There are lots of really good cookbooks, but this one, by Holly Herrick, is more than that. It is a really fun, beautiful, hunger inducing paean to a beloved city . . . and simply a great book. Yes, it has recipes, one from each of the many Charleston restaurants featured. But along with those recipes are sidebars of insight and background on the people who make all this great food, the whys and wherefores of why they do what they do, and lot of fun stuff on local practices and views . . . what makes Charleston such a special place, as well as a culinary mecca. All of this is supported and augmented by great photos, and not just of food in a plate. And bottom line, the book is a brilliant reflection of the love Holly Herrick has for her city and her food.
