Packed with wise, warm—and often laugh-out-loud funny—words from great Southern writers and cooks. A cookbook that’s so much fun to read!

Now for the very first time, the hospitality experts at Southern Living have gathered together the kitchen-perfected recipes that have spread comfort and joy for generations.

From all the fried chicken recipes out there, we selected the crispiest and juiciest we've ever tasted. We sought out the definitive comfort-food casserole. The most soul-satisfying cornbread stuffing. The lightest biscuits. The most tender pancakes. The creamiest rice pudding. The tangiest ribs. The sweetest, lighter-than-air lemon meringue pie.

These are the dishes you return to over and over to relive happy memories—and create new ones. To celebrate the good times—and get you through the tough times. To share with those you love the best—and pass on to the generations that follow.

With a laugh-out-loud funny foreword by acclaimed Southern writer Pat Conroy, you’ll also discover wise, warm words from a range of Southern writers and cooks. In lovely little essays, they share memories of the meals that weave together a personal sense of tradition, love, family, and celebration.