The Soul of Food and Wine A Southern Woman's Journey from Momma's Kitchen to the World

Some women inherit jewelry. DeeDee Johnson inherited a cast-iron skillet, a mother who never measured a thing, and a Montgomery, Alabama kitchen where love was the main ingredient.

In The Soul of Food and Wine, DeeDee invites you to her table for a journey that begins in the Deep South and travels the world, from Atlanta backyard cookouts to the vineyards of Napa, the streets of New Orleans, the hillsides of Jamaica, and beyond. Along the way, she shares the recipes that raised her, the wines that opened her eyes, and the stories that bind them together.

Part cookbook, part memoir, this book pairs treasured soul food classics with cast-iron fried chicken, smothered pork chops, slow-braised oxtails, jerk chicken, and her grandmother's chocolate cake all with carefully chosen wines from around the world. Each chapter is a destination, a meal, and a memory, told with warmth, wisdom, and a glass raised high.

For anyone who believes that a beautifully set table is one of life's greatest joys, this book is an invitation to slow down, pour generously, and gather the people who matter.

Cook with love. Pour with intention. Taste with soul.