Our South: Black Food Through My Lens - A Cookbook

Chef Ashleigh Shanti presents a culinary map of the American South through five distinct microregions in her new hardcover volume. As a Black, queer, female chef with deep familial roots in the area, she draws on personal history and regional expertise to guide readers through Backcountry, Lowcountry, Midlands, Lowlands, and Homeland. The book organizes its content by these geographic zones, starting with Black Appalachia South and moving through Gullah-Geechee traditions, the Black Agricultural Mecca, dishes from Coastal Virginia, and finally the food Shanti cooks in her current life. This structure allows for a detailed exploration of specific culinary traditions that are often overlooked in broader Southern cookbooks. The text relies on Shanti’s lived experience and family heritage rather than external academic sources. It suits readers interested in regional American cuisine, Black history, and queer perspectives in food writing. Those seeking standard Southern comfort food recipes without cultural context may find the focus on microregions less appealing. The book invites readers to sit at her table and discover dishes that range from unfamiliar preparations to nostalgic family favorites. Each chapter reflects a specific period or place in Shanti’s life, grounding the recipes in tangible history and personal narrative.