nothing that gives more authenticity to a work than stories of firsthand experience. The delightful part of these interviews are the fact that all of the people that gave them are older people. People that remember the hard times of the depression and gave firsthand accounts of what it took for their family to survive.
What did families eat during the hard winter months in the Appalachian area? What kind of nuts can be collected in the hills? What’s the best way to prepare greens? And most importantly what the heck is a scuppernong? All of these questions and more can be answered in this book.
This book is also full of regional wisdom. The reader will learn a little bit about what is means to planting vegetables by the signs, and when is the best time of year to be slaughtering hogs.
This book is a must read for anyone that is interested in the practices of food preparation of a bygone era. In its pages you will find knowledge of a group of people that managed to take a rugged area and turn it into a home.
By Joseph E. Dabney
Review written by Tiffany Kreierhoff
I love flipping through cookbooks. I tend to find interesting recipes that I want to try out on my own. Or at least I find pictures of this I wish I had the skill and patience to make. This cookbook was different. I was unable to do that with this one. In no way does this mean that I didn’t find some interesting recipes, this book has many. But it also has so much more. I read it cover to cover, and while I picked it up at the library I do plan on purchasing a copy of my own.
Joseph Dabney did a wonderful job researching this book. He peppers the work with plenty of quotes taken directly from mountain people that he interviewed. There is nothing that gives more authenticity to a work than stories of firsthand experience. The delightful part of these interviews are the fact that all of the people that gave them are older people. People that remember the hard times of the depression and gave firsthand accounts of what it took for their family to survive.
What did families eat during the hard winter months in the Appalachian area? What kind of nuts can be collected in the hills? What’s the best way to prepare greens? And most importantly what the heck is a scuppernong? All of these questions and more can be answered in this book.
This book is also full of regional wisdom. The reader will learn a little bit about what is means to planting vegetables by the signs, and when is the best time of year to be slaughtering hogs.
This book is a must read for anyone that is interested in the practices of food preparation of a bygone era. In its pages you will find knowledge of a group of people that managed to take a rugged area and turn it into a home.
April 9, 2011
This book is full of stories of the people of the Smoky Mountains. My favorite chapters are devoted to Fruits. Some of the mouth watering recipes are: Stewed Apples, Fried Apples, Apple Dumplings, Peach Cobbler,Peach Butter, Blackberry Cobbler, Scuppernong Jelly,and yes, Scuppernong wine, which I plan to try! Now, I will warn you that there are recipes for some things that I will not try, such as Turtle Stew, Squirrel Pie, and Possum and Sweet Potatoes. However, there are enough great ones like Tomato Gravy, Mint Juleps, Angel Biscuits spoon bread, and apple butter to more than make up for the unusable ones. If you want to cook up some serious southern food that is sure to be authentic and delicious, you cannot go wrong with this book!
September 18, 2008
This is one of the best cookbooks I've ever read. I loved every minute of it. I may never cook any of the recipes, but I will read this book over and over again. It gives you some history and some insight into life in Southern Appalachia as well as recipes for some...ahem..."unique" culinary delights. You don't have to cook to enjoy reading this book.
May 6, 2012
One of the best cookbooks I've ever read. Not only are the recipes delicious and nostalgic, but the book itself is a wonderful read with great, old pictures. Being that my family's heritage is from the same origins and area, although we are far removed from the places and people, I felt a special connection to this book.
June 24, 2010
Interesting, if a bit too anecdotal and familiar/folksy. The whole "we all knew dinner was gonna be good when granny started sharpening her chicken-killin' knife" talk got tiresome.
The chapters on home brewing/fruit wine/moonshine were very good. Recipes included!
I am glad I read it.
The chapters on home brewing/fruit wine/moonshine were very good. Recipes included!
I am glad I read it.
September 6, 2012
More novel or textbook than a cookbook, I can't believe how much I learned from reading this! The personal stories included with the recipes are endearing, and the history and folklore are fascinating. Loved it!
January 11, 2014
I originally thought this was more of a cookbook, but it turned out to be a great look at the history of some of Appalachia's most 'famous' food... while I may never actually cook from the book, I feel like I know more about the dishes I have heard so much about while living here in VA.
July 4, 2009
I recommend this for any foodies out there. Good history good reading good eats.
June 14, 2009
Love the cultural and historical foodie tidbits, and some good down home yummy recipes.
June 14, 2011
I think I will go order my own copy of this wonderful book.
August 5, 2013
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!
August 17, 2012
This book ROCKS!
September 24, 2012
I loved the history and stories of Appalachia. Of course, as always new cooking ideas are welcomed!
December 15, 2015
One of the staples in my kitchen, much-stained, much-thumbed, much-loved.
dnf-2
September 10, 2016Had too much about the culture, when what I wanted was a focus on the food.
July 7, 2019
LOVE THIS BOOK. It was one of the first books I read when I moved into the area, and it taught me a lot about local customs and foodways.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews