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USC Press’s Latest Book Highlights Distinguished Caroline Professor David Shields’ Research into the State’s Culinary History
Posted on: September 23, 2021; Updated on: September 23, 2021
By Abe Danaher, [email protected], 803-576-7780
David Shields is many things: distinguished faculty member at the University of South Carolina, renowned author, and owner of one of the largest collections of period performing art photography. In Palmetto State, however, he is perhaps best known for his contributions to the kitchen table.
“I’m primarily known as the flavor saver,” Shields said. “The person who goes out to find ingredients and gets people to grow them and chefs to use them.”
For 20 years, Shields has strived to bring southern cuisine back to its roots. He has devoted several books to identifying crops and ingredients that were once used by Southern chefs, but are no longer even cultivated today. Then, thanks to his leadership of Carolina Gold Rice Foundation, he has worked to bring these ingredients back by encouraging farmers across the state to grow them and chefs to reincorporate them.
With his new book Taste the state, co-written with Kevin Mitchell and on sale Oct. 12, Shields continues its efforts in touting South Carolina’s rich culinary history. In the process, he and Mitchell hope to reconnect Southern Carolinians with the recipes and ingredients of their past.
The book is one of 20 published by the University of South Carolina Press this autumn. Director Richard Brown says that aligns perfectly with the publisher’s mission of serving the university and the state.
“We tell stories” Brown said. “And this book is just an amazing story about how we eat and how we think about food. And that’s just one great illustration of our press’s commitment to telling stories about South Carolina and the people, food, and culture of the state.
In Taste the state, Shields and Mitchell highlight 82 iconic ingredients from the Lowcountry, Midlands, and Upstate, sharing stories of ancient staples like the tania plant and Duke’s relevance to the state. For some dishes, Mitchell – the first African-American chef instructor at the Culinary Institute of Charleston – even recreated the meal and provided an updated recipe for doing it.
Mitchell believes even South Carolina’s foremost cooking experts will learn a thing or two from reading the book.
“I think there will be a number of ingredients and things that we write that people are going to be like, ‘Wait a minute, how does that relate to South Carolina? He said. “And then, hopefully, it arouses in them a curiosity for knowledge and they take the book and say,” Well, why are these guys talking about oranges? Why are they talking about asparagus? ”
The University of South Carolina Press worked with Mitchell and Shields to help the authors realize their vision. Aurora Bell provided proofreading and editing, while Pat Callahan oversaw the layout and design of the book. The high production values that the USC Press team brings to every book is a “distinguishing feature” of the press, says Brown, and one he thinks is exemplified by Taste the state.
“It’s an absolutely beautiful book,” he says. “It’s so pretty, it’s fun to read, and you just want to dive into it.”
Mitchell and Shields are sure the new knowledge shared in the book will attract curious foodies from across South Carolina. But they think its appeal will be much wider than that for a very simple reason: who hasn’t been a little hungry?
“As a chef, I hope people try some of the recipes and maybe contact me and say, ‘I tried your grandma’s peas and greens recipe, and I think it ‘is great. I want to try your recipe on Hoppin ‘John, or the donuts, or whatever, ”Mitchell says. “This is what I hope for.”
Learn more
You can find out more about the book and buy it online at USCPress.com. There will also be paid dinners featuring Chef Kevin Mitchell on October 29-30 in Columbia.
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The subjects:
Faculty, Academics, College of Arts and Sciences
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