There aren't many cookbooks about which I can say this, but this book is amazing! It's more than a simple cookbook. The history, the photographs and the CORNBREAD AND BISCUITS!! Who knew there were so many?! As soon as I dove into this hefty volume I knew I needed a copy. The research that was done to create this book is extensive, every page is a pleasure to read. I own a lot of cookbooks and I have been baking, especially bread, since I was in elementary school, and I am proud to have this volume on my shelf. And not just breads and cakes are included, as I had assumed - puddings and pies are here as well. There is literally something for everyone. I know, I'm going on and on....and on about this book, but this is an exciting addition to my personal library and I will say that you can't go wrong with this cookbook. My ARC was provided by the publisher and NetGalley, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

Anne Byrn’s cookbooks are always excellent, but she has outdone herself in Baking in the American South: 200 Recipes and Their Untold Stories (A Definitive Guide to Southern Baking). Not only does she include mouthwatering recipes, but also stories about how the classic baked goods originated. This is one to curl up in the corner to read. It is a fascinating read, and for those not from the south, introduces baked goods that are iconic and have been passed down from generation to generation. Besides being an excellent cook and recipe developer, Anne Byrne is also an excellent writer. She makes the stories and recipes come alive. Having owned several of her previous cookbooks, I expected this to be a good one, but I am blown away. I want to make almost every recipe in the book. The recipes are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by step-by-step instructions. Byrn makes them simple, so that anyone who wants to bake, from beginners to advanced bakers, can easily make these recipes turn out picture perfect and delicious. She has also included beautiful, professional (Rinne Allen) photographs that will make anyone salivate. My husband is from the south (Kentucky), and his mother was a wonderful country cook; many of the recipes Byrm has included are those that he grew up on, and making them has brought back good memories for him. All told, this is an excellent baking book that belongs on every cookbook shelf. Highly recommended. Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I’m sure that we all approach cookbooks in a different way. Me? I like to read them like a novel. Because of this, I am always delighted to find a cookbook that can offer me not only recipes, but historical facts, new methods of cooking, local culture, and thoughts and tips from fellow cooks. Baking in the American South by Anne Byrne has all of these things, plus it offers us recipes that are truly fine examples of the wonderful tradition of Southern baking. This book contains 200 recipes from 14 Southern states, and nearly as many mouthwatering photos, that will send you running into the kitchen, whisk in hand. For me, this book was worth it alone for the cornbread recipes. There are biscuits as well, and rolls, cakes, and cookies, all most certain to send you into a carbohydrate coma. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the people who created these recipes and their varied cultures. Kudos to Bryne for being able to convert those old recipes when inexact measurements were used. To the dismay of everyone in my family, my grandmother used to say things like “add enough flour until it ‘looks right,’” confounding everyone. Because of this I was grateful for the included and most helpful chart in converting those measurements into modern day ones. This provides the reader with the wonderful opportunity to recreate those much loved, crumbling, food-stained recipes from decades past, allowing them to partake in the delights of their own family’s culinary history. You don’t have to be a baker to be fascinated by the contents. You will, however, want to explore each chapter in detail (one of which is devoted entirely to cornbread, be still my beating heart): Sizzling Cornbread Hot Biscuits Quick Loaves, Griddle Cakes, Waffles, and Fritters Rolls, Breads, and Yeast-Raised Cakes Comforting Puddings Pies Plain and Fancy Bake Me a Cake Cookies and Bars by the Dozen Frostings and Flourishes This is really a book that needs to be experienced. Historians, food lovers, family cooks, and professionals, will all find great value here. I received an advanced digital copy from NetGalley.

Anne Byrn is one of my favorite cookbook author and I love her cookbooks. Of course, this became one of my favorites quickly and this is why. This book features recipes from the south and every recipe comes with history and tells us how life and history evolve them throughout the years. Stories behind each and every recipes are truly fascinating and worth a read. Not to mention this book brings an outstanding amount of true Southern baked goods that will make you want to start baking from cornbread, biscuits to pies and many more! The only thing I wish this book had was more photographs of the recipes, however, this would've been a ginormous cookbook if it contained more pics since it already is a huge book. I'm not from Southern area, but I love their foods and the joy they bring. I learned a lot from Baking in the American South and can't recommend enough to anyone who loves baking and would like to bake Southern baked gems!

This is a great cookbook, wonderful recipes, love the stories, love the photos. Lots of info about how to’s, ingredients etc. Get it!

This book is magnificent — 200+ detailed recipes and beautifully photographed southern classics. It’s filled with history and stories that read like a novel. The first thing I baked were one of the biscuit recipes and they were perfect. Congratulations, Anne Byrn, you knocked it out of the park!