Chef Jason Smith's mouthwatering debut cookbook, Lord Honey, delivers on its subtitle's promise: more than 130 recipes from the American South, updated with fresh ingredients and his signature "country bling" twist. Smith, a self-taught cook and baker from Kentucky, and a winner of three different Food Network shows, brings his farmhouse roots to a plethora of lip-smacking recipes fit for any time of day. His take on classic Southern dishes shows up in several ways: extra richness in a dish (grits laced with Gouda); a marriage of unexpected flavors (sweet breakfast rice topped with berries and honey); or a glug of bourbon in unexpected places--even if his granny wouldn't approve. Lavishly illustrated with full-color photos and snapshots from Smith's own family scrapbook, Lord Honey (Smith's catchphrase, picked up from his granny) provides readers with plenty of inspiration and know-how to get serious and sassy in the kitchen. "Jason loves people through food," cookbook author Carla Hall notes in the foreword. "You feel it; you taste it. [His] sense of family and tradition, along with his sincere approach to staying true to his culinary roots while putting his own touch of love into every dish, will make you feel like you've been wrapped in a warm, cozy blanket on a cold day."
Smith begins, of course, with "Rooster's Crowin' (Breakfast)," reminiscing about his childhood cooking for his relatives on a Kentucky tobacco farm as he dishes up recipes for classics such as Country Ham and Redeye Gravy (made with fresh coffee), and new twists on old favorites, like Just Peachy Sticky Buns, and Apple Hoecakes with Bourbon Syrup. He slips in anecdotes from mornings in the kitchen or the garden with his granny (who had her own opinions about some of Jason's twists on her beloved recipes). Smith continues with stick-to-your-ribs lunchtime dishes, breaking them up into a wide assortment of salads ("Children, let me tell ya somethin' about salads in the South: no lettuce required. We call anything that can be tossed or held together with mayo or gelatin a salad"); sandwiches ("And Lord knows we'll make anything into a sandwich, even our salads. And before ya go thinkin' that the difference between a sandwich and a salad is the bread, don't get too big for your britches, 'cause we even put bread in our salads. So y'all can see that the line between salads and sandwiches in the South can get mighty blurred"); and side dishes like "Devilish" Eggs Three Ways, Roasted Okra and Walnuts with a hot honey sauce, and Blistered Beans with (what else?) Bacon and Bourbon.
Smith's folksy chapter introductions and rambling recipe headnotes, studded with down-home similes, evoke his on-screen personality, and will leave readers chuckling, even if they are unfamiliar with some of the Southern metaphors. He shares his versions of Kentucky dishes like the Hot Brown Breakfast Quiche and Sweet Tea and Bourbon Fried Chicken, indulges his own love for sweet potatoes with Sweet Tater Fritters and Scrumptious Sweet-Tater Bars, and creates some classic Southern mash-ups like a Hobo Salad Sandwich and Pimento-Cheese Waffle Sandwiches.
The "Dinner Bell's Ringin' (Mains)" chapter includes plenty of classics: Smith's takes on meatloaf, steak fingers, catfish, and shrimp and grits, to name a few. Many of these dishes are standbys at Southern community events such as church potlucks, weddings, and baby showers (all of which Smith has catered--his experience includes starting a catering company as a teenager). He has adapted many of them to include healthier or easier-to-find ingredients, and shortened cooking times for busy modern families. He includes plenty of practical tips in bright yellow boxes, from ingredient substitutions to cooking techniques and delicious suggestions for leftovers (also a Southern staple).
Lord Honey's dessert chapter includes twists on Southern classics such as Hummingbird Tart, New-South 'Nanner-Puddin' Trifle (a layered take on banana pudding), and Bacon-Bourbon Pecan Pie. Smith shares the stories behind many of his recipes, whether passed down from friends or learned in his grandmother's kitchen. He includes a chapter on "Picklin' and Preservin' (Condiments)" with recipes like Green 'Mater Chow-Chow, 24-Hour Pickled Beets, Balsamic Grape Jelly, and Perfectly Pickled Pineapple. The cookbook wraps up with a family photo album, including snapshots of Smith's immediate family (and his own childhood) and archival photos of his ancestors. "All of these beautiful souls are with me every day, from my country slang to the love I put into every dish," Smith writes.
In true Southern fashion, Smith can tie nearly every recipe back to his heritage, and he makes sure his readers understand his deep affection and respect for the family and community that raised him and taught him to cook. Written in humorous down-home style, Lord Honey provides plenty of mouthwatering dishes and helpful tips for veteran or aspiring Southern cooks. --Katie Noah Gibson