Chef Ashleigh Shanti takes readers on a culinary journey through the microregions of the American South specific to her upbringing and life. Her unique perspective as a Black, queer, female chef, combined with her familial roots, has led her to become an expert in this unexplored subject. In this book, Ashleigh explores five regions; Backcountry (Black Appalachia South), Lowcountry (Gullah-Geechee), Midlands (The Black Agricultual Mecca), Lowlands (the dishes from Ashleigh’s Coastal Virginia childhood), and Homeland (the food she cooks today). Ashleigh invites everyone to have a seat at her table, with the hope that her recipes expose you to dishes you’ve never tried before, or you find dishes that remind you of home. 
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: Washington Post, Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, Forbes, EATER, Smithsonian Magazine, Library Journal • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS TO GIFT: The Strategist, Domino
Raised in Appalachia, native daughter Ashleigh Shanti, a queer Black woman and acclaimed chef, knows Southern Black cooking means more than we’ve come to believe. While hot buttered cast-iron-pan cornbread and crunchy, juicy, lard-fried chicken have their roles to play, they are far from the entire story. 
 
Our South takes readers on a mouthwatering journey through Appalachia and beyond, revealing the depth and diversity of Southern cooking through the eyes of a rising culinary star. Perfect for fans of other regional Southern cookbooks like the Mosquito Supper Club cookbook or soul food cookbooks like Jubilee, Our South stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of Black culinary traditions, offering a contemporary exploration of Black Southern foodways that's both personal and universal.