Catfish: A Savor the South Cookbook

For Memphis natives Paul and Angela Knipple, enjoying “that steamy sweet white meat encased in golden crisp cornmeal was just a part of our childhoods.” Other fish, from bream and crappie to bass, trout, and shad, are popular in the South, but none of them, the Knipples observe, have settled as thoroughly in southern culture as the humble, bewhiskered, bottom-dwelling catfish. In Catfish, the Knipples share their family memories of catching and eating this most beloved of southern fish while also painting a portrait of its culinary and natural history and its place in southern culture and foodways. Including easy-to-use instructions for how to purchase, prepare, and cook catfish, the volume features 56 recipes highlighting the fish’s astonishing versatility–from such southern classics as Catfish Po’ Boy and Catfish Gumbo, to the global flavors of Catfish Bánh Mi and Nigerian Catfish Stew. Worth the price of admission alone are the recipes for fried catfish five ways, along with recipes for all the traditional sides, including slaw, hushpuppies, and tartar sauce–all you will need to cook a plate worthy of a real southern fish shack.