In Pursuit of Flavor: The Beloved Classic Cookbook from the Acclaimed Author of The Taste of Country Cooking

Decades before cornbread, shrimp and grits, and peach cobbler were mainstays on menus all over the place, Edna Lewis was once pioneering the celebration of seasonal food as a distinctly American cuisine.

On this James Beard Foundation Cookbook Hall of Fame-inducted cookbook, Miss Lewis (as she was once almost universally known) shares the recipes of her childhood, spent in a Virginia farming community founded by her grandfather and his friends after emancipation, in addition to those that made her one of the vital revered American chefs of all time. Interspersed right through are personal anecdotes, cooking insights, notes on necessary Southern ingredients, and in my opinion developed techniques for maximizing flavor.

Across six charmingly illustrated chapters—From the Gardens and Orchards; From the Farmyard; From the Lakes, Steams, and Oceans; For the Cupboard; From the Bread Oven and Griddle; and The Taste of Outdated Desserts—encompassing almost 200 recipes, Miss Lewis captures the spirit of the South. From Whipped Cornmeal with Okra; Pan-Braised Spareribs; and Benne Seed Biscuits to Thirteen-Bean Soup; Pumpkin with Sautéed Onions and Herbs; a Salad of Whole Tomatoes Garnished with Green Beans and Scallions; and Raspberry Pie Garnished with Whipped Cream, In Pursuit of Flavor is a up to date classic and a timeless compendium of Southern cooking at its very best.