Overview

Dozens of indigenous fruits, vegetables, nuts, and game animals are waiting to be rediscovered by American epicures, and Appalachia stocks the largest pantry with these delectable flavors. Eating Appalachia looks at the uniquely flavorful foods that are native to the region—including pawpaws, American persimmons, ramps, hickory nuts, and elk, among others—with 23 mouthwatering recipes and 45 color photographs. The book also profiles the food festivals including the Pawpaw Festival in Albany, Ohio; the Feast of the Ramson in Richmond, West Virginia; and Elk Night at Jenny Wiley State Park in Prestonburg, Kentucky. There are recipes for every ingredient: Pawpaw Panna Cotta, Chianti Braised Elk Stew, Pan-Fried Squirrel with Squirrel Gravy, Persimmon-Hickory Nut Bread, and Wild Ginger Poached Pears. Nordahl also discusses some of the larger agribusiness, governmental agency, and ecological issues that prevent these wild, and arguably tastier, foods from reaching our table.

Reviews

"A thoroughly entertaining and thought provoking journey through an undeservedly overlooked region of the country. Nordahl comes away not only with a harvest of rediscovered ingredients and a reconnection to America's original pantry, but also a network of genuine friendships." —Simon Majumdar, author of Eat My Globe and Fed, White, and Blue, and judge on Food Network's Cutthroat Kitchen and Iron Chef America

"As a native West Virginian, this book transported me back to the amazing meals of my childhood, high in the Appalachians. Join Nordahl as he demystifies the mountains, taking a walking tour of America's best-kept culinary secrets." —Forrest Pritchard, professional farmer and author of Gaining Ground and The Farmer in Your Kitchen

"With this entertaining and enlightening book, Darrin Nordahl shines a light on the native foods of Appalachia and the colorful locavores who celebrate them. A fascinating read for anyone curious about regional American foodways." —Marisa Bulzone, cofounder 150ish.com

"The book is lively and conversational, and is an excellent beginning point for discovering—or rediscovering—America's most unique culinary storehouse." —Eat Kentucky

Author Biography

Darrin Nordahl is the author of Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture. He blogs daily about food at www.365wholefoods.com and has written for CNN, the Huffington Post, and Grist.org. He lives in Oakland, California.