I love cookbooks, and (being from the south myself) I’m especially fond of cookbooks featuring southern recipes. It’s the type of food I’m most familiar with—it’s what I was raised on, and what I’ve fed my own family through the years.
My Great-Grandma Margie, whom I loved very much. I miss her every day. She taught me the meaning of unconditional love.
When I first saw the title of this particular cookbook, I was immediately reminded of my Great-Grandmother. Grandma Margie always had homemade sweets ready and waiting in case any of her grandkids and great-grandkids stopped by to visit for a while. Grandma always came outside to greet us the same way—with joy on her face, and her arms opened wide, saying “C’mere so I can hug your neck!”
Once we went inside the house, my eyes were inevitably drawn to the dining room, excited because I knew what I would see. Two long tables, filled with every sweet treat a child could ever want, made by Grandma herself. The love she put into making those cookies, brownies, fudges, and candies made them even sweeter to me, and I will forever cherish memories of those visits.
It’s appropriate to share this beloved memory in my review, because in addition to the many yummy recipes, Jordan has sprinkled in several sweet memories of her own, along with the encouragement to appreciate the sweetness in life. Sometimes, we get so busy living life that we don’t always remember to stop and smell the roses… to take a moment to be grateful for what we have in this life, and the loved ones we share it with each day. There is always something sweet to cherish, and I was reminded of many cherished memories of my own as I read hers.
As far as the recipes themselves, there were extremely few that I didn’t want to try out myself. They all sound SO good, and if the photos of the finished treats don’t make your mouth water, nothing will. There are also many tips—for example, simple ways to decorate a cake—that are quite useful to know.
This would be a fantastic addition to anyone’s cookbook library, and with Christmas right around the corner, it’s a great time to try your hand at making some of these luscious sweets!
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Workman Publishing Company via Netgalley.
Author: Christy Jordan
Title: Sweetness: Southern Recipes to Celebrate the Warmth, the Love, and the Blessings of a Full Life
Genre: Cooking, Food, & Wine
Publication Date: November 8, 2016 by Workman Publishing Company
Rating: 4 stars
About the Book
A celebration of sweetness in all forms – sweet foods, sweet memories, sweet blessings, and a sweet life – in recipes by Christy Jordan of Southern Plate.
About the Author
CHRISTY JORDAN is a food blogger, bestselling cookbook author, tv personality, former editor at large for Southern Living Magazine, former contributing editor to Taste of the South magazine, and someone who loves to feed people.
She holds a B.S. in Home Economics with a concentration in Foods and Nutrition. A ninth generation Alabamian, Christy lives just minutes from where she was born with her husband of 20 years, their two children, various cats, dogs, and a small flock of chickens.
Her website, SouthernPlate, has been twice named one of the top 25 food websites in the country, and draws millions of visitors each month.
The Southern Plate family is made up of a wide variance of folks who value family, friends, faith, and strengthening connections over a home cooked meal.
Author photo and bio via author’s website.
The Geeky Bibliophile 
You must be logged in to post a comment.