No thank you ma'am.

I asked for this book because I wanted to know what snacks beyond boiled peanuts and crayfish bites are "southern" snacks. Ms Magness, who grew up in Memphis, has made a particular study of lady's league and church recipe books from around the region. To collect these books she has also travelled and eaten her way across Tennessee and the Delta. She presents her reminiscences of growing up with southern snacks, her travel experiences, and her versions of the classic recipes in this small cookbook.

I don't think her effort is a success. Some of the recipes are national recipes of the 1950s and are not southern in any way. The "Field Pea Hummus" is essentially the one off a package of dried beans. The selection of recipes and order of presentation is not particularly creative. The prose can be awkward and ungrammatical. A small handful of interesting recipes does not make up for many pages of ordinary stuff that is similar to ideas found anywhere online.

I am looking at an ARC and so I can't be sure how the final version will look, but the photos in front of me are not very appealing, with poor contrast and no vibrancy. Some of the dips look gray, which is not good. There are lots of photos at the beginning (dips and spreads and the crackers) but by the time you get to the seafood and meats chapters the photos are few and far between, even for dishes like "tamales" which are a version of Swedish meatballs that have nothing to do with real tamales (just as the "mangoes" where I come from have no relation to real mangoes) there is no accompanying photo.

I love cookbooks and have many, many great books in my collection. This one has earned its space on my shelf. Travelling with my husband in the Air Force, we spent a few years in the South. Many of these recipes remind of cooking with our friends and the snacks that we enjoyed at many a gathering. I've been looking for a great recipe for fried pickles and this one just might be the winner!

This book made me so hungry! Southern Snacks is full of a delicious recipes with southern staples, like pimento cheese, cornbread, black eyed peas, and so many others.The recipes seem to be easy to follow, and the photographs are beautiful. I would love to make every dish in this book. There are also sidebars that provide information about different southern traditions or customs and recipe suggestions to go along with them. Buy this wherever books about southern cuisine are popular.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love appetizers and hor d’oeuvres. They’re my favorite part of a holiday meal or going out to eat. I could make a meal out of them. And sometimes at home, I do. So, I was thrilled to find SOUTHERN SNACKS.

The first thing I did when I opened this book was look at all the photos. Sadly, there isn’t a photo for every recipe (that’s my hang-up), but the photos that are included made my stomach growl, my mouth water, and my grocery bill go up.

Throughout chapters for Dips and Spreads, Cheese, Deep-Fried morsels, Seafood, Meat, Veggies, Nuts, and Crackers and Biscuits, author Perre Coleman Magness also includes little notes about her life, family, and the southern food that she grew up with. My favorite story is Gas Station Peanut Brittle. It made me smile, and sad at the same time, because I could completely relate with how the author felt.

Recipes range from simple to elegant, so there’s something for every gathering. Your guests will rave over each platter full of these culinary creations . . . Mississippi Sin, Deviled Egg Spread, Traditional Cheese Straws (yum), Williamsburg Cheese Biscuits, Country Ham Cheesecake, Comeback Sauce, Fried Grits with Tomato-Bacon Jam, Crab Cake Bites with Artichoke Tartar Sauce, Petite Crawfish Pies, Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese Biscuits and Green Onion Butter, Bama Wings with White Sauce, Party Tomato Pies, Dilly Beans, Sweet Tea Pecans, Nuts and Bolts, Cornbread Thins, Cocktails Biscuits, and more!

I’ll be going back and checking out this author’s other cookbooks. If they’re anything like SOUTHERN SNACKS, they’ll be wonderful additions to my cookbook library.

A note to author Perre Coleman Magness. Ma’am, as wonderful as your recipes are, so too are your reminiscences of your life. What a wonderful book your memories alone would make.

