Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains

By Elizabeth Sims and Chef Brian Sonoskus

"As I oohed and aahed my way through these pages, I saw that brand-new recipes sure can conjure up some good old memories. As a proud product of my beloved Blue Ridge Mountains, I am heartened by the Ode to Muddy Pond cocktail, intrigued by the Pimento Cheese Fondue, lured by Appalachian Egg Rolls, and astonished by Southern Poutine with Double Sausage Gravy. Thank you, Elizabeth, for creating a beautiful cookbook that sent me running into the kitchen."
--Sheri Castle, author of The New Southern Garden Cookbook: Enjoying the Best from Homegrown Gardens, Farmers' Markets, Roadside Stands, and CSA Farm Boxes

"From burgoo thick with chorizo and chicken to a cocktail that sloshes with bourbon and sorghum, this book showcases innovative Appalachian food and drink. Thumb your way through and you'll recognize that, all derring-do aside, Tupelo Honey broadcasts an honest and enduring respect for Appalachian people and their culinary culture."
--John T. Edge, series editor of Cornbread Nation: The Best of Southern Food Writing

"Brian and Elizabeth are pointing toward what's really important in our food culture. The Appalachian table is the humble intersection of families and their food. The stories that precede this intersection and, just as important, the chatting and chewing generated by this meeting, are the fabric of our human connection. The recipes in this book are inspired by some of the best of those stories,and the food takes an exciting new look at the beauty and power of our shared table."
--John Fleer, chef at Rhubarb and Canyon Kitchen

"There are reasons why folks stand in long lines for a table at Tupelo Honey. You will find over 125 of them in the sweet, savory, and sassy recipes gathered here. Weaving among them are Elizabeth Sims's thoughtfully written stories and histories of the mountain South, providing both setting and inspiration for this distinctive American restaurant. It's nourishment for both belly and heart."
--Ronni Lundy, author of Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes, and Honest Fried Chicken

Tupelo Honey Cafe, now with locations throughout the Mountain South, brings fans the restaurant's second cookbook. Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains provides a gastronomic tour of the flavors and tastes of the region considered the Mountain South, but interpreted through Tupelo's own lexicon. From Appalachian Egg Rolls With Smoked Jalapeno Sauce, Pickled Onions and Pulled Pork to Acorn Squash Stuffed with Bacon Bread Pudding to Maple Sweet Potato Bread Pudding, each recipe tells a story about the traditions, inspiration and history of the southern mountains, using the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile National Scenic By-way as a narrative jumping-off point. The result is an assembly of 125 imaginative, delicious and approachable recipes to be enjoyed by the home cook, the avid reader and book collector, and the hungry appetite alike. A foreword by Chef Sean Brock and gorgeous photos of the surrounding area and food complete this collection.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
• Release date: Apr 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781449451660

Book preview

I dedicate this book to preserving and protecting the humbling beauty and bountiful natural resources of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and to celebrating the indefatigable spirit that endures in the mountain South. Here’s to all of the generations before and after who lift their eyes up to the hills with gratitude, reverence, and awe.

Picture of Jars

Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword by Chef Sean Brock

Introduction: Why We Serve You Biscuits and Blueberry Preserves First Thing

Moonshine Thunder Road, and Mountain Elixirs

Road Tripping and Picnicking

Neighborly Hollers, Valleys and Ridgetops

Native American Traditions and the Three Sisters

Get Your Daily Grind

Porcine Love

Mountains to the Sea

Yard Birds and Game Birds

The Sweetness of Mountain Soil

Metric Conversions and Equivalents

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Steve and Jennifer Frabitore for their thoughtful stewardship of Tupelo Honey Cafe’s values and for their hugely supportive belief in me. And gratefulness to Chef Brian Sonoskus, who is not only an incredibly talented chef, but also a great friend and a creative collaborator. Thank you for being such a terrifically fun partner on this book.

Brie Williams is a photographic genius and a woman of sweetness and light. My colleague Lynne Caldwell has kept me sane with her resourcefulness, her kind heart, and her generous spirit. And Debby Maugans’s expertise in the kitchen and behind the scenes has been enormously valuable.

I am grateful to my siblings—Roger, Mary Jane, and Lusby—who have helped nurture in me a profound appreciation for our father’s roots in the mountains of eastern Kentucky and southwest Virginia. Myrtle, Harlan, Lula, Scott, Lillian, John, Nell, and, of course, Daddy, I am hoping you would enjoy this book.

Thank you, Miriam Lusby Brown, for instilling in me a love of gathering family and friends around the table. You are always a powerful presence in my kitchen and in my life.

Thank you, too, to the strong women who are my rock—Marla, Peggy, Jaeger, Deb, Sheila, Rachel, and Barb. I couldn’t have done this without you.

