Come on over; there’s plenty!” “Pull up an extra chair!” “Set another place at the table!” These are familiar phrases that I’ve heard over the course of my life. In my South, there doesn’t have to be an occasion or special event for an invitation to share a meal at the family table. Southern hospitality knows no season. Having grown up in a family where it was not unusual to have thirty to forty people for Sunday dinner, I learned at an early age how to cook enough to share.
Since the release of my first cookbook, Modern Hospitality, I have been blessed with opportunities to travel not only throughout the United States but internationally as well. I have shared my Southern family table in China, South Africa, and Malaysia. And I have learned that hospitality and fellowship over good food are enjoyed throughout the world.
My hospitality roots run deep. Having learned from my mom and great-grandmother Strahan how to cook for a few or a crowd, I often cook a large meat entrée such as a roast, pork loin, or whole chicken on the weekend, plenty for family as well as any unexpected guests. This simple act not only reconnects me to warm memories of the past, but also works well for modern times, allowing me to plan a week’s menu in advance. Adding favorite vegetable side dishes from my roots brings to the table happy memories of my great-grandmother McCarter, a sure forerunner of the farm-to-table movement. One of my earliest mental pictures places her in the garden, head covered with a bonnet, hoe in hand, tilling the earth. Through stories told by my granny Christine, I learned that she grew up in a family that was mainly vegetarian, my great-grandma’s garden serving as their greatest source of food. Her earthy and natural recipes included crusty slices of cornbread with churned butter, crispy fried okra slices, and homemade apple pies. Her love, shown through her homegrown foods, brought family together as nothing else could.
My great-grandmother Strahan and a spread of food she prepared.
My great-grandmothers have inspired me in many ways. They grew up during the Great Depression and learned quickly how to stretch meals creatively and reduce waste. In Great-Grandma McCarter’s kitchen, an apple from her tree, minus the thinnest peel, could become a mouthwatering dessert or an unexpected ingredient, adding natural tartness and contrast to her crispy coleslaw. Following their examples, I use my creativity to transform a weekend pork loin dish into weeknight meals of Pulled Pork Nachos and Southern Carnitas. While a slow-cooked pork loin could easily be dismissed as classic and traditional, my modern touches with unique spices and sauces make for an easy answer to the “What’s for dinner?” question.
In this cookbook, you will find more recipes going back to my Southern roots. Preserving traditional family flavors, I also add my own special touches by lightening up classic dishes without losing flavor, experimenting with different Southern ingredients, and using new techniques and cooking methods I’ve learned over the years. You also will find new recipe creations incorporating Southern ingredients into dishes influenced by my travels over the past years. So get inspired to share your family table, try a new recipe, or put a modern touch on a traditional favorite, and then pull up a chair and enjoy.
My sister, cousin, and me with my great-grandmother and grandmother.