I'm a southerner so this book immediately spoke to me but you don't have to be southern for it to speak to you. I'm always looking for fun bites to try because not only do I love to cook, I also enjoy the looks on peoples faces when they eat something I've put together. This book came at a great time for me, my dad will be turning 70 in August and I've been looking for new recipes to make for a party we are having for him. Let me tell you this book delivered wonderfully on taste and ease when I took on several recipes, deciding on the ones I will use for my dads party. I tested several and loved them all. The Carolina Caviar was a simple but well seasoned dish that I enjoyed making, I've made a recipe similar to this one but enjoyed the differences that this one added. Now as anyone can tell you southerners love Deviled Eggs and that happens to be a specialty of mine so I had to try the Deviled Egg Spread and it turned out beautifully. Not only was it easy to make but it truly reminded me of a deviled egg. I'll be turning this spread into sandwiches like the book suggested and can't wait to see what everyone thinks. Now I have a freezer packed full of pecans that I put up last year and I found a fabulous recipe that not only allowed me to use them but brought them to life. The Pecan Cheese Strips were simple to make and are something that can be made ahead of time and frozen. I love this because I can always make several batches, freeze them, and pull them out when needed. When you are making most of the food for a party being able to make something ahead of time is always welcome. The last recipe that I tried was the Bacon Pecan Cheese Ball, just like the deviled eggs, southerners adore a well put together cheese ball. I've made a huge variety of them over the years but never one like this and let me tell you it is one that I will use again and again. Who doesn't love bacon and cheese!!! This was truly a great compilation of recipes that I look forward to making may way through. I'll be testing more as the weeks go by and can't wait to see what catches my taste buds next.

My review has been posted to Goodreads.

Review has also been tweeted as usual.

Thank you! :c)

Southern Snack is the cookbook I didn't know I needed. Not overly fussy or complicated. I love the historical information included in each recipe detail. Each recipe gets it origin story and great tips on how to use alternative substitutions are provided. I have a number of potluck events to attend this summer and I will be sourcing Southern Snacks for my inspiration.

I received a copy of this for a fair and honest review. I am a lover of book and snack is a nice way to get a lot of little tastes of this that are all over the map. This is from the south and I think the cheese section of the cookbook was my favorite besides the fried section. I love to fried foods. There is always a section on seafood. Hard to get that in my land locked state of Montana. There are a few other sections but I mentioned my favorites. The pictures of the food in this book were well staged and inviting. They did their job and that was to make me hungry. I will definitely be looking to make some of these in the near future.

I was very excited with I was selected to preview this book. I love cooking and am always looking for new recipes. This one being Southern Snacks I knew I would find something. There will be several appearing at a homegate this fall. They even share possible recipe choices for tailgates, Derby Day, Sunday afternoon get togethers and many more. You will find recipes using ingredients that are so totally southern such as black eyed peas and country ham. And no southerner is without a good cheese straw recipe. There is a whole section of cheese recipes! Yea! And don't skip the deep fried section either. Choices range from Fried dill pickles to fried grits. Of course there is also a chapter for seafood. Oysters to catfish and everything else in between. For you hunters there is a wild game chapter as well. I can't wait to try the Sweet Tea Pecans. They might be appearing soon at my house. Well if you don't see me for a while I will be in the kitchen trying some of these new recipes. Now which one to try first?

Starting a cookbook with a recipe for "Mississippi Sin' is not a bad thing in my view :D. This book is elegantly designed with simple recipes (although I'd prefer numbered step-by-step rather than narrative) that I can't wait to make. I've marked quite a few, since I tend to do themed dinners (and my 'southern' menu needs inspiration for sure -- which I've found in "Southern Snacks". The cheese-focused recipes alone stoked my appetite and how would I ever know to use a cookie press to make cheese straws?!

Great idea, a book full of Southern style snacks, flavourful and often fried and with bacon or mayo! I kid, even though it is true...

I enjoyed reading through this book, and got a lot of good ideas for party and holiday gathering foods. The instructions were clear, the photos were very well done, and the recipe selection was varied moderately enough - not recommended for plant-based diets!

This should do very well in our library.

A simply lovely little book that takes so many classic Southern dishes and tastes and makes them bite-sized. You'll find fantastic ideas for parties, snacking at home, and even for meals.

The majority of recipes are simple and many rely on Southern staples (there's source information in the back of the book). Sidebars give some additional recipes, party ideas, and insights into the South's culture.

I loved so many of the ideas in this book.

I was so excited to read this book about Southern snacks. Some I had never heard of and wish to try. Being from the South, I understand the concept of having something to offer people when they visit. Now I have many more foods to add. If you like southern cooking or just good food, you will love these recipes. I received this book from Net Galley for an honest review and no compensation otherwise.

"Southern Snacks" provides you with an array of appetizers that capitalize on the flavors of southern cooking and often serve them up with just enough of a twist to be something new and different. With each recipe, there are notes about the inspiration or original source for the receipe. Reading through this cookbook, I was immediately making a list of the recipes that I want to make - maybe to take for a next gathering and others to just nibble on through the week.

