Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this book, free of charge, from Thomas Nelson Publishing, via the Book Look Blogging Program, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about them.
As this blog will be shut down for the holiday, and returning on Monday,
you're getting your weekly Recipe Weekend post today!
Synopsis:
When Ben Franklin lobbied his fellow founding fathers to consider the wild turkey as our young country’s national symbol, perhaps he should have considered the pig. Arguably the most democratic of all proteins, pork is welcome across the country from a gourmet pork belly dish on the menu of the toniest Charleston bistro to a whole hog roasting in a hole dug in the sand of a beach in LA (Lower Alabama).
Pork is also uniquely democratic in that it is a meat that is welcome at every meal. The old saw goes that when considering a breakfast of bacon and eggs, "the chicken is involved, but the pig is committed." While you may occasionally see a breakfast steak on the menu, the pig is the star of the morning meal. A thick-sliced smoked bologna purchased from a gas station deli in rural Tennessee is the perfect working man’s lunch, unless you consider the ultimate demonstration of the nose-to-tail versatility of the pig, a snoot sandwich made from a boiled hog’s nose slapped between two slices of white bread. Feel free not to consider that for too long…
The Southern Foodie’s Guide to the Pig takes you on several journeys. An anatomic survey of the pig introduces readers to all the parts of this versatile animal and teaches procedures and recipes to prepare all sorts of wonderful dishes. A geographic tour of the Southern states will showcase restaurants in the region that have particular talents when it comes to pork. The chefs and pitmasters have shared some of their most sacred secrets, the actual recipes for the best pork, barbecue and bacon dishes that emerge from their kitchens. Finally, since man cannot live by pig alone (unfortunately), there is also a selection of recipes that are great accompaniments to the pork dishes contributed by the fifty Southern restaurants that are featured.
Review:
This book is part cookbook, part pitmaster instructional and part travel guide! Many Southerner's may be surprised at how many of the restaurants they have actually eaten at, from the list. If you LOVE BBQ, or know someone who does, you'll LOVE this book! The recipes are superb and the color pictures will have you salivating (do NOT look at this book on an empty stomach- you have been warned!). I found myself plotting out weekend excursions to hit the restaurants we haven't eaten at! If you love to grill and smoke your meat, the prep tips, methods, and brines and sauces, will really help you elevate you to the pitmaster level!.
This is a superb book to add to your cookbook shelf, or to keep on the coffee table to remind you of trips you want to take. It is also makes a wonderful holiday gift, that will keep on giving to the recipient, and remind them of your thoughtfulness, every time they use it!
About the Author:
Chris Chamberlain is a food and drink 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 has also contributed to the Nashville City Paper, Nashville Lifestyles magazine, 2001 Edgehill and at www.geardiary.com.
Recipe:
And now for an old time Southern favorite,
that is PERFECT for your Christmas or New Year's tables!
And it's from a great restaurant in local Hattiesburg, MS!
Best part- you can cook it outside on the grill, freeing up space in the oven for the sides and pies!
You'll get plenty of ooh and aahs from this one!
Dr. Pepper Glazed Ham,
from the Purple Parrot Cafe
Thanks for stopping in and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Comments
Post a Comment