"Our old Bell Pioneer cookbooks were so ragged we decided to order a new one. This cookbook has a wide range of recipes, many with a Southern flavor. We especially like the spiral binding that allows the book to stay flat and open for reference while cooking. The print is easy to read and for the most part ingredients and instructions are clearly stated and easy to understand. I'm cooking my way through this cookbook right now and have yet to try a recipe that hasn't been good." --Barbara C. McCoy
"Great recipes that someone would use... simple recipes that you don't have to run out a search for strange or unusual ingredients... most are already in the pantry." --Micheal Watkins
Gwen McKee is a publisher with a mission. As the co-founder (with her husband, Barney) and the editor-in-chief of Quail Ridge Press, she has dedicated the past two decades to preserving America's food heritage. Through Quail Ridge Press, Gwen has now accomplished much of this task by creating the 50-volume Best of the Best State Cookbook Series that includes over 20,000 classic recipes. Today Quail Ridge Press is one of the most successful regional publishers, and certainly one of the most thriving publishing houses owned by a woman.
Gwen's interest in preserving "real" American food came naturally. Like most native Southerners, she was influenced by a family immersed in the traditions of Southern cooking and entertaining. Over a period of many years, Gwen collected recipes that were handed down through her family for traditional holidays and reunions.
