A study of food traditions of the Appalachians and Ozarks, with numerous first-hand anecdotes. Published 2000. 28 recipes, 138 research notes. 11,445 words.
Food history writer Patricia B. Mitchell explores traditional foodways of the mountains, from corn bread to foraged wild edibles. “Characteristically English [Drop] Dumplings,” “German Potato Salad,” “Irish Stew,” and “Scots Shortbread” indicate the historical connection of Southern mountain foods to European cuisines, specifically those of England, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland.
Food preferences and preparation techniques brought to the mountains by early settlers exist to this day. Recipes for “hard-times” foods and “happy-times” foods are represented, as are recipes for emblematic mountain dishes such as “Cornbread and Ramps;” and there are tips for using morel mushrooms.
Reminiscences by old-timers make "Southern Mountain Cooking" captivating to read. For example, veteran miller Oscar Gunter is quoted as remarking, “[My stone-ground cornmeal] comes out warm, like the underside of a settin' hen.”
Through its first two printings, this book was titled "Mountain Foodways: Flavors of Old Europe on the Southern Frontier."
This and other books by Patricia B. Mitchell were first written for museums and their patrons, and are now available as Kindle editions. Each of her books summarizes a food history topic, using quotations and anecdotes to both entertain and inform. She carefully lists her references to make it easy for others to launch their own research.
Since the 1980's Patricia Mitchell's work is a proven staple of American museum culture. Her readers love to share her ever-present sense of discovery. Her sales are approaching a million copies, and she is widely known by her web identity FoodHistory.com.
Food history writer Patricia B. Mitchell explores traditional foodways of the mountains, from corn bread to foraged wild edibles. “Characteristically English [Drop] Dumplings,” “German Potato Salad,” “Irish Stew,” and “Scots Shortbread” indicate the historical connection of Southern mountain foods to European cuisines, specifically those of England, Germany, Ireland, and Scotland.
Food preferences and preparation techniques brought to the mountains by early settlers exist to this day. Recipes for “hard-times” foods and “happy-times” foods are represented, as are recipes for emblematic mountain dishes such as “Cornbread and Ramps;” and there are tips for using morel mushrooms.
Reminiscences by old-timers make "Southern Mountain Cooking" captivating to read. For example, veteran miller Oscar Gunter is quoted as remarking, “[My stone-ground cornmeal] comes out warm, like the underside of a settin' hen.”
Through its first two printings, this book was titled "Mountain Foodways: Flavors of Old Europe on the Southern Frontier."
This and other books by Patricia B. Mitchell were first written for museums and their patrons, and are now available as Kindle editions. Each of her books summarizes a food history topic, using quotations and anecdotes to both entertain and inform. She carefully lists her references to make it easy for others to launch their own research.
Since the 1980's Patricia Mitchell's work is a proven staple of American museum culture. Her readers love to share her ever-present sense of discovery. Her sales are approaching a million copies, and she is widely known by her web identity FoodHistory.com.
