Includes index

Introduction -- Glossary of Southern Appalachian food terms -- Makin's from corn and cornmeal: the soul of Appalachian cooking -- Cathead biscuits, biscuit bread and more wonders from wheat -- Fancy doins': other breads and baked goods -- Pork: the main meat of Appalachia -- Preacher bird -- Beef -- Meat from nature's larder -- Fish -- You've got to have gravy -- Spring vegetables -- The bounty of summer -- The matchless tomato -- Root crops -- Fall and winter vegetables -- Vegetables and other foods from the wild -- Domestic fruits -- Fruits from the wild -- Melons -- Berries: homegrown and from nature -- Dried foods -- Pickles -- Jellies, jams and fruit butters -- Cakes -- Pies and cobblers -- Cookies, bars and other sweets -- Candy, syrups and special treats -- To quench one's thirst -- Index

Southern Appalachia has a rich culinary tradition. Generations of "passed down" recipes offer glimpses into a culture that has long been defined, in considerable measure, by its food. Take a journey of pure delight through this highland homeland with stories of celebrations, Sunday dinners and ordinary suppers. The narrative material and scores of recipes offered share a deep love of place and a devotion to this distinctive cuisine. The end result is a tempting invitation, in the vernacular of the region, to "pull up a chair and take nourishment." Authors Jim Casada and Tipper Pressley, both natives of the region, are seasoned veterans in sharing the culinary delights of the southern highlands