The Whole Hog Cookbook

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Y’all, I just spent one of the best evenings that I can remember in a long time in Savannah, Ga.   Now y’all know that I love Savannah, and of course Paula Deen, but tonight it was all about Paula’s food stylist, Libbie Summers.  Libbie just released her amazing cookbook “The Whole Hog Cookbook” and tonight was a release party for it.  Well, don’t ask me how or why, but Libbie Summers included me on her invitation list.  Yes, I about fell over when I got the invite.  I live in Tampa, Florida and it takes about 4-5 hours to get to Savannah, but you know I was going.

Now I have had my copy of the cookbook since the day it was released, and went through it thoroughly many times.  I have already picked out the recipes that I was going to be making in the very near future, basically almost all the them.  In fact, the following weekend after getting her cookbook, I was making the country ham and buttermilk biscuits.  I had these often growing up in my mamaw’s kitchen, so it was a no brainer I was going to make these first.

So I took 2 days off of work and headed to Savannah.  I had some friends question why I’d miss work and drive so far just to attend a release party for someone’s cookbook who I didn’t even know.  That just shows they are non-foodies.  Besides, I had been talking back and forth on Facebook and Twitter with Libbie.   She had given me permission to share a recipe on here too.  She always seemed quite open to answering questions for me and even giving me quite good cooking advice.  So I felt that I knew her somewhat.

I was one of the first people to get to the party.  I knew I was in the right place when I saw her “food truck” sitting by the road.

After parking and heading up the ramp to the building I noticed that there was a pig waiting to great me at the door.  Very adorable, heck there was one inside as well.

Then I entered the building and it was like they knew I was coming.  There, for all the guests, as an appetizer were buckets and buckets of bacon.  Yes, I was in heaven.

I walked around and took pictures for a while of all the things they had decorated with such as aprons, pictures of the making of the cookbook and even a video playing of the same.  After making my way to the back of the building, and this place was quite large with many rooms, I was walking back to the front to get a drink when I ran into Libbie.  Now this is a lady who had never met me and only knew me from as I mentioned before, Facebook and Twitter, but she recognized me from my picture and came up and gave me a big hug and thanked me for coming.  Y’all, I felt so comfortable and welcomed by her.  She took time to talk with me, and then introduce me to her friends and other guests of the party. 

I of course thanked her so much for inviting me and I left her to greet more guests.  As the evening went on, I noticed that she wasn’t a person who puts on a front.  She welcomed every single person with the biggest smile and enthusiasm.  She was so sincere to everyone and every time she saw me she asked if I was having a good time, and would introduce me to someone else.  Then when I bought another copy of her cookbook (with a piglet under the table nibbling at my feet) and took it to her to sign, she immediately asked with concern if I was leaving.  Of course I wasn’t, but it was nice to see such a wonderful person, with hundreds of people there to honor her, was always making sure people were having a good time and enjoying themselves.  She is a true Southern Lady.

Now let me tell y’all, you have to go out and get this cookbook.  If you like pork, and even if you don’t think you do, this cookbook is amazing.  Literally showing you how to use every part of the pig.  She let nothing go to waste.  It is filled with stories from her childhood, and her cooking journeys around the world as a private chef aboard private yachts.  So there are recipes in here that you might recognize, and some that you will soon come to love as you try them yourself.  She makes everything from appetizers to desserts and cookies with pork.  My favorite so far is her breaded pork tenderloin sandwich.  My mom made these when I was growing up, and I immediately made them the first night I got her cookbook and saw the recipe.  It brought back such good childhood memories.  I am sure you will find a recipe or two in her cookbook that will do the same for you. 

I can’t stress enough that this needs to be a go to cookbook in your collection.  Believe me, it won’t be gathering much dust in my kitchen.

Thank you Libbie for inviting me into your world of food and share in celebrating your new cookbook.  You are one class act and my favorite online foodie and twitter buddy.   Your cookbook is now one of my favorites, thank you for sharing your recipes and stories with us.