The public is invited to stop by the Marianna Black Library to meet and visit with Jim Casada and Tipper Pressley, authors of Celebrating Southern Appalachian Food, anytime between 4 - 7pm on Tuesday, August 22nd.
Southern Appalachia has a rich culinary tradition. Generations of 'passed down' recipes offer glimpses into a culture that has long been defined, in considerable measure, by its food. Take a journey of pure delight through this Highland homeland with stories of celebrations, Sunday dinners and ordinary suppers. The narrative material and scores of recipes offered here share a deep love of place and a devotion to this distinctive cuisine. The end result is a tempting invitation, in the vernacular of the region, to 'pull up a chair and take nourishment.' Authors Jim Casada and Tipper Pressley, both natives of the region, are seasoned veterans in sharing the culinary delights of the southern highlands.
Recipes include: Corn Pudding, Grandma Casada’s Biscuits, Granny Grazzie’s Gingerbread Cookies, Streaked Meat and Hominy, Chicken & Dumplings, Cabbage Patch Stew, Apple Quail, Venison Noodle Soup, Ground Cherry Salsa, Sautéed Chanterelles and Persimmon Pudding. Over 200 historic recipes! Plus, a Glossary of Southern Appalachian Food Terms.
Jim Casada is a former university professor who is now a full-time freelance writer. He is the author or editor of dozens of books and has published thousands of articles in regional and national magazines. Two of his most recent books are A Smoky Mountain Boyhood and Fishing for Chickens: A Smokies Food Memoir. Celebration of the folkways of his highland homeland has always been well to the forefront in his writing and chronicling the region’s culinary history figures prominently in his work. With his late wife, Ann, he coauthored seven cookbooks devoted to game, fish and other foods from the wilds. He writes a regular cooking column for Smoky Mountain Living magazine as well as featuring foodlore as a part of each one of his monthly e-newsletters. Over the course of his career, he has been the recipient of numerous awards for his books and other work. Find more on Jim at his website www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com.
Tipper Pressley has been writing about all things Appalachia since 2008 on the popular blog Blind Pig and The Acorn. Her YouTube channel, Celebrating Appalachia, further celebrates and preserves Appalachian culture. Tipper often teaches Appalachian cooking classes at locales throughout the region. Follow Tipper on her YouTube channel: celebratingappalachia or on her blog: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/.
This is a drop-in event. You can stop by anytime after 4pm to meet the authors, ask questions and get a book signed.
For more information or driving directions, call the library at 828-488-3030. The Marianna Black Library, a member of the Fontana Regional Library, is located in Downtown Bryson City at the corner of Academy and Rector.