Hospitality as a cultural trait has been associated with the South for well over two centuries, but the origins of this association and the reasons for its perseverance often seem unclear. Anthony Szczesiul looks at how and why we have taken something so particular as the social habit of hospitality—which is exercised among diverse individuals and is widely varied in its particular practices—and so generalized it as to make it a cultural trait of an entire region of the country. Historians have offered a variety of explanations of the origins and cultural practices of hospitality in the antebellum South. Economic historians have at times portrayed southern hospitality as evidence of conspicuous consumption and competition among wealthy planters, while cultural historians have treated it peripherally as a symptomatic expression of the southern code of honor. Although historians have offered different theories, they generally agree that the mythic dimensions of southern hospitality eventually outstripped its actual practices. Szczesiul examines why we have chosen to remember and valorize this particular aspect of the South, and he raises fundamental ethical questions that underlie both the concept of hospitality and the cultural work of American memory, particularly in light of the region’s historical legacy of slavery and segregation.

From Susan Sully comes this book of inspirations for those who are enamored with the ever-enchanting Southern way of living. The words "Southern hospitality" conjure up a wealth of welcoming images, from breezy porches with white colonnades and the seductive scent of magnolia blossoms cut from the yard to fill heirloom vases to tables laden with fine china on embroidered linens, illuminated by candles. Southern Hospitality at Home showcases the special qualities of graciousness and charm that define the American South's way of living. Learn from Southern style experts how to make your home an inviting place for sharing with family and friends--from designing welcoming entrance halls and inviting living rooms to comfortable kitchens, pretty guest rooms, and shady garden rooms--and weave your spell of hospitality. Featured are an array of exceptional houses including an eighteenth-century dwelling in Charleston with a bold, contemporary palette and a rustic plantation where high and low styles mix in perfect harmony. In Savannah, interior designer Chuck Chewning brings modern sophistication to a Greek Revival townhouse. In Georgia, textile artist Susan Hable Smith injects bright color and pattern into an old-fashioned cottage and a collector offers fresh ideas for displaying antiques. With tips for decorating and accessorizing, arranging flowers and setting tables, caring for silver and serving authentic Southern recipes, this beautifully photographed hospitality resource is practical and inspirational, true to tradition, and relevant for today.

Known by TV viewers as the Mississippi belle whose demure demeanor belied nerves of steel and true culinary skill, America watched Whitney Miller crush the competition and become the first winner of MasterChef Season 1. Now Whitney's long-awaited dream of writing her first cookbook has come true as she shares her favorite recipes and entertaining secrets in Modern Hospitality. As a little girl in small-town Mississippi, Whitney grew up cooking at the elbows of true masters of Southern cuisine: her mother, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers. From the secret to making perfect, flaky biscuits to the art of whipping up Sunday supper for a crowd, Whitney not only learned how to create much-loved dishes for friends and family but also discovered the most essential ingredient for any meal: hospitality. In Modern Hospitality, Whitney offers a fresh take on classic dishes passed down throughout generations of Southern women. In addition to providing more than 75 original recipes that showcase regional ingredients and authentic flavors, Whitney also shares her stories of family, tradition, and suggestions for effortless entertaining. Bring a taste of the South into your home with dishes like Oven-Fried Catfish, Shrimp and Sausage with Grits Soufflé, Mississippi Cheesesteak, and Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Blondies. With recipes this simple, elegant, and delicious, it's easy to turn any occasion into something special.

The handbook of Southern hospitality—with over one hundred recipes and tips on making guests feel at home! Food writer Nicki Pendleton Wood has gathered recipes from more than one hundred Southerners that they prepare when company is coming. These are the show-off recipes hosts pull out when guests are on the way, whether for an intimate evening with another couple, a party for a big crowd celebrating a milestone birthday, or anything in between. In addition to the recipes, contributors share their secrets for making guests feel at home with ideas for entertaining and table setting. Dishes include: Crunchy Fried Field Peas Collards with Citrus and Cranberries Lemon Miso Sweet Potatoes Purple Hull Pea Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette Cuban-Southern Pork Roast with Chimichurri “Barbecue” Sauce Chocolate Whiskey Buttermilk Cake with Praline Topping, and many more

Big Boards for Families features over 50 wholesome recipes for hosting and entertaining close friends and neighbors during casual get-togethers and special occasions.

More than seven hundred fifty recipes, for dishes, courses, and garnishes and ranging from hors d'oeuvres to jellies, provide a comprehensive inventory of Southern culinary favorites

A cookbook that makes each month’s harvest a reason to celebrate, in the refined yet relaxed style of the South. For a cook as passionate as Anne Quatrano, food marks the passage of the year. Each month inspires her to think of new ways to use the season’s morsels. In this, her first and long-awaited cookbook, Quatrano draws on her twenty-eight years’ experience as a chef to pull together more than 100 of her best recipes and entertaining ideas. Peppered throughout are stories of Summerland—the farm that’s been in Quatrano’s family for five generations and that supplies much of the produce for her restaurants. Summerland also provides the idyllic backdrop for many of the outdoor parties in the book. For a fall lunch, friends gather by an old red barn to enjoy mint juleps, roasted quail, and madeleines. For July Fourth, it’s a lakeside barbecue with watermelon sangria, corn on the cob in a jar, and roasted peaches with chamomile ice milk. Christmas is a quiet setting by the fire with truffled broccoli soup, roast with Yorkshire popovers, and stump de Noël. Summerland represents a new spirit of hospitality, based on refined farmhouse cooking and an easygoing sophistication.