Staff Pick
Victuals is a foodways book of Appalachia, as well as an introduction to the people and landscape of the area. When you get this book, be sure to stock up on sorghum syrup, as this seems to be the sugar of choice. Other than that, these regional recipes look to be pretty relatable to most spots in America. Victuals is a beautiful book that works as both a coffee table book and on the kitchen shelf. The recipes are stick-to-the-ribs good, and most are easy to make yet build a complex flavor.
Victuals is a love story to this little-known and somewhat mysterious wild country of Appalachian Mountains. (A fun fact to know and tell: in Appalachia, "victuals" is pronounced "vidls.") Recommended By Tracey T., Powells.com
Humble ingredients elevated to satisfying near-perfection. The key? Technique and respect for food. Try the "sallet" — fresh wild greens pan-fried for an instant in bacon grease. Recommended By Eva F., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Victuals is an exploration of the foodways, people, and places of Appalachia. Written by Ronni Lundy, regarded as the most engaging authority on the region, the book guides us through the surprisingly diverse history–and vibrant present–of food in the Mountain South.
Victuals explores the diverse and complex food scene of the Mountain South through recipes, stories, traditions, and innovations. Each chapter explores a specific defining food or tradition of the region–such as salt, beans, corn (and corn liquor). The essays introduce readers to their rich histories and the farmers, curers, hunters, and chefs who define the region’s contemporary landscape. Sitting at a diverse intersection of cuisines, Appalachia offers a wide range of ingredients and products that can be transformed using traditional methods and contemporary applications. Through 80 recipes and stories gathered on her travels in the region, Lundy shares dishes that distill the story and flavors of the Mountain South.
Review
”Lundy is a warm and charming guide with a deep-seated love and respect for the region and its approach to cuisine. Fans of locally sourced foods and Southern cooking will find a lot to like here, as Lundy does a terrific job of showcasing Appalachia’s breadth and depth.” Publishers Weekly
Review
“Each chapter of Victuals focuses on a tentpole of Appalachian cuisine; an ingredient or a tradition. Essays on each, along with 80 recipes, tell the story of this diverse mountain cuisine through the words of one of its biggest champions.” Epicurious
Review
“Victuals promises to be the jewel in [Ronni Lundy’s] crown, setting the record straight about her native cuisine, too long dismissed as homogenized, and telling instead the real story of a cookery thrillingly formed at the crossings of African, European, and Native Nation traditions. Did we mention it comes with recipes?” Oxford American
About the Author
Born in Corbin, Kentucky, Ronni Lundy has long chronicled the people of the hillbilly diaspora as a journalist and cookbook author. She is the former restaurant reviewer and music critic for The Courier-Journal in Louisville, former editor of Louisville Magazine, and has contributed to many national magazines. Her book Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes and Honest Fried Chicken was recognized by Gourmet magazine as one of six essential books on Southern cooking. In 2009, Lundy received the Southern Foodways Alliance Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award. She has contributed to Eating Well, Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Esquire, and other magazines.