Uncle Bubba's Savannah Seafood

The latest salvo from the Paula Deen camp (Bubba is her beloved baby brother) fits comfortably alongside Deen's many cookbooks. Sharing much in common with his sister (namely, a fondness for cream cheese, butter and mayonnaise), Hiers offers a number of dishes featured at his coastal Georgia restaurant, Uncle Bubba's Oyster House. Simple, tasty southern classics like Cornbread, Fried Chicken and Pecan Pie abound, but it's the seafood that takes center stage, ranging from Gumbo, Crab Stew and BBQ Shrimp to Seafood Nachos and Baked Oysters with Crab. Virtually all the recipes are straightforward and call for seafood that can be easily sourced even for cooks who don't live near the coast. Rounding out the collection are the usual sides (red beans and rice, cole slaw) as well as interesting variations like Vidalia Onion and Lump Blue Crab Salad. A solid collection of desserts suits every skill level-beginners will do just fine with any of Hier's three pound cakes, while more advanced bakers will want to try his Lemon Cheese Cake, really a traditional layer cake with lemon curd, seven minute frosting and, oddly enough, not a dab of cream cheese.