Southern Cuisine

Posted by Cyndi Allison

I guess being a top country music star wasn't enough for Yearwood. She began talking to publishers about doing a book. She wasn't keen on doing her autobiography (perhaps down the road), but she did toss out the idea of a cookbook. Cookbook deals are hard to get these days, but when you're a star . . .

Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours came out last month and is listed number three on the New York Times Best Sellers list. That's pretty darn amazing for a cookbook.

Freep.com reports that Trisha said, "If you'd asked me if I thought "New York Times best-seller" would ever be on the bio, I'd be like: 'I don't think so.'"

Country music fans will know that Trisha is married to Garth Brooks. He's her third husband and certainly the most famous.

The Yearwood cookbook angle is kind of odd. She says that Georgia (where she grew up) and Oklahoma (where Garth grew up and where they now live) cooking are pretty much the same except for the barbecue and that folks from Oklahoma don't eat grits. We're a North Carolina/Oklahoma family, and I'd say the differences run deeper.

Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen features rather basic recipes. You can learn to fry chicken, make a casserole, and banana pudding.

This star cookbook is probably most appealing to Yearwood fans and is being sold as a combo package with her new CD "Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love" on her fan site.

Posted by Cyndi Allison

The SoFAB was founded in 2004 as a non-profit tribute to the food and drinks of the South. They host a number of interesting collections including restaurant menus from across the Southern states. Some of those are pretty interesting as any Southerner knows. The menus also are made available for researchers through the University of New Orleans as noted on the SoFAB web page:

"We constantly search for menus from restaurants of the American South. From diners all the way up to the saintly temples of culinaria. Diners, honky-tonks, barbeque joints, cafeterias, fine food establishments. New and old. Currently operating or long closed. We want them. Menus are catalogued and archived at the University of New Orleans and are made available to researchers and historians."

The museum is now moving to the heart of New Orleans, so it will be more convenient for locals and tourists to drop in and learn about Southern eats. Everyone is busy now getting things moved over and setting up special displays for the grand opening on June 7, 2008.

SoFAB has also kicked off a new wiki and hopes to share more great information about Southern food culture.

If you can't make the grand opening of the southern food museum, plan to visit when you get to the area. Also, think about adding information at the wiki or donating items to the wonderful museum collection. Food lore is such an important part of the South, and it's great that someone is taking the time to gather and organize these flavors of the South.

Posted by Cyndi Allison

My brother knows that I'm big on outdoor cooking, so he sent me the melting grill story as reported by WRAL out of Raleigh, NC.

The basics here are that Consumer Reports was testing out grills as they often do. The Broil King Signet 90 started to melt - the fire box just started dripping down. This was such an odd thing to happen with a grill that they tested some others. Same results. The metal melts down.

Broil King has now issued a safety recall. If you bought this drippy grill, you can get a free baffle kit and fix your grill.

This is a $650 gas grill. I would not be happy with a fix kit. I'd want my money back. I can't even imagine something designed to be used as a grill melting when hot. That's just WRONG. Someone really ought to try these out before selling them to the public.

Posted by Cyndi Allison

CNN reports today that food supplies are low at pantries set up to help families in need. Noted specifically is that one shelter had a 35% decrease in the donation of canned goods. That's clearly a problem with more families struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table.

The government Farm Bill has been delayed yet again. There are issues with subsidies being doled out to wealthy corporate farmers and to those who do not and have never farmed, but the bill also includes food assistance for low income families.

Food stamps are designed to cover the bare minimum, and price increases mean that families who qualify for assistance. are unable to make it from the beginning to the end of the month. Food prices have risen at the fastest rate in 17 years in 2008.

It's not just families on assistance who are having trouble feeding families. Those who make low wages and are feeling the crunch of high gas prices and/or rocketing mortgage payments are ending up with no money left over to buy the basics like food.

