Mountain Country Cooking

Although it contains recipes for old-fashioned fried chicken, cream gravy, apple turnovers, and cornbread, this is not your usual country cookbook. It is a sampling of the culinary heritage of nine Appalachian states that celebrates the homegrown fruits of mountain soil and the labors of mountain cooks of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Sohn's love for Appalachian cookery comes across clearly in the chatty text, which includes plenty of intriguing general background and cooking tips. Each of the 300 recipes is rated for difficulty and appended by preparation alternatives for health-conscious cooks. The print is tiny, and the directions appear in running text rather than in the more accessible step-by-step form, but cooks in search of a change of pace will find that an easy trade-off for some adventurous eating opportunities. - Stephanie Zvirin-