I am deeply indebted to the visionaries who created the journey that is the Blue Ridge Parkway and the inspiration I received traveling this majestic scenic byway and experiencing the people, culture, music, stories, history, and spirit of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Thank you, Vicki Dameron, for your generous contribution of breathtaking imagery of the region and your consistent support for the preservation of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the natural beauty along its route. And I am most grateful to Julie Barnes for her talented art direction, to our editor Jean Lucas for pushing us to make the book as good as it could possibly be, and to our publisher Kirsty Melville and Andrews McMeel for believing in the project.

Thank you, Chef Sean Brock, a native mountain son, for your thoughtful foreword, and for your support and encouragement. I am forever indebted to my Southern Foodways Alliance family, who continue to fuel my journey of understanding and appreciation of our region and its richness and complexity of place, foodways, history, traditions, and character, especially my fellow mountaineers (Sheri Castle, John Fleer, Fred Sauceman, and Allan Benton—you know who you are!). John Egerton, you had a really good idea—thank you, my friend.

Thank you, Ronni Lundy. You have taught me much about the richness of Appalachia with your God-given gift with words, your incredibly wise insights, your love of mountain music and the powerful and ancient energy it carries, your contagious laughter, and your loving hillbilly spirit. And finally, here’s to Zoe, my little mountain girl.

– Elizabeth Sims

Cheers to new South flavors!

I would like to thank the people of Asheville, Knoxville, Greenville, Chattanooga, Charlotte, and Johnson City for your continued support and encouragement.

Many blessings to my family—none of this would be possible without you.

And thank you to the entire THC team for keeping this party on the road!

Kate, Jack and Jane—I love you! xoxoxo

– Brian Sonoskus

barns in the field

Foreword

by Chef Sean Brock

I grew up deep in the mountains of southwestern Virginia in a tiny little town of 1,000 people called Pound located in in Wise County. In that particular part of the country, things are done a certain way; a very unique way of living exists there. We value things like a deep connection to the land, family, and the idea that we can take care of ourselves no matter what. I had no idea how lucky I was to have grown up that way until I was older. Working the fields, always having my hands in food, and sitting on the porch listening to my grandmother tell stories of the way things used to be were all part of my childhood. I honestly had no idea at the time it would be those values and practices that would help shape me into the chef that I am today.

The people of the mountain South haven’t changed a whole lot since then. It’s just the way people enjoy living. I suppose it’s the geography and possibly the fact we are tucked away by ourselves, the mountains shielding us from the rest of society. My mother is a perfect example. She lived in the mountains all of her life but moved to Charleston a few years ago to be closer to me. She still talks exactly the same with that incredible Appalachian dialect, saying things like fixin to and ove are, which translates to over there, by the way. She still eats cornbread just about everyday and cans like the apocalypse is upon us every year. If you’ve ever received a behind-the-scenes tour of my restaurants you’ll find the same things packed away in crocks and mason jars that you would have found in my grandmother’s basement. Those kinds of needs and wants are built into you; they flow through your veins. Once they are there they aren’t going anywhere. And I reckon that’s the way it should be. Because it’s important to live like a hillbilly no matter where you end up when it’s in your blood. I know I always will and will raise my children the same way that my family raised me.

It’s fascinating to explore the hollers and back roads of the mountain South, listening to the stories and eating the food from the last of the old timers. You’ll hear stories of how much better the tomatoes used to taste and what it was like to ring a chicken’s neck when you were hungry. These days I’m scared to death that these traditions and stories will die. That frightens me because I’m proud of the way I grew up and I’m proud of the way my family raised me and the respect that it instilled in me for food and family.

All of my chores as a kid were focused on food in some way. I didn’t realize it at the time, but it was those darn chores that made me fall in love with food and realize the power of the table. We ate together every day and every night. That’s just the way it was. We didn’t have a single restaurant to go to, in fact. There was always something simmering away on the stove or some sort of activity going on in the kitchen. I remember the first time my grandmother asked me to string up greasy beans using a needle and thread. I thought she had lost her mind or we were going to use them instead of popcorn to decorate the Christmas tree. I’ll never forget watching them slowly dry above her wood burning stove and the flavor they packed when cooked on the stove with just a little oil.

A lot of people hear of Southern food or Southern culture and think that its just one thing. I have news for you; the South is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the world. And the food of the mountain South can only be found there. A lot of people have the wrong idea about Southern food. They tend to think that the cuisine is deep fried and unhealthy. We rarely ate meat and hardly ever ate anything fried. The cuisine of the mountain South is very vegetable driven. If you were eating meat, it was the result of a hunting or fishing trip. Geography plays a major role in shaping a culture. Growing up and eating in southwestern Virginia is the exact opposite of growing up and eating in the South Carolina low country. I left the mountains to attend culinary school in Charleston, South Carolina, when I was eighteen. The cuisine that I discovered there might as well have been Japanese and the mountain cuisine that I spoke of at school might as well have been food from Mars. You’ve never had a paw paw? What do you mean you don’t know what killed lettuce is? The more and more I spoke about the cuisine of the mountain South to the cooks of the low country kitchens, the more I realized how rare and special it was. Every time I went home to visit I always brought back something for show and tell. The first time I brought a garbage bag full of paw paws back to the kitchen was hilarious. Paw paws have a very tropical flavor, one that you wouldn’t expect to receive from a kid with a deep hillbilly accent. People still talk about that day fifteen years later.

