"south" news and stories

There is no doubt that Matt and Ted Lee, the authors of The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook are from the South. Putting the title of the book aside, their warmth and generosity are made very clear to the reader as soon as you begin to flip though the pages. And that is exactly the kind of feeling that draws people in to a cookbook and makes you want to try some of the recipes right away.

The book starts out by telling you a story about a quest for boiled peanuts in New York City and how two educated, but homesick, young Southerners turned to food in order to share the food and love of food that they grew up with. Had it been lengthened with a bit more detail, the introduction would have made an excellent book all on its own, but as it stands, the introduction feeds right into the recipes, which seem to all be classic Southern favorites, not approximations of them. They include: Boiled Peanuts (of course), Watermelon Rind Preserves, more than ten grits recipes, City Ham Steak with Red-Eye Gravy. Chicken Fried Steak, Clover Peach Fried Pie, pralines, hush puppies and biscuits. The book is 600 pages long, so you'll have to put in the time exploring the rest of the recipes yourself.

You'll also find sources for specialty ingredients, more stories and the histories attached to old and new Southern staples. And if you try some of the recipes out at home, you may just end up with some of your own stories to add.

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Most cookbooks on Amazon have just a handful of reviews, but The Lady & Sons Just Desserts has over 20, a testament to people's love of Paula Deen and of Southern desserts. It is a volume of classic Southern favorites, like Chess Pie, and desserts that are now well-known to many as Paula Deen's, regardless of whether they originated with her or not, like Gooey Butter Cake and butter. Oh, is butter not a dessert?

The recipes range from relatively complex to simple, with a fair few starting off with a box of cake mix, and all the instructions are very straightforward, so it is perfect for a beginner or for someone who simply doesn't bake too much and still loves the idea of something homemade when they do. If you like Paula's easy, charming style and want to impress (or fatten) your friends and relatives without trying too hard, this book will definitely get you there.

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The whole concept of Nathalie Dupree's Shrimp and Grits originated with one dish: shrimp and grits, a breakfast dish that is popular in South Carolina. The combination is delicious, but the elements are so versatile that you could order the dish in one hundred diners and get it one hundred different ways. The book doesn't focus only on the ways to prepare this one dish, but it does take the ingredients and showcase exactly how many different ways they can be used. The author shares tips on preparing shrimp and cooking grits to perfection. Variations on the main dish include BLT Shrimp and Grits and a Cheese Grits Soufflé with Shrimp Sauce. If you're looking for something a little different, there are also recipes for things like crackers and desserts - Peach and Grits Cobbler, anyone?

Nathalie Dupree is a great resource for Southern cooking and Southern recipes, with more than 10 cookbooks to her name. If you're already a fan, you can actually order an autographed copy of this book on her website.

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If you like to read cookbooks instead of simply using them as a reference book, books that have a real setting are often a more interesting choice. Cultural references and stories help to place the recipes, giving you a sense that you know where they're from and what the people who enjoy the dish are like. Some authors have difficulty finding a middle ground between recipes and story, but the ones who can produce great books. The Boathouse: Tales and Recipes from a Southern Kitchen is a book that blends these two techniques, focusing on the blending of culture and cuisine where the residents of the South Carolina low country (Charleston) and the North Carolina highlands meet. There are more than 80 recipes in the book, ranging from simple Shrimp Paste Sandwiches to a decadent Chocolate Praline Charlotte with Butterscotch Sauce. The book will definitely give you a taste of the South - whether you actually prepare the recipes, or just read about them.

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CalorieLab has just released a list of the fattest states in the country for 2006. Their research reveals that Mississippi is the fattest state, where approximately 29.5% of the population is obese based on a three year statistical average. If the statistics are extended to include the overweight population, as well as those who are obese, the results show that over 2/3 (67.3%) of the state's residents are either overweight or obese; Mississippi is the only state to have that dubious honor. Following close behind in the obesity count are Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kentucky. Colorado is the leanest state, followed in no particular order by Hawaii, Montana and a handful of the New England states.

The data was gathered from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which reveals some very interesting information about some of the factors that contribute to obesity, such as diet, nutrition and physical activity levels. For example, only 16% of adults in Mississippi eat the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, compared to 29% in California and 30% in Vermont.

Fruit and vegetable intake is not going to turn the tide against obesity, especially considering that every state except one (Nevada) saw an increase in the percentage of the obese population over the last year. Diet does, however, play a large role in health and gradual changes in daily eating habits, as well as physical activity patterns, could change some of these numbers over time.

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