Mat Madness

In its almost 50 parts, all written by experienced cooks and cook book writers, HP Books' "The Book of ... Cooking" series takes you to the cuisines of various regions of the U.S. and around the world; all in easy to follow, well-explained recipes. This installment, the Book of Regional American Cooking (Southern), starts with a brief introduction to the necessary equipment and utensils and a glossary of ingredients of the Southern cuisine, and then presents recipe suggestions for all major courses, from appetizers, soups and salads to side dishes, breads and desserts. Special chapters are dedicated to seafood, poultry and (red) meat. Classics such as gumbo, catfish, hush puppies, okra, plantains, sweet potatoes, bourbon sauce and mint julep appear next to variations on classic recipes (chocolate bread pudding, herbed grits souffle) and unique dishes such as chicken with guava sauce and orange-nut bread. From ambrosia to white coconut cake and wilted greens salad, this collection of recipes, while not all-encompassing, is a great introduction to the richness and unique flavors of the Southern cuisine - and at a relative bargain price, to boot. Also recommended: Around the World Cookbook Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant: Ethnic and Regional Recipes from the Cooks at the Legendary Restaurant (Cookery) Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals (4th Edition) Textbook only Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition - 2006