Last Thursday the Press had a fabulous launch party for Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue at The Pit in downtown Raleigh. We celebrated with authors John Shelton Reed, Dale Volberg Reed, and William McKinney as well as several pitmasters featured in the book, including Ed Mitchell (pitmaster at The Pit), Samuel [...]

Folks, Holy Smoke is hot! Thank you!
The book popped up in the #15 spot in hardcover nonfiction on SIBA’s (Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance) Southern Indie Bestseller List for the week ending November 2.
This morning’s News & Observer featured an interview with the Reeds.
Today, John and Dale Reed talked to Frank Stasio on The State of [...]

Well, it’s the semi-annual “clean-up day” here at UNC Press. That means everybody (except Courtney, whose office is always clean) takes some time to get their offices in order, thin out their email archives, and purge outdated files. A few extra HUGE recycling bins are brought in and are often filled to overflowing. Oh, [...]

If you’ve already gotten your hands on a copy of Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue, you’ve seen that the book opens with the lyrics of a song penned in the book’s honor by Tommy Edwards, lead singer and guitarist for The Bluegrass Experience, based in Chatham County. Well, folks, Tommy’s recorded [...]

This weekend is the 25th annual Lexington Barbecue Festival!  Hit the road and head on down to Lexington, North Carolina, “the barbecue capital of the world,” for food, fun, and entertainment. Exhibits open at 8:30 a.m. Barbecue tents open at 10:00 a.m.
Our very own Will McKinney, coauthor of Holy Smoke: The Big Book of [...]

Before the week gets away from me, I wanted to be able to share some more of the online buzz UNC Press books have gotten lately. It’s all about FOOD . . .

Nancy Carter Crump’s Hearthside Cooking: Early American Southern Cuisine Updated for Today’s Hearth and Cookstove is hitting bookstores now. Get an early taste [...]

The University of North Carolina Press was not the only out-of-towner attending the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville Oct. 10-Oct. 12. Comedian and actor Robin Williams strolled through the War Memorial Plaza on Sunday and checked out what UNC Press had to offer. He even purchased Lincoln and the Decision for War, by [...]

Grab your oyster knives and crab crackers! This weekend, Morehead City will be hosting the 22nd Annual North Carolina Seafood Festival. Friday through Sunday, October 3-5, locals and out-of-towners can enjoy all the Crystal Coast has to offer. Events include the Outer Banks Boat Show, cooking demonstrations by renowned chefs, live music, rides, an open [...]

I grew up in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, the eldest child of parents who’s idea of gastronomic adventure was going out to the local Hot Shoppes Cafeteria (you southerners just think the K&W and you’ll get the idea). It wasn’t until I was eighteen, when I grew my hair long, pierced [...]

Last night I had a problem many can relate to—all I wanted was something CHOCOLATE. Seeing as how I was too tired to run to the store for a sweet tooth fix or even try and attempt something overly complicated at home, I turned to Mama Dip’s Family Cookbook to see if there was [...]

Well, the dog days of summer are upon us, and folks (down here, at least) are trying to keep cool any way they can. My new favorite method? A chilled slice of homemade Key Lime Coconut Pie with Rum Cream, just one of the many fail-proof recipes in Karen Barker’s fabulous dessert cookbook, Sweet Stuff: [...]

Temperatures here in the Raleigh and Chapel Hill area have been climbing steadily over the past weeks, settling into the mid-to-upper 90s. It’s not hard to find people willing to complain about the heat and the humidity and how awful it is outside. When I hear such talk I just smile and nod [...]

Keeping with the coastal Carolina theme of the past couple of weekend roadtrips, this week’s suggestions get you in the kitchen and on the move. Guides for preparing seafood, bird watching, and visiting historic architecture after the jump…

The biggest annual trade show in the American book biz, BookExpo America was held in Los Angeles this year from May 29 to June 1. UNC Press had a double booth and featured several great books coming up on our Fall 2008 list. Pics of our booth and a peek at some forthcoming gems, after [...]