As a fan of cucumber & herbed cheese tea sandwiches, I look forward to making the Benedictine (cucumber sandwich spread) to change up a tea party menu. The Pecan Cheese Crisps provide an additional flavor note and a different shape for the traditional cheese straw (never fear, a traditional recipe is also included). My "want to make" list also includes Cheddar & Pepper Jelly Crumble Bars; Jezebel Jelly & Cream Cheese; Squash Puppies; Citrus Pickled Shrimp; Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese Biscuits & Green Onion Butter; Chafing Dish Tamale Balls; Party Tomato Pies; Zuchinni Cornbread Bites; Overnight Onions and Sweet Tea Pecans.

Free ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This tasty cookbook is available on September 10th.

I'm a snacker. I always have been. So, a cookbook like this is right up my alley. Lots of yummy sounding recipes to nibble and nosh all with a southern flair.

It's no secret that southerners love to eat. Most functions and gatherings in the south revolve around food. The rich tradition of southern cooking is showcased in the pages of this book. This cookbook offers 77 recipes for full flavor southern snacks, good for everything from potlucks to tailgating. Many of the recipes are either borrowed from or inspired by southern community cookbooks, home cooks, and chefs who put new twists on southern flavors. Each recipe features a brief introduction, helpful tips, and a history of the dish. Most of the recipes also feature full color photos of the delicious dish. There is also another feature called "sidebars" where the author showcases a staple ingredient or southern tradition. These are sprinkled throughout the book. There's something for every appetite in this fantastic cookbook.

The recipes are divided into categories as follows:
1. Dips and Spreads
2. Cheese, Please
3. Deep-Fried Love
4. Seafood and Eat It
5. The Meat of the Matter
6. The Garden Path
7. Nuts for Snacks
8. Lagniappe

The end of the book provides a source for finding ingredients and a complete index of the recipes.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves unique food, particularly food prepared with a southern twist. I received this as a free ARC from The University of North Carolina Press on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book contained some great southern party snacks. Though not the healthiest of choices they seem simple and easy enough to prepare during summer bbq season. The author also provided background on where these recipes originated from and added her own unique twists to some of them. The Collard Green Pimento dip sounds like a must try recipe.

I don't entertain, and don't cook all that much either, but I do like to look at cookbooks even when I know I'm not going to cook any of the recipes. This book had some tasty-sounding recipes and beautiful pictures but unfortunately not for all of the dishes. (At least the pictures were not in the PDF of the book that I received.) Some of the recipes were adapted from community recipe books. There's a heavy use of cheese, mayo and frying so it's not exactly health food. On the other hand, this is snack and party food and not designed for your daily diet.

The recipes are grouped into the following categories: Dips and Spreads; Cheese, Please; Deep-Fried Love; Seafood and Eat It; The Meat of the Matter; The Garden Path; Nuts for Snacks; and Lagniappe. I'll just mention a few of the recipes that drew my attention. Dips include Mississippi Sin which is baked in a hollowed out loaf of French bread until it's gooey. A reimagining of hot spinach dip incorporates collard greens and pimento cheese. Hot Vidalia onion soufflé (which is not really a soufflé) is very simple to make. Carolina caviar is billed as a dip, but this combination of black-eyed peas and corn in a vinaigrette looks more like a salad to me. Cheese recipes include cheese straws, various cheese crisps, biscuits and bars and a savory cheesecake made with country ham.

Deep-fried recipes include fried dill pickles, fried okra, corn fritters with spicy honey, catfish bites with beer sauce and calas (fried rice fritters) with charred green onion dip. Seafood was represented by crab cake bites with artichoke tartar sauce, citrus pickled shrimp, petite crawfish pies and Cajun popcorn (fried crawfish tails).
Meat recipes include sweet tea brined pork tenderloin with sweet tea mustard, sweet and spicy pecan pepper cocktail bacon and cured duck breast with persimmon chutney. Vegetable recipes were a soggy tomato sandwich (seriously, this is just tomato and onion on bread with mayo), squash pancakes with pimento pepper relish, dilly beans and asparagus with lemon chiffon sauce. Nut recipes include tea pecans, barbecue peanuts, southern goat cheese with boiled peanut relish and pecan-stuffed dates wrapped in country ham.

A lot of the recipes looked interesting, most seemed really easy and not too time consuming and nothing seemed beyond my capabilities.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.