James Villas: Glory of Southern Cooking

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Look at the cover of The Glory of Southern Cooking (Wiley 2007), James Villas' handsome and sweeping tome on the best of Southern cooking: There is a basket of crispy fried chicken with a wing just tipped out of the side, calling out to be eaten. Underneath are a list of recipes the book includes: Best Beer-Batter Fried Chicken (which must be the picture wing), Cracklin' Biscuits, Carolina Pulled Pork, Fried Okra, Kentucky Cheese Pudding, Hummingbird Cake and 375 Other Delectable Dishes. Roll out the wagon, we're goin' to a picnic! This is a generous book, full of fundamental knowledge, simple to sophisticate recipes, and lore. James' goals are certainly loftier than providing picnic or dinner recipes for nostalgic Southerners and their fans: But only the South, if only by the sheer number and variety of its dishes developed over the centuries can claim to have created and codified a regional cuisine that is as readily identifiable as, indeed, those of France, Italy and even China... the primary goal I set for myself with this book was to canvas the food traditions of every single state in the South, try to clarify the similarities and differences among most of the best-known classic dishes, expose numerous area specialties that remain obscure and could even be on the verge of extinction, and generally document, in recipes and headnotes, the most important factors inherent in this unique style of cooking. (p. ix) James bemoans the health police effect on traditional Southern breakfasts and lard cooking, and yet he is optimistic that Southern cuisine can withstand the onslaught and that Southern traditions will be preserved. This book goes a long way in the cause. The book starts off with an Introduction that describes equipment like cast-iron cookware; ingredients like streak-'o-lean or salt pork; and special cooking techniques like red-eyed gravy. He follows this up with an excellent Southern Glossary, indispensable for reading the rest of the book. The Barbecue chapter displays James' real breath. Here are four barbecue recipes for ribs, as well as more for pulled pork, pork loin and then other meats, like veal, chicken, duck, quail, fish, seafood and even Lynchburg Barbecued Rabbit with Raisin-Whiskey Sauce (p. 234). The Barbecued Shredded Pork (p. 223) James says, is a version of French rillettes, or potted pork cooked in its own fat, prepared by Louis Osteen in South Carolina. The French wouldn't recognize the barbecue sauce but they would definitely approve of the technique. He has recipes for a Basic Vinegar Barbeque Moppin' Sauce (p. 235) that best eaten with pulled pork, a Basic Tomato Barbecue Sauce (p. 236) for pork or beef brisket, and Basic Dry-Rub Barbecue Mix (p. 237) for all sorts of meats and fish. Many northerners would identify grits as a typical Southern ingredient. James has a chapter devoted to Rice & Grits, which includes a recipe from Paula Deen, Paula's Tomato Grits (p. 286). James remarks: " …at least for me, the most sensational (and unusual) dish are these luscious tomato grits sparked with tiny green chiles." He also includes Gullah Shrimp and Grits Casserole (p. 289) along with Captain Jules's Shrimp and Grits (p. 290) amd Tennessee Shrimp and Grits (p. 292) that could be included in the long list Bubba recites to Forest Gump. He also includes an usual Greek dish, Tapon Springs Feta Grits Souffle (p. 296) made with Greek feta (he mentions Romanian feta, when it is more typically Bulgarian, Greek or Danish feta that is available in this country. Glancing down the lists of recipes is like reading a map of poetic, lyrical names of the towns, regions and dialects of the South. James Villas has not only collected the South's most famous recipes, but also rescued from obscurity, many of the most interesting and least known. His recipes are clear and informative and the headnotes are personal and fascinating. So whether you buy this book to learn to make a perfect biscuit for that picnic (you'll have half a dozen to choose from) or to delve into the nuances of regional Southern cuisine, it is a rich and rewarding book. Previous articles: Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters Turn Up the Heat With G. Garvin Cajun Kitchen: Terri Pischoff Wuerthner [Cookbook reviews -- complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, James Villas, Southern Cooking --> back to superchefblog