Must-Have Savor the South Cookbooks for the Summer

Did you know that all of our Savor the South cookbooks are now available in paperback format? Written by well-known cooks and food lovers, filled with personality and informative culinary history, and a treasure of some fifty recipes, you’ll want to have all of these cookbooks on your shelf!

Below you can find some Savor the South cookbooks that are a must-have for your summer cooking. You can browse the full list of cookbooks here.

“A sharp collection of slim, single-subject volumes exploring Southern food from the University of North Carolina Press”

The New York Times

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Barbecue by John Shelton Reed

“A very good cookbook on Southern barbecue. . . The writing is so good, and with such good humor, you can simply read and enjoy this book without trying any of the recipes.”—San Francisco Book Review

In a lively and amusing style, Reed traces the history of southern barbecue from its roots in the sixteenth-century Caribbean, showing how this technique of cooking meat established itself in the coastal South and spread inland from there. This book will put southerners in touch with their heritage and let those who aren’t southerners pretend that they are.

Chicken by Cynthia Graubart

Third Prize winner, M.F.K. Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing, Les Dames d’Escoffier International

“A tidy roundup done in good taste; we especially like the categories of whole birds, and pieces.”—Bonnie S. Benwick, The Washington Post

Graubart brings together the chicken’s culinary history with the popular culture and lore that surrounds chicken cookery in the South and packs all the know-how that cooks need to make irresistible chicken dishes for everyday and special occasions, from shopping and selecting to cutting up, frying, braising, roasting, and much more.

Okra by Virgini Willis

“50 delicious recipes, both southern and worldwide, and just about everything else you would ever want to know about okra.”—Foodsite Magazine

Passionate okra lovers crave this bright green, heat-loving vegetable, whether fried, grilled, steamed, roasted, boiled, broiled, pickled, raw, whole, sliced, or julienned. With Okra, Virginia Willis provides “the key that unlocks the door of okra desire” to okra addicts and newcomers to the pod alike.

Greens by Thomas Head

“Will prompt cooks to head straight to the produce aisle.”—The Sun News

Head provides a fascinating culinary and natural history of greens in the South, as well as an overview of the many varieties of edible greens that are popular in the region. Including practical information about cultivation, selection, and preparation, Head also shows how greens are embraced around the world for their taste and healthfulness.

Corn by Tema Flanagan

“Flanagan leaves no kernel unpopped as she explores some of the grain’s lesser-known history and uses.”—Chapel Hill Magazine

High summer calls for fresh corn eaten on the cob or shaved into salads, sautés, and soups. Without corn, Tema Flanagan writes, the South would cease to taste like the South. Her treasury of fifty-one recipes demonstrates deliciously just how important the remarkable Zea mays is to southern culture and cuisine.

Crabs & Oysters by Bill Smith

“A readable and intimate cookbook that doubles as a memoir.”—Independent Weekly

Crabs and oysters take center stage as Chef Bill Smith conveys his passion for preparing these sumptuous shellfish long associated with southern coastlines.

Rice by Michael W. Twitty

One of The New York Times Best Cookbooks of 2021

“The new cookbook from James Beard Award-winning writer Michael W. Twitty is a thin volume full of depth.”—USA Today

Exploring rice’s culinary history and African diasporic identity, Twitty shows how to make the southern classics as well as international dishes—everything from Savannah Rice Waffles to Ghanaian Crab Stew.

Pickles & Preserves by Andrea Weigl

“For any homesteading novice who’s been intimidated by the idea of preserving, Weigl’s book can be a confidence-booster.”—Edible Charlotte

With complete, easy-to-follow instructions and troubleshooting tips, Pickles and Preserves highlights the regional flair that southern cooks bestow on this traditional art of survival in preserving the South’s bountiful harvest. The fifty classic and inventive recipes–from Dilly Beans and Pickled Okra to Muscadine Jam and Habañero Gold Pepper Jelly–will have beginners and veterans alike rolling up their sleeves.

Fruit by Nancie McDermott

U.S. Finalist, Fruit Category, Gourmand Awards

“Reinterpret[s] the region’s indigenous fruits, such as strawberries and mayhaws, as well as non-native fruits often found in Southern kitchens, like figs and peaches. . . . Prompt[s] readers to think outside the box (or should we say bushel?)”—Chapel Hill Magazine

Fruit collects a dozen of the South’s bountiful locally sourced fruits in a cook’s basket of fifty-four luscious dishes, savory and sweet.