The Southern Foodie by Chris Chamberlain

The Southern Foodie: 100 Places to Eat in the South Before You Die (and the Recipes That Made Them Famous)
by Chris Chamberlain
Non-Fiction / Food / Cookbook
Available September 18, 2012
Thomas Nelson
288 pages

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About the Book
Thirteen states, 100 chefs, and 134 recipes later, one thing is clear: the food of the American South tells a story that spans the distance from New Orleans to Louisville, Little Rock to Charleston, Nashville to Dallas, and every city in between. The Southern Foodie explores a hearty swath of the South’s culinary culture, following its roots and exploring its evolution in the region’s best restaurants.

Meet the people who are keeping the tradition alive and reinventing the flavors of the South. Swing on down to the Gulf Coast, and wade into a chef’s wonderland of fresh seafood and spicy heat. Check out the culinary creativity in the Carolinas, where you’ll find traditional smoked pork barbecue alongside Southern favorites made with fresh, local produce. Explore the restaurant kitchens of Atlanta and Nashville, where the chefs aren’t shy about fusing comfort food standards with international flair and unexpected techniques. Join Chris Chamberlain for access to the South’s best recipes and the kitchens where they were developed.

    •    Jalapeño-and-Cheese-Stuffed Grit Cakes from Mason’s Grill, Baton Rouge, LA
    •    Roasted Heirloom Pumpkin with Mulled Sorghum Glaze from Capitol Grille, Nashville, TN
    •    Country Ham Fritters from Proof on Main, Louisville, KY
    •    Blue Crab Cheesecake from Old Firehouse Restaurant, Hollywood, SC
    •    Apricot Fried Pies from Penguin Ed’s Bar-B-Q, Fayetteville, AR

The Southern Foodie shows you where the South eats and how to create those distinct flavors at home. You’re sure to rediscover old favorites and get a closer look at the delicious new traditions in Southern cuisine.

My Thoughts
Being a southern gal, I can tell you I know southern food, so I was excited to receive The Southern Foodie by Chris Chamberlain for review. Some of the recipes featured are true southern dishes while others could better be classified as "fancy" southern cooking. Regardless, though, my husband and I found lots of new dishes we would like to try out and plenty of restaurants that we will be visiting in the future.

I love the page-long introductions to each restaurant. They provide an initial description and alert visitors to dishes that are not to be missed. Each intro also provides hints about the type of cuisine, atmosphere, specialties, and insider tips.

The Southern Foodie is the perfect addition to any foodie's cookbook collection and would make a wonderful gift. [4 stars]

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze program in exchange for my fair and honest review.

About the Author
Chris Chamberlain is a food, drink and travel writer based in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has lived his entire life except for four years in California where he studied liberal arts at Stanford University and learned how to manipulate chopsticks. He is a regular writer for the Nashville Scene and their "Bites" food blog. He is also the Southern correspondent for FoodRepublic.com, a national website dedicated to "Drinking, Eating, and Living the Way a Man Should."