The University of North Carolina Press

280 pp., 6.125 x 9.25

Paper

ISBN  978-0-8078-5656-7

Published: October 2005

Cornbread Nation 3

Foods of the Mountain South

Edited By Ronni Lundy

The stories, poems, and essays gathered in Cornbread Nation 3: Foods of the Mountain South were born along the winding roads of Appalachia, in the vales of the Ozarks, and in the flatlands beyond, where mountain people traveled in the hillbilly diaspora. Here, wisdom is gleaned in coal-mining camps, at roadside vegetable stands, at dinners on church grounds, and on shady front porches.

In these tantalizing pieces, leather britches are set to dry in a classic rite, the sweetness of corn approaches the divine, a bean without strings brooks no flavor, and the arrival of autumn brings the heady scent of the ripe and secretive pawpaw. The volume's contributors include trailblazing writers from the past and present--Tony Earley, Michael McFee, Marilou Awiakta, Frank X Walker, and Harriette Arnow--who demonstrate the power of connectedness among families and neighbors and remind us that earth's greatest treasures grow from well-tended seeds.

As a special bonus, this edition of the Southern Foodways Alliance annual anthology contains lyrics to the Cornbread Nation anthem by acclaimed West Virginia singer/songwriter Tim O'Brien.

About the Author

Ronni Lundy, a founding member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, is a journalist and author of several cookbooks, including Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes, and Honest Fried Chicken: The Heart and Soul of Southern Country Kitchens and Butter Beans to Blackberries: Recipes from the Southern Garden.