Heritage Hardcover – Illustrated, October 21, 2014

Why did it take me so long to get around to buying this magnificent volume? It’s simply extraordinary. Large, heavy, and not just full of recipes….it’s full of lore about Chef Brock’s beloved terroir—by which he means not only soil, but all of the food produced by the land and the people. If you’re like me, and read exceptional “cookbooks” like this one from cover to cover, you’ll be absorbed by the history of the land and the people, the Chef’s memoir, and his profiles of others who produce the terroir he cherishes. Here is a Chef steeped in belief in HIS terroir, but here’s what he says to me, with my far-away terroir: “And, of course, we are using products that are grown in the South. Therefore, if you live elsewhere, the terroir of your products is going to be different. So, what does all this mean? It means that I want you to find and gather ingredients in your own region and make these recipes your own.” Wow. Wow. Did I say wow?

This is an absolutely beautiful book. There is no question that Sean Brock put as much passion into this book as he does into his food. There are many wonderful and diverse recipes of varying difficulty, all of which represent the heritage or culture of the South. This book is all about comfort and care. Brock loves food, but not in the usual way. He cares about every grain of rice and shows incredible earnest interest in having people taste good food. Not good in the sense that he made it taste that way, but good in the sense that the earth made it taste that way.For anyone who has eaten at Husk or McCrady's, there are some familiar recipes in this book. The signature Charleston ice cream and the buttermilk benne rolls are there. So we can now enjoy these at home. There are also recipes for how to cook grits like a southerner, and for how to make signature pimento cheese. Many of these recipes are approachable for the average cook (though probably not for most beginners). For the more ambitious, there are complex recipes that will require skill and planning.What I really love about this book is that it is all about the ingredients. This is no surprise to anyone familiar with Sean Brock's cooking philosophy. Even if you've only seen him on Mind of a Chef, you get a sense of how he cares about food and wants to respect individual ingredients. Simplicity is wonderful. Complexity can be too, but not if it stifles the flavor of what you are eating. As is the norm with most cookbook for the past decade, Brock highlights many of his purveyors. This is a great tribute to people who dedicate their lives to making good food available. (Of course, none of their food is sold cheaply, but that's not the point.) Brock also includes much of his food philosophy here for anyone not familiar with it.The book itself is wonderful. I opened the package, knowing mostly what it would look like and I was really marveling at it. The dust cover is great, but I always display my books without dust covers, so I was more interested in the actual book. It is black and textured with bluish-teal feathers. This is a wonderful addition to anyone's cookbook collection. For anyone with a passion for southern food, or just good food in general, this book is a must.

I was watching David Chang's new show, Ugly Delicious, the other night, and Sean Brock came on and made his Nashville Hot chicken. He finished it off with a powdered vinegar. My husband and I looked at each other, both needing to taste that right then. I ordered his book and powdered vinegar before the show was even over. Now I have to go find him in Mind of a Chef.The book is beautiful. He makes all the Southern favorites that we all know and love, but his take on them is so special. The Nashville Hot Chicken's not in here, but he gives his recipes for Fried Chicken, Hot Sauce, and Brock shake that, combined, might get me close. If someone finds the recipe, please email me! :DMy thoughts and pics of the dishes we tried...1) Southern Screwdriver - p 264. You infuse vodka with jalapenos and go from there. If you like spicy and citrus, you're gonna be happy. We've always loved jalapeno infused beer, and jalapeno margaritas. This is unbelievably refreshing. It's so good that we ordered a countertop orange juice press. lol.2) Farrotto with Acorn Squash and Red Russian Kale - p 93. This is one of the most delicious vegetarian meals I've ever had. I wasn't expecting thatfrom a book I'd ordered based on chicken genius. Everyone loved it. Lickable, I tell you. The recipe called for 1 bunch (3 pounds) of kale. I think that's just a scaling issue, or he has access to ginormous bunches of kale. It would have taken 6 bunches to make 3 pounds, so I got 2 bunches (1 pound) and called it a day.I'll update this as I play in the book more. Some other recipes I have flagged to try: Strawberry Gazpacho with Tomato Water Jelly, Basil Ice, and Stone Crab Salad - p 34 * Beet and Strawberry Salad with Sorrel and Rhubarb Vinaigrette - p 37 * Creamed Corn - p 49 * Roasted Cauliflower with Meyer Lemon and Brown Butter, Watercress, and Pink Peppercorns - p 59 * Cracklin' Cornbread - p 71 * Wild-Ramp-and-Crab-Stuffed Hushpuppies with Green Goddess Dressing - p 78 * Einkorn Biscuits - p 84 * Benne-Buttermilk Rolls - p 90 * Fried Chicken and Gravy - p 101 * Grilled Chicken Wings with Burnt-Scallion Barbeque Sauce - p 104 * Husk Cheeseburger - p 131 * Herb-Marinated Hanger Steak with Vidalia Onion Gratin and Steak Sauce - p 135 * Slow-Cooked Pork Shoulder with Tomato Gravy, Creamed Corn, and Roasted Baby Vidalias - p 138 * Pork Belly with Herbed Farro, Pickled Elderberries, Chanterelles, and Sumac - p 148 * Beer-Battered Soft-Shell Crabs with Spring Vegetables, Benne, and Soft Fried Egg - p 174 * Roasted Scallops with Pumpkin and Matsutake, Brussels Sprouts, and Black Truffle - p 180 * Lobster with Parsnip Puree, Leeks Braised with Orange, and Vadouvan Jus - p 182 * Swordfish with Celeriac Roasted in Hay, Cider-Braised Lettuce Ribs, and Country Ham Emulsion - p 199 * Pickled Peaches - p 213 * Satsuma Orange and Burnt Honey Marmalade - p 215 * Strawberry-Meyer Lemon Jam - p 216 * Watermelon Rind Mostarda - p 220 * Butter-Bean Chowchow - p 227 * Tomato Jam - p 229 * Rhubarb Ketchup - p 237 * Smoked Bacon for Beginners - p 243 * Pimento Cheese - p 248 * The Julian Cocktail - p 261 * The Pecan Whiskey Daisy - p 266 * Fire in the Orchard - p 273 * Buttermilk Pie with Cornmeal Crust - p 293 * Rhubarb Buckle with Poppy Seed-Buttermilk Ice Cream - p 294 * Sweet Potato Doughnuts with Bourbon Caramel - p 301 * Chewy Benton's Bacon Caramels - p 303 * The Brock Blend