Georgia

In 1884, in the basement of a building on the corner of York and Jefferson Streets, something miraculous was happening. Jewish Russian immigrant Isadore Gottlieb had built a bakery that would soon be renowned in Savannah for every tasty morsel pulled from its busy oven, creating the perfect combination of southern and Jewish delicacies. Goods were delivered to citizens and stores by cart, pulled by a horse that knew every stop along the way, cementing the bakery's reputation as a true neighborhood operation. From shiny, egg-brushed challah to Sister Sadie's hazelnut cake to the ever-popular chocolate chewies, customers would crowd the store for a single irresistible bite. Join the next generation of Gottliebs as they recount the heartwarming stories and recipes that forever preserve the bakery's place in Savannah's history.

Author Lee Lancaster unearths the delectable history and classic recipes of the Peach State's top vegetable.

The Vidalia onion may be small, but it's as sweet as an onion can be, and it means big business for Georgia, too. Officially christened the Georgia State Vegetable in 1990, it can only be grown in Southeast Georgia. Once sold mostly off a truck tailgate, Vidalia onions now produce an annual crop worth $150 million. And after years of perfecting and fighting off posers and pirates, Vidalia onions are presented as gifts to presidents, governors, close friends and relatives. They are hand planted and handpicked but worth all the trouble to produce the King of the Onion Rings. They are so good, they have their own Vidalia Onion Museum, mascot named Yumion, and a Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame. Vidalia, there's just something about that name.

After the Civil War, state and national Prohibition galvanized in Atlanta the issues of classism, racism and anti-immigrant sentiment. While many consider flappers and gangsters the iconic images of the era, in reality, it was marked with temperance zealotry, blind tigers and white lightning. Georgia's protracted and intense battle changed the industrial and social landscapes of its capital city and unleashed a flood of illegal liquor that continually flowed in the wettest city in the South. Moonshine was the toast of the town from mill houses to the state capitol. The state eventually repealed prohibition, but the social, moral and legal repercussions still linger seventy years later. Join authors Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle as they recount the colorful history of Atlanta's struggle to freely enjoy a drink.

Join author Caroline Eubanks on a behind-the-scenes look at the people, places and drinks behind the city. Even when it was still called Terminus, Atlanta was earning a raucous reputation as a hub for hard-drinking railroad workers. The first mayor, a saloon owner from the appropriately named Free and Rowdy Party, only cemented the town’s party credentials. What followed was more than a century of moonshiners, dollar bill–covered dives, exotic dancers, speakeasies and underground taverns, wild parties on both land and water and, of course, drinks. These spaces—like the all-night Backstreet club, the storied Manuel’s Tavern and futuristic Polaris—became launching pads for political campaigns, musical groups and drag superstars while also serving as a respite for everyday locals.

In the late 1800s, Georgia and the Carolinas produced millions of pounds of honey and created a lasting legacy within the industry. The uses for the sweet nectar go well beyond flavor. Bee pollination extensively benefits agricultural crops in the area. Elements from the beehive are commonly used in popular cosmetics, medicines and mead. Beekeepers also face serious challenges like Colony Collapse Disorder. Join author and beekeeper April Aldrich as she traces the delectable history of honey and beekeeping throughout the region, from ancient apiaries to modern meaderies and beyond.

Food is at the heart of Atlanta, and here discover iconic dishes, notorious restaurants, and the rich culinary history of this Southern city.

Atlanta's cuisine has always been an integral part of its identity. From its Native American agricultural roots to the South's first international culinary scene, food has shaped this city, often in unexpected ways. Trace the evolution of iconic dishes like Brunswick stew, hoecakes and peach pie while celebrating Atlanta's noted foodies, including Henry Grady, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nathalie Dupree. Be transported to the beginnings of notable restaurants and markets, including Durand's at the Union Depot, Busy Bee Café, Mary Mac's Tearoom, the Municipal Market and the Buford Highway Farmers Market. With fourteen historic recipes, culinary historian Akila Sankar McConnell proves that food will always be at the heart of Atlanta's story.

Savannah's remarkable cuisine is a reflection of its unique history. Delicate local ingredients are balanced carefully using time-honored techniques to produce unforgettable dishes. Initially a colonial experiment of sorts, Savannah became not only the first capital of Georgia but also the capital of all Lowcountry cuisine. From the insolvent freed from debtors' prisons to help seek new cash crops for England to the religious refugees from Austria-Germany and the Scottish Highlanders, Savannah's eclectic European influences mix neatly with traditional Gullah techniques, surprising local ingredients and world-class seafood. Follow authors and award-winning Savannah Taste Experience Food Tour operators Stu and Donald Card on their journey to find the roots of Savannah's famed dishes and the current restaurant renaissance.

In the early 1900s, moonshine was a way of life, and nearly every resident lived it. Out of the woods of North Georgia and Habersham County came Virgil Lovell, his boys, their recipe and their legacy. The family went from illegal to legal, and their product stands today as a testament to the determination of the region to hold on to its roots. Joining their story were hundreds just like them—liquor makers like Glenn Johnson—all professing theirs was the best. Through firsthand accounts from the Lovells and extensive research, author Judith Garrison revives the story of liquor making and a Georgia legacy.

Atlanta is a unique southern city known for its vast diversity and fast-paced lifestyle. Rarely is it associated with a rich beer and brewing culture, but not for a lack of one. From Atlanta's first brewery in the 1850s to the city's Saloon Row and the parched days of local and national Prohibition, the earliest days of Atlanta's beer history are laced with scandal and excitement. Follow the journey of beer through Atlanta's development, starting with colonial Georgia and the budding wilderness settlement of Terminus and eventually evolving into the ever-growing metropolis known as Atlanta. Authors Ron Smith and Mary Boyle celebrate the resurgence of craft beer in a town that once burned to the ground. As Atlanta rose from the ashes of the Civil War, so also has artisanal beer made a comeback in this enigmatic but resilient city.