Paper Palate

 

“Behind every great recipe, there’s a story”Southern Flavor - Recipes and Stories About The Food And People Of The South.What encapsulates the southern states of American to you? Grits I guess but also peanuts, black-eyed peas, fried chicken, and sweet potato. But how about Alaga Syrup and White Lily Flour? Both producers feature in this books ‘companies’ section where Southern Brands dominate the listings. 

For those, like me, whose knowledge of the south’s cuisine is severely limited, Alaga Syrup, produced since 1906, hails from Montgomery, Alabama and the Whitfield Foods company. White Lily Flour is produced in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Syrup has ‘long been the Sweetness of the South’. It’s a cane flavoured syrup that finds uses in Peachy Alaga Chicken, Alaga Bananas foster, Alga Pecan Baby-black Ribs and a delicious looking Chocolate-Pecan Pie. Sadly I doubt Alaga syrup is available on this side of the Atlantic.

The delightfully packaged White Lily flour is suggested for use in six recipes that range from Sun-Dried Tomato Biscuits through to Pumpkin Spiced Bread.

Southern Flavor is divided into five sections - the farmers, the cooks, the bakers, the restaurants and the companies. Each featured person, company or eaterie has a short write-up before delving right into the recipes. Although fine in their own right I did feel that many of the recipes failed to impart much of a southern flavour. Asparagus Tart, Asparagus Quiche, Asparagus Risotto, Apple Muffins, Provencal Chicken, Devilled Eggs for example could (and have) appeared in countless other cookbooks.

In that respect a little disappointing despite each recipe having a direct link to Southern grown fruits, vegetables or local people.

Scattered through the book though are recipes that, at least to me, impart a specific ‘flavour’ of the South. Tamale Pie anyone? Or how about Pork Tenderloin With Bourbon-Pecan sauce? Even the restaurant section, often showing the most sophisticated recipes, almost gets there. The Loveless Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee comes up trumps with their Fried Chicken, Black Eyed Peas and Sweet Potato Pie and Magnolias in Charleston, South Carolina offers the reader Creamy White grits, and Spicy Shrimp, Sausage and Tasso gravy. Another item I wont be able to find in the UK is Tasso (actually I have no idea what it is…).

Still Southern Flavor - Recipes and Stories About the Food and People of the South (Available direct for $22.95) is a nice compilation of story snippets and plenty of recipes that goes some way to bringing the South to live.