Supper at Richard's Place: Recipes from the New Southern Table

This collection of the homestyle Southern dishes Jones prepares at his Queens, N.Y., restaurant brims with familiar favorites, such as Corn and Smoked Oyster Fritters, and Collard Greens and Turnip Greens with Smoked Ham Hocks and Smoked Neck Bones. While Jones claims to have a "healthier" approach to Southern cooking, it's hard to see the evidence here. He may substitute canola oil for Crisco, for example, but there's still plenty of fried food: witness Potato Pancakes, Crab Cakes, and Southern Fried Chicken, to name just a few. The occasional head notes are chatty and friendly, if somewhat self-serving (e.g., "My wife often reminds me that not everyone shares the same passion for spending endless hours researching information about food and cooking techniques as I do"). Though some home cooks may be pleased to find straightforward recipes for Waffles, Grilled Boneless Pork Chops, Meat Loaf, and Potato Salad, there's nothing that distinguishes this simple, unadorned book from others on Southern cuisine. (Sept.)