On a recent trip to Savannah, Georgia, I happened on a wonderful restaurant called Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room, named for Sema Wilkes, who ran the kitchen for years until she passed away, in 2002. The fried chicken was as good as my mom's; so were the bacony green beans and the creamy mac-and-cheese. I left with a copy of the Mrs. Wilkes' Boardinghouse Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 2001), and I've been enjoying it ever since. The recipes remind me of what I love about Southern country cooking: it's simple, soulful, and full of flavor. I didn't know you could find recipes like this anymore! —Norma Jean Brearley, Pinole, California