Fans of Food Network personality Paula Deen are well acquainted with her sons, Jamie and Bobby, through her program, as well as their own culinary travel show, Road Tasted
. This companion piece to the series recounts their visits to mom-and-pop establishments across the country, alongside the Deens' own take on featured establishments' signature dishes. Readers need not be familiar with the program to find the book useful, as the brothers offer a selection of dishes ranging from regional specialties such as Lobster Rolls and Brats to Truffles and Rosemary Lamb Chops. Some recipes, such as a basic cole slaw, require little preparation, and more involved recipes like Crab Corn Cakes with Basil-Jalapeno Sauce are still relatively easy to prepare. The focus on specific locales and their dishes elevates the book a step above most of its type; instead of offering a basic recipe for grits, for example, the Deens offer a twist: add two ounces of goat cheese. Traditional thumbprint cookies benefit from incorporating ground pecans into the dough, which is then rolled in chopped pecans; corn bread is greatly enhanced by the chopped bacon and sautéed apples folded into the batter. These memorable touches guarantee that this cookbook will quickly become dog-eared from regular use. (Apr.)
