Think of Southern fruits and vegetable, and tomatoes, corn, okra, and watermelon come to mind. But what about grapefruits, oranges, and key limes from Florida? Or peas, beans, and greens from the fields of Mississippi? In Beans, Greens & Sweet Georgia Peaches, Damon Lee Fowler, who is passionate about preserving Southern culinary traditions, offers recipes for transforming Vidalia onions, sun-ripened tomatoes, field peas, butterbeans, sweet potatoes, Georgia Peaches, plump figs, watermelons, key limes, and Florida citrus into fruit and vegetable glories of the Southern table.

An authentic collection of recipes celebrating Southern traditions.Southern cooking as most people think of it doesn't exist. After all, there are as many ways to make real corn bread, gumbo or fried chicken as there are cooks. Instead of dwelling on conventional notions of authenticity, Essentials of Southern Cooking honors the spirit, the history, the people, and the taste of the classic Southern table by focusing on the essence of great Southern food and combining traditional ingredients in fresh ways. In this tempting collection of over 200 recipes, author Damon Lee Fowler balances the enduring appeal of rural Southern flavors with the modern sensibilities of today's cook. It's an engaging and informative look at the heritage of Southern cuisine.Sampling of recipes:Creamy Chicken Pot PiesSweet Potato CobblerScalloped OystersLowcountry Crab au Gratin Baked Vidalia Sweet Onions with Ham Bourbon-Grilled Flank SteakShrimp ÉtoufféePecan-Crusted Cat FishButter-Bean and Okra RagoutOld-Fashioned Southern Shortcake.