Oh my! I'm still flying high from the last meeting of my book club. We just finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and to stimulate our discussion, our hostess made a Southern inspired menu: manhattans, deviled eggs, shrimp with a remoulade, gumbo and a caramel cake. While the book was somewhat predictable, it did give us many topics to discuss (we do actually talk about the books, despite what our husbands say, *cough, cough*, “drink club.") Topics ranged from the South, the late 60s, racial issues, how women interact, New Orleans (before and after Katrina) and, of course, food. I love the many food references throughout the book. Here are a few of my favorites:

“That’s all a grit is, a vehicle. For whatever it is you rather be eating.”
“I watch the chicken sizzle, try to forget she’s there. Frying chicken always makes me feel a little better about life.”
“If singing was a color, it would’ve been the color of that chocolate."

Plus the multitude of references to fried chicken, fried pork chops, caramel cake and Minny’s chocolate pie (ok, that one not so yummy). All these food references “got” me CRAVING Southern food. Yes, I have many Paul Prudhomme cookbooks, but decided to crack open the Lee Brothers's A Southern Cookbook and found some modern and fresh takes on Southern food (i.e., less fat). I also found the most incredible recipe for caramel cake. It's Maya Angelou’s great-grandmother’s recipe. It's VERY sweet but has many layers of sweetness and richness to it. Warning: this caramel cake is highly addictive. Here is the link for the recipe: Caramel Cake.

When choosing wines for a Southern-style meal, stick to New World style wines (more fruit forward). For spicier foods, try a Sauvignon Blanc, a juicy Zinfandel or a Syrah. If you are serving something fried, try a Chardonnay or an aggressive Pinot Noir. If the food does meet some smoke (think smoked pork chop), then you could pair it with a Côtes du Rhône or a Spanish Tempranillo. If you have any questions about your next Southern-style meal, send me an email, I would happy to help. I’m off to eat more of that caramel cake!