The food of the South tends to inspire great writing. (See: John Egerton in his essential tome Southern Food, or Ronnie Lundy in her Appalachian ode Victuals). Two Nashville chefs, who are both in pursuit of discovering something deeper about Southern food, are picking up the conversation with their own viewpoints in new cookbooks out this month.
South | Sean Brock
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South
Following up on his first book, Heritage, chef Sean Brock releases South (Artisan), a book of Southern essentials and new interpretations. If Heritage was a long-simmering, storytelling stew, South is a precise collection of individual flavors on the plate. This book homes in on Brock’s insatiable quest to go hyper-local–which is perhaps a glimpse of what he’ll be showcasing at his forthcoming Nashville restaurant. He suggests that by definition, Southern cuisine is hyperseasonal and hyperlocal, and that by sourcing or making food only from within the region (even replacing pantry staples like balsamic vinegar and olive oil with house-made or regional options), you can truly taste the South. Alongside his technique-driven recipes for shrimp and grits, fried chicken (one he says he’s constantly tweaking), succotash, and fried apples, he offers guides on how to make butter, making molasses out of muscadines, and putting up preserves.
“Sharing my increasing respect for local ingredients, treating them simply, and giving them the spotlight has become my obsession,” he writes.
Look, too, for a lengthy guide to grills and grilling techniques, as well as a super-handy Country Ham Road Map.
Seeking the South | Rob Newton
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Seeking the South
In Seeking the South (Avery), chef Rob Newton of Gray & Dudley travels from region to region with an understanding that Southern cuisine has many influences, historically and from a multitude of other cultures. A veteran of the Gulf War who lived in Germany as an exchange student, Newton’s travels away from the South, including trips to Vietnam, exposed him to the multiple and unexpected connections between other cuisines and what we find here today.
“The South is not some static hunk of America, impervious to new influences. Each of its distinct regions has been shaped by people from elsewhere, whether it’s the European settlers and enslaved Africans in the past or the immigrant diasporas arriving today,” he writes.
Thus, he organizes by region: Upper to Deep South, Coastal Plains and Piedmont, to the Gulf Coast. There are classics, like hot potlikker, oyster and bacon dressing, and Hoppin’ John, plus a range of “signature” regional fare—pepperoni rolls from West Virginia, tamale pie from Mississippi, lumpia inspired by the Filipino community of Virginia Beach. It’s full of unexpected cultural connections as well as a comprehensive list of new Southern dishes.
Both books hold a number of recipe gems, as well as the kind of personal and educational stories that share the chefs’ perspectives while teaching you something delicious along the way.