Southern Grit: 100+ Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Cook

by Kelsey Barnard Clark

Antonis Achilleos (Photographer)

A modern take on Southern cooking with 100+ accessible Southern recipes and hospitality tips, from Kelsey Barnard Clark, 2016 Top Chef winner and Fan Favorite

From preeminent chef, multitasking mom, proud Southerner, and 2016 Top Chef winner Kelsey Barnard Clark comes this fresh take on Southern cooking and entertaining.

In Southern Grit, Kelsey Barnard Clark presents more than 100 recipes that are made to be shared with family and friends. Indulge your loved ones in delicious modern Southern meals, including Bomb Nachos, Savannah Peach Sangria, Roasted Chicken and Drippin' Veggies, and six variations of Icebox Cookies.

Featuring beautifully styled shots of finished dishes and the Southern home style, as well as Kelsey Barnard Clark's tips for stocking the pantry, entertaining with ease, and keeping your house guest-ready (with or without toddlers).

Readers of Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines and Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon, fans of Kelsey Barnard Clark and her stint on Top Chef, and any home cooks who love cooking and serving Southern food, have a young family, and like to host guests will appreciate these modern homemaking tips, the approachable instruction, and the contemporary repertoire of recipes that brim with flavors of the Deep South.

SOUTHERN FOOD IS PERENNIALLY POPULAR: With 100 simple recipes that cover all occasions, plus entertaining tips throughout the book, Southern Grit has wide-ranging appeal for the broad audience of people who love Southern flavors.

TOP CHEF WINNER & FAN FAVORITE: Kelsey Barnard Clark’s personality and talent were showcased on Top Chef, leading her to win the title of Fan Favorite in addition to winning the season overall—only the second time in 16 seasons when that’s happened. 

Perfect for:

• Fans of TOP CHEF and Kelsey Barnard Clark
• Southerners and fans of Southern cooking
• Home cooks who like to host and entertain
• Home cooks with young families

• ISBN10: 1797205579
• ISBN13: 9781797205571
• Publish Date: 2 September 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Chronicle Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 256
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Southern Grit: 100+ Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Cook is a cookbook full of southern (American) traditional recipes developed and curated by Kelsey Barnard Clark. Due out 10th Aug 2021 from Chronicle Books, it's 256 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

I grew up in Appalachia and this food is in my DNA. There is something so deeply satisfying and tasty about the cuisine which is also tied up for me with family reunions, hospitality, multi-generational cooking and comfort. The author has a very casual voice and style of writing, but behind the (slightly) folksy tone, she's competent and efficient. These are *good* recipes, some from her own family's repertoire and for fans of southern cooking, there's a lot to like here.

The book includes a good general pantry, ingredients, and equipment lists and an introduction with basic tips for preparation, entertaining, and other hostess-y necessities. The intro section comprises about 15% of the total page count but does include a lot of useful info. The recipes are arranged in chapters thematically: small bites & drinks, greens (including a simple quick pickled salad which I remember very well from my grandmother's kitchen), potatoes grains & pasta, seafood, eggs & poultry, pork & beef, and breads & pastries. Recipes include a description yields and prep time. Ingredients are listed bullet style in a sidebar with measurements in American standard units with metric measures in parentheses (yay!!). Ingredients will be readily available in most well stocked grocery stores in North America. Nutritional information is not included. Alternative preparations and cooking tips are included in highlighted text bars in the recipes. Many of the recipes struck me as just that little bit fancier than "everyday" and would make good company/light entertaining, Sunday dinner type food.

The photography throughout the book is abundant, in color, and crystal clear. Serving suggestions are attractive and appetizing.

Four stars. This would make a good selection for library acquisition, expat southerners hankering for food that feeds their souls, and home cooks looking for new cuisine to explore.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.