[Question] "Baking in the American South" - what to make first?

Don't know if it's in there, but when it comes to southern baking, the king of the heap that's distinctly southern, but not biscuits or cornbread, is probably pecan pie, with sweet potato pie being an almost tie.

After that, peach cobbler/pie.

Then probably strawberry rhubarb pie/cobbler

Pies are a little more old school southern, since they've been baked in some form or another since europeans came over.

But, if you step out of that, bread pudding is maybe more ubiquitous, depending on where in the south you are.

Now, cake wise, hummingbird cake is likely the one most people think of, and is likely to be in that book.

However, soda cakes are incredibly beloved. Coke and cheerwine in particular have honored places. RC cola, and sun-drop too, though the sun-drop is a bit more regional. But any recipe for any of the sodiepop cakes are interchangeable. They're obviously more recent, but still a staple.

If there's a recipe in there, fresh apple cake is amazing, but it isn't as popular.

Another one that's not purely southern, but has become a deep tradition in some families are "friendship" cakes. They're called that because part of the process involves fermenting fruit, and when you make the cake, you split off part of the resulting starter and give it to others. It's essentially fruitcake, but much better than any of the usual commercial brands. Moist, rich, and full of flavor.

It depends on what's in the book though.

Peach cobbler?

Oh damn. Heading to Amazon...

Cornbread in all it's glorious variations...

Tacos.

I'd make that cake on the cover. It looks delicious.

Collard greens made with ham hocks and no sugar

Buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy (you will not drain the pan before making the gravy…)

Nilla Puddin

I'm told southern trees are bearing strange fruits

I'm sure 100 of those are a butter or lard cakes. Probably delicious, but they will kill you eventually 🤣