This is a cookbook that celebrates the cooking and cuisine of the coastal South, Georgia in particular. I will note that growing up at the Jersey shore the flow of the “seasons” and the seafood recipes were familiar in a lot of ways. One of the things I miss most since moving to Montana is the ability to get right off the boat seafood. If you have never had it, you don’t know what you are missing. And if you can ever get shrimp with their heads still on – take them and run.

The Saltwater Table is a book that respects fresh ingredients, in their time. Take advantage of what is fresh and seasonal rather than try to make a hothouse tomato taste like summer – ya know? I chose to make what would be considered a winter recipe but I had pork out for dinner and so pork I made. And I am so glad I did – this was the best fried pork I have had in a very long time. The spice blend in the dredge and the bay laurel gravy is a magical combination. I found the recipes to be well written and easy to follow. Of the ones that I read I didn’t note any wild and crazy ingredients.

Reading the book and looking through the recipes brought back a lot of memories for me of the time we spent in our fifthwheel. Part of our travels involved spending Christmas in Georgia with friends after being in New Jersey for the Fall. We would meander so each year we would spend time going a different way so as to see different places. Coastal Georgia and her barrier islands are very similar to the barrier island I grew up on in New Jersey.

I believe this is going to be one of those cookbooks that I turn to on a regular basis. There are many wonderful dishes awaiting me; seafood, vegetable and dessert. This cookbook would make an excellent gift for anyone with fond memories of living on the mid to southern East coast or anyone who loves good Southern cooking. ( )