Blogger Amber Wilson is a Southern belle through and through. Now residing in Nashville, Tennessee, but hailing from Lake Charles, Louisiana, Wilson was brought up by proud Cajun women who taught her the importance of her heritage and its bold, comforting cuisine. Fast forward to her twenties and Wilson rejects an offer to work with NASA to pursue her love of food writing about Southern fare. In 2012, she launched For the Love of the South to share her explorations and insights into the region’s cuisine. You’ll become an immediate fan of this elegant, nostalgic blog and Wilson’s evocative writing, redolent of her grandmother’s kitchen, smoky chicory coffee and bacon bourbon brittle – just as we have.
“One of the greatest characteristics of Southern comfort food is familiarity. Most people mistake comfort food for fodder that's covered in gravy or deep-fried, but I grew up with a completely different mindset on the subject. To me, comfort food brings me back to a special time in my life in which food made me feel reassured and cared for; like the memory of my grandmother slowly, purposefully slicing potatoes for homemade chips; watching my patient grandfather gathering and shelling pecans; waking up to the smell of smoky, chicory coffee; the warm scent of cinnamon wafting in the air as an apple cake was being baked; the crackle of homemade candy melding away on the stove; and the delight of a flaky pot-pie crust breaking under the weight of my spoon. All of these memories retell of comforting Southern ingredients or dishes with a comforting twist, which I hope will keep both your stomachs and your hearts warm during the chilly months of winter.”
I started my blog…
“As an extension of a senior thesis project, while waiting for a job opportunity with NASA. My thesis was on Southern food and how this food defines the South. Once the project was over, an editor encouraged me to begin a food blog based on my thesis. I loved writing about food and sharing my stories with the rest of the world and rejected my offer with NASA to pursue my passion for Southern food!”
I can’t wait to go back to…
My current food obsession is…
“Bourbon-smoked sea salt.”
“When I go back to my hometown, Lake Charles, Louisiana, the first thing I eat is smoked boudin.”
Friends always ask me to cook my…
“I always have chicory coffee in my pantry, dark chocolate in my fridge and chocolate chip cookie dough in my freezer.”
My most sauce-splattered cookbook is…
“Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle.”
Beyond my own blog, some of my favourite reads are…
“Manger, Orangette, Food 52, Bon Appétit magazine, Kinfolk magazine and anything by Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver.”
1. Chicory coffee granita with bourbon whipped cream
2. Bacon bourbon brittle
3. Roasted chicken with cauliflower mash
4. Homemade garlic and rosemary potato chips
Blog Appétit Editor Yasmin Newman
Source: Amber Wilson
Homemade garlic and rosemary potato chips Source: Amber Wilson
Blog Appétit is our curated list of go-to food blogs we love, with a focus on high-quality photography, trusted recipes, strong editorial themes and a unique voice and personality. View previous Blog Appétit entries.
