Southern Living magazine’s beloved columnist and test kitchen pro Ivy Odom offers a host of truly Southern recipes, from favorites to fresh creations
Whether you already love her Southern Living cooking column and Hey Y’all video series or have just discovered them, you need to know Ivy Odom. Born and raised in Moultrie, Georgia, and just 30 years old, she is a fresh cooking talent whose star is ascendant.
Her first cookbook mixes up tried and true classic recipes passed down through generations—Ivy’s heritage is proudly Southern all the way—with her own trendworthy spins on traditional favorites.
Throughout the book, you’ll find big cooking ideas (plus time saving tips); cocktails to shake; and recipes (more than 100) to make to help you cook up all the dishes you crave. Chapters match food to occasion, so have fun indulging in your favorite supper menus, cocktails for porch sipping, and perfect dishes for lawn parties, lazy Sundays, tailgates, and more.
Discover pro cooking techniques in “Ivy’s Take” sidebars, and for moments when you’d rather read than cook, there are stories full of signature Southern charm on each and every page.
About the Author
Ivy Odom is the senior lifestyle editor at Southern Living and a familiar face of the Southern Living brand. She hosted all 40 episodes (two seasons) of the syndicated and Emmy-nominated TV show The Southern Living Show, and she appears frequently on the TODAY show and Good Morning America. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and the culinary arts program at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, Luis, and her dog, Basil.
Praise For…
“It’s all right here! Mama’s favorites. Auntie’s secrets. Ivy’s magic. As a proud Alabama native, [I know] this book is going to be dog-eared and fully marked up by the time I’m done with it.”
—Octavia Spencer, Academy Award and Golden Globe Award–winning actor and producer
“To a Southern transplant living in California, this entire book felt like a huge hug. So many of Ivy’s family stories about food echo my own memories of tailgates and holiday gatherings, reminding me that the experience of food is not just about eating but who you’re eating with. I was smiling from ear to ear as I read every page, and I can’t wait to cook both long-forgotten classics and Ivy’s fresh spins on Southern cuisine.”—Caroline Chambers, author of New York Times bestseller What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking
“What a dream to see old recipes (long passed down) and new ones that are soon to be classics. This cookbook will live front and center (and get splattered on) in kitchens for many years to come.”—Annie F. Downs, author of New York Times bestseller That Sounds Fun
“Ivy Odom is the ultimate Southern cooking BFF. Her cookbook brings straight-up deliciousness. From brunch-worthy pimiento cheese grits to a strawberry shortcake showstopper, this book has you covered.”—Jocelyn Delk Adams, television host and author of Grandbaby Cakes and Everyday Grand
“Few people are as vivacious, thoughtful, and talented as Ivy. Her excitement in the kitchen and love of food are the perfect results of her South Georgia roots and the generational gatherings that she experienced around the stove. Her gift for hospitality shows on every single page of My Southern Kitchen. I’ve cooked with Ivy for a long time, and I’ve never tasted a recipe of hers that I didn’t love.”—Rebecca Lang, author of Y’all Come Over
“Ivy is such a breath of Southern fresh air. She cooks like everyone’s favorite grandma, bringing a feisty, modern spirit to everything she touches. This book is no doubt going to be found on the kitchen island of every Southern home.”—Kelsey Barnard Clark, Top Chef season 16 winner, television personality, author, James Beard Award n
