For the Love of the South

Amber Wilson, creator of the popular food blog For the Love of the South, beautifully evokes the joys and comforts of Southern food and life with this highly personal, accessible volume that includes more than 100 delicious recipes accompanied by entertaining recollections of her life growing up on the bayous of Louisiana, including time spent in the kitchen with her family. Her relaxed, encouraging voice will inspire home cooks to make a roux for gumbo, whip up homemade mayonnaise for a perfect chicken salad, and confidently create pie dough from scratch.

Interwoven with the recipes are engaging family anecdotes—Wilson’s first sip of chicory café au lait at the age of three with her grandmother; the spicy aromas, unmistakable sounds, and table-setting rituals for shrimp boils with her extended family; watching her grandparents effortlessly work together to make blackberry pie—all of which convey her love and respect for her roots. The recipes and anecdotes are accompanied by her intimate photographs of ingredient prep and finished dishes, as well as landscapes that depict Southern life.

Wilson makes it easy to master a host of Southern dishes, from starters to desserts, with clear, straightforward recipes; inexpensive, readily available ingredients; and techniques such as shallow pan-frying and oven-roasting that replace the more daunting deep-frying. She also offers a pantry full of kitchen tips—from storing and freezing bacon to prolonging the freshness of berries in the fridge, seasoning cast iron skillets, and making vanilla extract—and provides many helpful do-ahead and leftover-saving tips for many recipes.