Synopses & Reviews
In her first cookbook, a revered former cook of one of Savannahand#39;s most bustlingand#160;restaurants divulges her locally famous Savannah recipesandmdash;many of them never written down beforeandmdash;and those of family and friends Hundreds of thousands of people have made a trip to dine on the exceptional food cooked by Dora Charles at one of Savannahand#39;s most famous restaurants. Now, the woman who was barraged by editors and agents to tell her story invites us into her home to taste the food she loves best.and#160;and#160;These are the intensely satisfying dishes at the heart of Doraand#39;s beloved Savannah: Shrimp and Rice; Simple Smoky Okra; Buttermilk Cornbread from her grandmother; and of course, a truly incomparable Fried Chicken. Each dish has a andquot;secret ingredientandquot; for a burst of flavor: mayonnaise in the biscuits; Savannah Seasoning in her Gone to Glory Potato Salad; sugar-glazed bacon in her deviled eggs. All the cornerstones of the Southern table are here, from Out-of-This-World Smothered Catfish to desserts like a jaw-dropping Very Red Velvet Cake.and#160;and#160;With moving dignity, Dora describes her motherless upbringing in Savannah, the hard life of her family, whose memories stretched back to slave times, learning to cook at age six, and the years she worked at Lady and Sons. andldquo;Talking Aboutandrdquo; boxes impart Doraandrsquo;s cooking wisdom, and evocative photos of Savannah and the Low Country set the scene.
Review
"With over a dozen cookbooks and two James Beard awards under his belt, Villas weighs in with another well-crafted work, this one focusing on the oily offerings to be found in his favorite part of the U.S"
-- Publishers Weekly and#160; "Since Americans on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line relish crisp fried foods, Villasand#8217; book, with its clear instructions, will surely reach a large audience. and#8212; Booklist and#160; Southern Friedand#160; "should be on the reading list of anyone intersted not only in Southern cooking, but in taking the pulse of American gastronomy overall." --Julia Reed The Wall Street Journal and#160; "Southern Fried is yet another indispensable book by James Villas, a food writer of the old school. He has the absolute highest standards of food and drink, an always engaging writing style, great wit, well-founded opinions, and a deep knowledge of whatever heand#8217;s writing about, be it the regional country dishes of France or the homey casseroles of his childhood in North Carolina. Last, but hardly least, he writes concise, well-tested recipes. You know by reading them that heand#8217;s cooked them over and over. In Southern Fried, as usual, he alternately has me absorbed in my reading chair or running to the kitchen to cookand#8212;sorry, fry. Crab and Corn Fritters Remoulade, anyone?" --Arthur Schwartz, NPR radio personality and author of Naples at Table: Cooking in Campania "Jim Villas is an aficionado as well as an expert of all things Southern. He makes home frying doable and delicious, with clear instructions and enthusiasm. For those with fear of frying, this is the book to buy." --Nathalie Dupree, TV host and author
The veteran cookbook writer and North Carolina native mounts a defense of frying and applies it with gusto.
--The New York Times
and#160;
Review
andquot;
A Real Southern Cook is a beautiful read, a vital illustration of Southern foodways, and an important addition to the canon of great American cookbooks.andquot; -
Matt Lee and Ted Lee, authors of
The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen andquot;Dora Charles is the real deal, and hers may be the most honest andmdash; and personal andmdash; Southern cookbook Iand#39;ve read.andquot; - John Taylor, author of Hoppinand#39; Johnand#39;s Lowcountry Cooking and owner of HoppinJohns.com
andquot;After soaking in pages of fried spareribs, red rice, and coconut cake, I just wanted to be at Doraandrsquo;s house when supper was served.andrdquo; andmdash; Vivian Howard, chef and owner, Chef and the Farmer and creator of the PBS documentary A Chefandrsquo;s Lifeand#160;
andldquo;Dora Charles and her family recipes are legendary in Savannah, and finally she has written them down for the rest of us.andrdquo; andmdash; Nathalie Dupree, author and television personality
andldquo;Dora Charles is unabashedly honest about the scarred beauty that is Southern food. It is time to make some Tomato Pie and some Hushpuppies, because within those recipes are the stories of family and place.andrdquo; andmdash;Hugh Acheson, chef and author
andquot;People like Dora and the food she cooks are what I love about the South andmdash; real people, honest cooking. Two thumbs up!andquot;and#160;andndash;Eddie Hernandez , executive chef of Taqueria del Sol restaurants
and#160;
Synopsis
In her first cookbook, a revered former cook in one of Savannahand#39;s most bustlingand#160;restaurants divulges her locally famous Savannah recipesandmdash;many of them never written down beforeandmdash;and those of family and friends.
and#160;
Synopsis
"Dora Charles is the real deal, and hers may be the most honest - and personal - southern cookbook I've ever read." - John Martin Taylor
In her first cookbook, a revered former cook at Savannah's most renowned restaurant divulges her locally famous Savannah recipes--many of them never written down before--and those of her family and friends
Hundreds of thousands of people have made a trip to dine on the exceptional food cooked by Dora Charles at Savannah's most famous restaurant. Now, the woman who was barraged by editors and agents to tell her story invites us into her home to taste the food she loves best.
These are the intensely satisfying dishes at the heart of Dora's beloved Savannah: Shrimp and Rice; Simple Smoky Okra; Buttermilk Cornbread from her grandmother; and of course, a truly incomparable Fried Chicken. Each dish has a "secret ingredient" for a burst of flavor: mayonnaise in the biscuits; Savannah Seasoning in her Gone to Glory Potato Salad; sugar-glazed bacon in her deviled eggs. All the cornerstones of the Southern table are here, from Out-of-This-World Smothered Catfish to desserts like a jaw-dropping Very Red Velvet Cake.
With moving dignity, Dora describes her motherless upbringing in Savannah, the hard life of her family, whose memories stretched back to slave times, learning to cook at age six, and the years she worked at the restaurant. "Talking About" boxes impart Dora's cooking wisdom, and evocative photos of Savannah and the Low Country set the scene.
Synopsis
The best of two worlds -- all Southern-style fried food recipes -- from renowned cooking authority James Villas with gorgeous, full-color photography throughout
Synopsis
Hush puppies, fried chicken, crab cakesand#8212;fried food is the soul of Southern cooking and has only grown in popularity in recent years. Like every one of James Villasand#8217;s cookbooks, this one is impeccably researched, with flawless recipes, history, and culture. It is filled with gorgeous color photos sure to tempt even health food fanatics, with crispy, crunchy delights in chaptersand#160;featuring eggs and cheese, seafood, breads, and Southern staples like grits, rice, and potatoes. Todayand#8217;s deep fryers make frying easier and healthier than ever; itand#8217;s as easy as pushing a button, with no risk of splattering oil, andand#160;Villasand#8217;s expertly written recipes like Sassy Shrimp Puffs, Georgia Bacon and Eggs with Hominy, Country Fried Steak, Turkey Hash Cakes, and Rosemary Pork Chops will ensure perfect results. This isnand#8217;t diet food, to be sure, but these are dishes that people love, and itand#8217;s safer and healthier than ever to fry without any sacrifice in flavor.
About the Author
From a huge Savannah family of natural cooks, DORA CHARLES worked for Paula Deen for 22 years, from her original restaurant to Lady and Sons, where she taught dozens of staffers and managers. A stickler for quality, Dora became the first woman kitchen manager.