The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: Stories and Recipes for Southerners and Would-be Southerners
Book Description:From Matt Lee and Ted Lee, theNew York Timesfood writers who defended lard and demystified gumbo  comes a collection of exceptional southern recipes for everyday cooks.The Lee Bros. Southern  Cookbooktells the story of the brothers' culinary coming-of-age in Charleston--how they triumphed  over their northern roots and learned to cook southern without a southern grandmother. Here are recipes  for classics like Fried Chicken, Crab Cakes, and Pecan Pie, as well as little-known preparations such as  St. Cecilia Punch, Pickled Peaches, and Shrimp Burgers. Others bear the hallmark of the brothers'  resourceful cooking style—simple, sophisticated dishes like Blackened Potato Salad, Saigon Hoppin' John,  and Buttermilk-Sweet Potato Pie that usher southern cooking into the twenty-first century without losing  sight of its roots. With helpful sourcing and substitution tips, this is a practical and personal guide  that will have readers cooking southern tonight, wherever they live.Amazon.com Exclusive: "A Night in Louisville" by Matt Lee and Ted LeeOn a clear, brisk February afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky, in the asphalt parking lot of  Lynn's Paradise Cafe, we started a fire. All it took to get going was some wadded-up newspaper, a small  pyramid of charcoal, and a match. To keep the flame alive, we put our cheeks to the chilly pavement and  blew on the bottom layer of coals. Diners leaving the cafe from early dinners glanced at us, chuckled  nervously, and hurried along to their cars. When the pile was glowing, we added some split logs and the  plume of smoke rising from the pavement became woodsy and fragrant. By the time the sun went down, the  flames were hotter and brighter, so we added more oak. Once the fire was roaring, customers in the  restaurant became concerned, and the chef, Sarah, in clogs and a kerchief, shuffled out with the  buttoned-up manager, Lori, to check on us.Continue Reading "A Night in  Louisville"Recipe Excerpts fromThe Lee Bros. Southern CookbookA New AmbrosiaTexas Red-Braised Beef Short RibsRed Velvet  CakePraise forThe Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook"The Lee Bros. have writtentheclassic Southern cookbook. They write with flair, brilliance,  and hilarious commentary on the recipes, customs, and eccentricities of the South they celebrate with  such passion. Their recipes are so good that I believe cookbook writers like the Lee Bros. may turn  Southern cooking into an actual cuisine." --Pat Conroy, author ofThe Prince of Tides"I'm a bag fan of that particular brand of Southern poetry and smarts that make up the Lee Bros.'  contributions--the best food pieces I read in the WednesdayNew York Timeseach week--so I  attacked Matt and Ted's new book like a hungry wolf. I found the same genius and eye for a good story, as  well as simple-to-make recipes of the new exotic cooking of the American South. These recipes make my  mouth water, and the prose makes my eyes well up for its beauty, simplicity, and truth." --Mario  Batali, chef/owner, Babbo restaurant"These guys can cook! Just reading the recipes makes me ravenous for scintillating Southern dishes.  Sign me up for Tuesday Fried Chicken and Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pie!" --Bobby Flay, chef/owner,  Mesa Grill, BOLO, and Bar Americain"The brothers Lee chronicle a South unbound by geography. They celebrate a people loosed from the  burden of history but still mindful of the ties that bind. In the Lee South, boiled peanuts and edamame  play well together. So do black and white, young and old, native and outlander. You'll feel welcome here."  --John T. Edge, author ofSouthern Belly: the Ultimate Food Lover's Companion to the  South"The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbookmakes me daydream of a long ago summer on a Pawleys Island back  porch, the aroma of the marsh and the dinner table mingling with laughter of many generations of families  and a few too many glasses of wine. Oh to the magic of being at table together in the South." --Frank  Stitt, author ofFrank Stitt's Southern Table"The wit and enthusiasm of the Lee Bros. is irresistible, as are the recipes--a mix of traditional  Southern classics and unique, highly individual creations--which will have you reaching for your cast- iron (or stainless steel) skillet." --Scott Peacock, author ofThe Gift of Southern  Cooking