I'd challenge all readers who have anything to spare to step up. Take some food to your local shelter, pantry or church. Or, donate money so that those helping out can purchase items needed in bulk and make every cent count.

Posted by Cyndi Allison

Today I read that Hillary Clinton is slipping bad in North Carolina. It's not likely that she'll take the tarheel state.

I'd be inclined to vote Democrat and also would vote female with a solid candidate that I could trust. I don't trust Hillary though, and she won't be getting my vote.

I've had issues with Hillary dating back 16 years. She's caught some heat for lying lately. Back in the day, she may have been more honest but certainly not very endearing. Here is her comment that made me step back and think: This woman is harsh and does not understand regular old people.

"I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession which I entered before my husband was in public life." ~ Hillary Clinton - March 26, 1992 - Nightline

As a single mother who has worked my butt off and still made time to bake cookies, I take exception to this stray comment by Hillary Clinton. I would think it would sting even more for women who have taken time out to raise kids full time. There is honor in that - trust me.

And what about Chelsea? She's out stumping for her Mom now. Chelsea has to try to explain why her mom said they were under sniper fire when they weren't. Hard spot for a kid - and especially one who was not worth the time to bake cookies for.

Posted by Cyndi Allison

The What Would Jesus Eat Cookbook by Don Colbert

The I-Can't-Chew Cookbook: Delicious Soft Diet Recipes for People with Chewing, Swallowing, and Dry Mouth Disorders by J. Randy Wilson and D.M.D, M.D., Mark A. Piper

The Bacon Cookbook: More than 150 Recipes from Around the World for Everyone's Favorite Food by James Villas

The 99 Cent Only Stores Cookbook: Gourmet Recipes at Discount Prices by Christiane Jory

101 Things to Do with Ramen Noodles by Toni Patrick

Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables by John Peterson

The New InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook by Martha Hopkins and Randall Lockridge

The Cannabis Cookbook: Over 35 Recipes for Meals, Munchies, and More by Tim Pilcher

Hot Damn and Hell Yeah! Recipes for Hungry Banditos and the Dirty South Vegan Cookbook by Ryan Splint and Vanessa Doe

The Stinking Rose Restaurant Cookbook by Andrea Froncillo, Jennifer Jeffrey, and Caren Alpert

The Meat Club Cookbook: For Gals Who Love Their Meat! by Vanessa Dina, Gemma DePalma, Kristina Fuller, and Caroline Hwang

The Dooky Chase Cookbook by Leah Chase

Biker Billy's Hog Wild on a Harley Cookbook: 200 Fiercely Flavorful Recipes to Kick-Start Your Cooking From Harley Riders Across the USA by Bill Hufnagle

Posted by Cyndi Allison

I collect cookbooks. I can't help myself. There's just something exciting about a new cookbook - even when I already know how to make most of the dishes.

There are some cookbooks that I'm just itching to buy that aren't available. I don't know if no one has thought to write these cookbooks, or if the publishers just won't gamble on putting them out. In any case, here's my list of cookbooks that need to be written:

Foods That Do Not Burn When You're Busy - Did you know that teabags will catch on fire if you cook all the water out of the pot? Well, they sure do. Don't test that theory. Trust me. A cookbook for the food burners of the world would be really helpful.

How To Mulch Kitchen Disasters - If you do burn dinner on a regular basis, then this cookbook would be helpful. Which burnt offerings go on the compost pile and which do not?

Really Tasty Dishes That Are Good For You - OK. There are some cookbooks out there that promise this. They do not usually deliver.

Healthy Cooking with Ingredients That You Actually Have On Hand - Is it just me? Or, do all those healthy recipes include at least one item that I don't know, never heard of, and can't find?

Crock Pot Cooking Sans Canned Soup - I'll admit it. I do like the soup goop crock pot recipes, but it's nice to have a change of pace. Give me a slow cooker cookbook that says not one word about pouring a can of cream soup over anything.

