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24 What Is Southern?

A granddaughter of freed slaves, the late Edna Lewis left home when she was just 16 years old and went on to become a reknowned chef at Manhattan's star-studded Café Nicholson. Her books have spread the gospel of genuine southern cuisine and inspired a generation of home cooks. In this never-before published essay, she shares a lifetime's worth of experience as she answers the question, "What is southern?"

Plus: We have more than a dozen recipes, including buttermilk cookies, fried apple pies, greens with cornmeal dumplings, potato casserole, and smothered steak.

66 Good Day Sunshine

This country brunch from Atlanta chef Scott Peacock—pimento cheese toasts, braised pork shoulder hash, Lowcountry breakfast shrimp, buttermilk biscuits, spoon-bread muffins, sweet-potato pudding with apples and chestnuts, and more—is a langorous taste of tradition worth clearing your whole day for.

Photographs by Mikkel Vang

Recipes by Scott Peacock

98 Nashville Native

Pack your bags, because once you've read this Nashville native's love letter to her hometown, you'll want to head to the airport and catch the next plane.

By Ann Patchett

Magazine / Gourmet Entertains

80 Get Your Dixie Kicks

Cheese straws; fried chicken with bacon and pepper cream gravy; mashed red-skin potatoes; buttered peas with onion; sweet cucumber and radish salad; and a luscious lemon meringue pie keep the accent on easy.

Recipes by Lillian Chou

Photographs by Ditte Isager

Magazine / Seasonal Kitchen

92 Belles of the Ball

It's time to meet some real southern beauties. Allow us to introduce you to: mile-high chocolate cake, pecan fig bourbon cake, caramel cake, citrus pound cake, and more.

Recipes by Ruth Cousineau

Photographs by Romulo Yanes

Magazine / Good Reading

53 Civic Pride

Since 2000, the Atlanta metropolitan area has absorbed nearly 900,000 new residents. Until recently, though, it didn't have many restaurants that exalted true regional food and tradition. Now a new crop of chefs is embracing the past while redefining the future.

By John T. Edge

Recipes by Linton Hopkins

64 Staying on Alone

Scott Peacock was a talented but directionless chef when he met Edna Lewis. Her wisdom ignited his, and Peacock is now the pride of the culinary South. There were, however, a few bumps along the way.

By Laura Shapiro

Magazine / Roadfood

58

When it comes to amazing barbecue, North Carolina's Skylight Inn goes whole hog.

By Jane and Michael Stern

Magazine / Drinks

62 Wine Advice

Greek red wines with a casual southern supper? You betcha. Plus reds from Portugal that are perfect for Sunday brunch.

By Gerald Asher

Magazine / Kitchen Notebook
Giving rise to the best buttermilk biscuits you've ever baked and everything you need to know about some of the South's favorite ingredients.
Magazine / The Last Touch

114 Nut Job

Recipes for deviled ham tea sandwiches, currant bread, sautéed trout, and shortbread cookies will convince you that pecan don't just belong in pies.

Recipes and Food Styling by Paul Grimes

Magazine / Departments
  • 18 Letter from the Editor
  • 20 Letters
  • 23 You Asked for It
  • 112 Shopping
  • 113 Recipe Index and Tips