As my grandmother was getting older, I knew that I needed to learn as much as possible from her while I could. Those years were the fondest for me, cooking beside my grandmother as a young adult and most importantly an eager student. She knew that I cared and would pass the food down to the next generations. Several years ago I decided that I wanted to start doing extensive research on the food that I grew up eating. I knew how important it was and how crucial it was to gather as much information as possible. I sent out some e-mails and posted some things on social media. And to my disappointment there weren’t very many resources out there for this particular cuisine. The cuisine of the mountain South hasn’t exactly been celebrated by chefs in fancy chef coats or featured on television programs. It stays in the mountains and in the kitchens of the people who live it and breath it. It’s a way of life and not a trend. The current trend of foraging always makes me chuckle a little because we were always hunting wild foods such as morel mushrooms, elderberries, wild ramps, and pokeweed. My goal is to make mountain food trendy some day so people can understand hillbilly culture through our food. It’s a beautiful way to live and I have a lifetime of research ahead of me.

In this book you’ll find a glimpse of where mountain cuisine is today. This generation is still proud of old traditions such as cornbread and canning. In Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains, the traditions of mountain cuisine are looked at through a modern lens. This is how you keep a tradition and culture alive, but also how you help to move it forward. I’ll cheers to that.

For the last century and then some, the culture of America at large has been a culture of things. From its onset, the culture of the Southern mountains has been one of connection. Being intangible, the treasures of the latter are virtually invisible. . . . A life focused on fostering connection, as opposed to acquisition, might seem to the dominant culture, at best, quaint and anachronistic, at worst, ridiculous and perverse.

—Ronni Lundy, Cornbread Nation 3

Introduction

Why We Serve You Biscuits and Blueberry Preserves First Thing

The mountain South is a region of beautiful and complex paradox. It is at once rugged and awe inspiring, breathtakingly scenic, and lush, with one of the most biologically diverse landscapes of flora and fauna in the world. Elevated vantage points offer sweeping views of the rich blue and green valleys and coves and world below. The towns and communities that fill the coves and hollers honor and embrace their collective heritage, history, tradition, and culture—sometimes, say its critics, to the detriment of being able to gaze ahead.

The region has inspired writers and artists and poets and social reformers. Here, self-sufficiency and industriousness are ingrained in the culture, moral fiber, and fabric of mountain life.

And here is where the paradox continues. The fiercely self-sufficient and independent spirit of the mountain South is inextricably linked to the innate need for connection–with family and friends, through story and song, by way of history and culture and tradition, and through the very simple act of sharing a meal.

At Tupelo Honey Cafe, we believe in the transcendent power of gathering around the table. We see it all the time in the restaurant. It’s why we bring you hot biscuits and blueberry preserves first thing. Everyone dives in, passing dishes around the table, sharing with one another. Barriers are lifted. Transgressions are at least momentarily forgotten.

In the communities where we live and work, we encourage friends and families to take the time to gather around the table together at home. It’s a simple act, but a forceful, transformative one that can strengthen the common bonds that tie us

Reviews for Tupelo Honey Cafe

[thornton37814 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this for 60 day review use via NetGalley, but I'm definitely purchasing it when it is available in stores. The Tupelo Honey Cafe is located in Asheville, North Carolina, which is about 70 miles away. The book has many recipes that are quite manageable for everyday use as well as some that are elegant enough to serve on special occasions. It is beautifully illustrated with photos of the food, ventures into the garden, and scenes from the area and the restaurant. I loved the glimpses into regional culture in the book. There are quotes from Asheville author Thomas Wolfe as well as several mentions of Duke's Mayonnaise as being the preferred one.

[empress8411 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this as a Christmas gift from a dear friend's parents. They regularly travel to Asheville and always stop at the Tupelo Honey Café. I was delighted to receive this. The recipes sound marvelous and made my mouth water. I didn't grow up with southern cooking, but my husband did. This book has many of the classic recipes, like Red-Eye Gravy, Corn and Crab Chowder, and Shrimp and Grits. I'm eager to get cooking!

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Everything I have made out of this cookbook is delicious. The Tupelo Honey Coleslaw is unique, yummy, and a hit at potlucks. But all of the salads I have tried are good, as are the breakfast recipes. The only issues I have is that the recipes can be complex, and require components to be made ahead of time, so it needs advance planning. This is an entertaining cookbook, not one for everyday cooking.