I first saw the book More Than Moonshine in an old train depot in Thurmond, West Virginia that had been turned into a museum. As I casually flipped through the pages I knew I just had to have it. The title of the book itself made it even more desirable to own. I wasn't disappointed.

Sidney Saylor Farr has a very conversational style of writing. You feel as if you are sitting in the living room with her as she retells stories of her childhood. You can feel the warm and coziness of the kitchens she grew up in and even picture her father out at the moonshine still checking the proof of his corn liquor.

As she points out in her book, southern cooking is not just about moonshine. There are a variety of foods that are considered staples in a southern kitchen. There is a key factor in most kitchens though. Food is cooked from scratch or brought in from the garden. You won't find many foods cooked from a box, which I talk about in my Southern Corn Bread recipe. (link to recipe below)

In this recipe book, Sidney has taken recipes from her own collection, family members, and friends who have been cooking in the south for years. There are a variety of recipes included that cover almost all traditional southern treats. These include; cornbread, biscuits, greens, fried pies, fried chicken, cobblers, jellies, dumplings, frog legs, home-brewed beer, corn fritters, and lots more.

As an added bonus Sidney also included recipes for lye soap and a list of different home remedies for common ailments that were used by many mountain folk. There is even a home remedy for removing freckles. I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe book and I hope you will as well.