When Southern Women Cook with Morgan Bolling

When Southern Women Cook — with Morgan Bolling

On the podcast, I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Morgan Bolling, the Executive Editor of Creative Content for Cook’s Country and a cast member of the Cook’s Country TV show. 

Morgan, along with Cook’s Country Editor-in-Chief Toni Tipton-Martin, brought her passion for Southern cooking to life in America’s Test Kitchen’s latest book, When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes with Contributions from 70 Women Writers. 

In this episode, we explore how this book captures the diverse flavors and traditions of the American South, the deep-rooted pride in protecting cherished Southern recipes, fascinating culinary fusions like Vietnamese-Cajun shrimp Boil, and so much more.

Listen to the full episode or keep reading for some of the highlights from our conversation.

How did you get started with cookbook writing?

I discovered my passion for baking in high school. I fell in love with the feeling of feeding people, and I would often bake treats for my sports teams and events. My interest in food grew stronger during my time at UNC-Chapel Hill, where I joined a cooking club and started working in restaurants.  

Midway through college, I took a semester off to attend a six-month culinary program at what was then the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center) in New York City. After finishing my degree, I moved to Alabama and worked at Oxmoor House, the publisher behind the Southern Living and Cooking Light cookbooks. That is where I really fell in love with food media and recipe development.  

In Birmingham, I was inspired by the vibrant food scene, with its farmers markets and incredible local produce. Later, I landed my dream job at America’s Test Kitchen in Boston. Over the past decade, I’ve worked my way up from recipe developer to leading special projects, video programs, social media, and cookbook production. 

“What started as a simple joy of feeding people has turned into an exciting and rewarding journey in the world of food media,” says Morgan.

Tell us more about your new book, When Southern Women Cook

I fell in love with food in the South—it’s where I first began to understand the powerful connection between food and culture. In Southern cooking, feeding people is more than nourishment; it’s a way to show care and create community.  

When America’s Test Kitchen asked readers what they wanted to see, the top request was a book on Southern cooking. Toni and I wanted to go beyond recipes and tell the untold stories of Southern cooks, particularly Black women, whose contributions have often been overlooked. 

So, we brought together 70 incredible contributors, worked with a historical consultant at UNC-Chapel Hill, and crafted a book highlighting women’s ingenuity, resilience, and artistry in the South. It’s a way to honor the legacy of women like our mothers and grandmothers, preserving recipes and stories that might otherwise be lost.  

The book also celebrates the evolving food culture of the South, including fascinating fusions like Viet-Cajun cuisine. After the Vietnam War, many Vietnamese families settled in Louisiana due to its shrimp industry and familiar climate. This blending of cultures flourished and has now evolved into a strong fusion food scene in Houston. 

This book, When Southern Women Cook, captures these dynamic stories. It combines heartfelt narratives with recipes that celebrate Southern food and its many voices.

Learn more

Listen to the full podcast episode here, learn more on America’s Test Kitchen’s website, americastestkitchen.com, and follow along on Instagram @morganmbolling, @cookscountry, and @testkitchen.

When Southern Women Cook
edited by Morgan Bolling
(America’s Test Kitchen, 2024)

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