Recipes With ALL the Directions - Isn't it annoying to make a recipe and have it turn out wrong. Someone left out some little tip that makes all the difference. Then, it's a bad dinner night.

Posted by Cyndi Allison

I've always been a pretty savvy bargain shopper when it comes to food. I check the sale papers, cross shop at various grocery stores and use a few coupons (but only if they're for foods we'll actually eat).

I thought the same strategy would work with healthy foods, but it certainly wasn't as simple. The fruits and vegetables were sky high. A little pack of blueberries ran $3.99. I could literally hold them all in my hand. I'd say I had between 1/2 and 3/4 cup of blueberries. Salad fixings were likewise running high. Lettuce was over $1.00. The only salad vegetable on sale was broccolil. Fortunately I do like broccoli.

Milk was over $4.00. The 2% milk wasn't any higher than the regular, so I guess that was break even. The heart healthy butter substitute was higher than the margarine. The price for egg substitues was really high when looking at serving sizes per container, but real eggs have skyrocketed too.

Even in the convenience foods section and the junk food isle, the healthy (or healthier) options cost more. My little diet pizza cost more than the big cheesy pizza I got for the boys. Regular chips were on sale up and down the isle - not so for any of the low fat or baked chips.

I hear people say, "Oh it doesn't cost more to eat right." But that's not true. I know. I shop, and I did the research. Eating healthy does put a big dent in the wallet.

Posted by Cyndi Allison

I clicked over to Oprah last night, but I had to change the channel. Katie Lee Joel was featured. It seems that she has written a $25 cookbook, "The Comfort Table." Perhaps she and Jerry Seinfeld's wife got their heads together. Fortunately, Joel has not been accused of plagiarism.

There are loads of great cooks out there who would love to put together cookbooks. The chances of that happening - very slim.

Personally I won't be buying the Joel cookbook or any others carrying the name of a famous guy's wife. They can spin it like the Miami Herald and Oprah can toot their horns. I'm not biting. When a 27 year old gets a cookbook deal, you know it's not because she's an expert at much of anything other than marrying a famous guy old enough to be her father or grandfather.

Joel's cookbook is billed as down home. She's from West Virginia. Yehaw! It looks like Joel is making a statement about his second wife, Chritie Brinkley ("Uptown Girl"). He got this latest one from the farm, or that's how it's being billed to sell this cookbook. If you want a meatloaf recipe, go for it. Or go online. You'll find plenty.

Katie Lee Joel wants her own cooking show next. She hosted "Top Chef," but she washed out there. Perhaps Billy Joel can buy her a spot - if his name isn't big enough to get 'er done.

Posted by Cyndi Allison

My son and I were watching a news report on the tornado in Atlanta tonight on CNN. Sad stuff - for the most part. It's always bad news when others have to deal with tragic happenings. Then there's the media. Bless their hearts as we say in the South. Can you spell clueless?

CNN shows an apartment building with the roof ripped off. All apartments are empty except one. The anchor says, "Let's zoom in here?" Hum. That's strange. Anchor boy says that the guy in the apartment must be making a sandwich . . . or cleaning up. You tell me. If you had no roof, would you be making a sandwich? And, do you really think you could get in the apartment with the roof blown off.

OK. Call me cyncial. This looked a lot more like looting. Maybe not. But, that sure makes more sense than some guy making a sandwich in his apartment after his roof goes missing. Officials have rules against stuff like that.

My sincere apologies to CNN if they did catch a sandwich being made - in progress. If so, get the police right out there to block the door to that apartment building. I don't think it's safe to be in your apartment after the roof blows off. Go get a sandwich somewhere else for goodness sake. And take that CNN guy with you. He must be hungry to be thinking that's what he got on tape.

See the footage at CNN - click on Atlanta Building Loses Roof. I don't get the audio with the video. But, I can see the guy who actually appears to be female. Still doesn't look like sandwich making to me.