It's the way Damon Lee Fowler, author of Classical Southern Cooking, coaxes the timeless flavors of yesterday from the markets and kitchens of today. Rather than simply reproduce traditional Southern food, Fowler presents more than 160 mouthwatering, perfect-every-time recipes that take into account how we come by ingredients, the equipment we use to prepare them, and our more health-conscious way of living. The result is food that honors the spirit, the history, and especially the taste of the classic Southern table.

Southern cooking, as most people think of it, doesn't exist. After all, there are as many ways to make real corn bread, gumbo, or fried chicken as there are cooks. So instead of dwelling on hidebound notions of authenticity, Fowler focuses on the essence of great Southern food, combining traditional ingredients in fresh ways and finding nuances of flavor and texture that may have been overlooked before.

This is an unapologetically opinionated and singular book, both colored by the tastes of the author's palate, upbringing, and experiences, and connected to every cook who has ever and will ever step into a kitchen with a Southern idea of flavor in mind. In these pages you won't find nouveau Southern dishes that simply add cilantro or jalapeño peppers. You will find Pecan-Crusted Goat Cheese with Warm Peach Chutney, combining the best of old and new Southern elements. Pan-Broiled Pork Tenderloins with Caramelized Onions honors the Southern passion for pig but uses a lean cut of meat. Asparagus Shortcake and Shrimp and Green Tomato Gumbo put a savory twist on old favorites. Pound Cake Sandwiches, made with Bourbon Pound Cake; Orange-Praline Trifle; and Sweet Potato Ice Cream are all soul-satisfying endings to any meal.

With suggested menus and resources for finding the best Southern ingredients, Damon Lee Fowler's New Southern Kitchen is sure to become a contemporary classic and an essential volume in every cookbook library, whether north or south of the Mason-Dixon line.