The Best Cook in the World Audiobook By Rick Bragg cover art

The Best Cook in the World

Tales from My Momma's Southern Table: A Memoir and Cookbook

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The Best Cook in the World

By: Rick Bragg
Narrated by: Rick Bragg
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About this listen

From the beloved, best-selling author of All over but the Shoutin', a delectable, rollicking food memoir, cookbook, and loving tribute to a region, a vanishing history, a family, and, especially, his mother.

Margaret Bragg does not own a single cookbook. She measures in "dabs" and "smidgens" and "tads" and "you know, hon, just some". She cannot be pinned down on how long to bake corn bread ("about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the mysteries of your oven"). Her notion of farm-to-table is a flatbed truck. But she can tell you the secrets to perfect mashed potatoes, corn pudding, redeye gravy, pinto beans and hambone, stewed cabbage, short ribs, chicken and dressing, biscuits, and butter rolls. The irresistible stories in this audiobook are of long memory - many of them predate the Civil War, handed down skillet by skillet, from one generation of Braggs to the next.

In The Best Cook in the World, Rick Bragg finally preserves his heritage by telling the stories that framed his mother's cooking and education, from childhood into old age. Because good food always has a good story, and a recipe, writes Bragg, is a story like anything else.

©2018 Rick Bragg (P)2018 Random House Audio
Biographies & Memoirs Diets, Nutrition & Healthy Eating Food & Wine Gastronomy Heartfelt Southern Cooking
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Critic reviews

"Wonderful, rollicking, poignant, sometimes hilarious tales about how generations of Bragg’s extended family survived from one meal to the next." (USA Today)

"This book is a tribute, a monument, to his mother and her people, captured here in solid recipes for good food...All the stories in this book... gleam with a special luster; they’ve been polished by time, and no one is meant to get hung up on the details." (The Wall Street Journal)

"A beautifully written memoir... For readers who crave soul with their recipes this is a fitting tribute to foodways that are fast escaping." (Library Journal)

What listeners say about The Best Cook in the World

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My stomach growled, I laughed out loud, and I cried.

Already a long-standing fan of Bragg’s writing, I was intrigued at the thought of a “cookbook” but this was, of course, so much more than that. A history, a memoir, Southern storytelling at its best. I could hear the voices of “my people” as he calls them because they may as well have been my actual kin, so familiar were the turns of phrase and the meals described so beautifully. No one else could have done this book justice as narrator. I enjoyed every word.

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Felt my self on a journey

I felt like Rick Bragg took me on a wonderful journey back in time. This memoir is absolutly wonderful. I felt like I had been there. It is great I even purchased the book.

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This Book Will Make Your Mouth Water

I wasn't ten minutes into the book before I dreaded the day I would be finished. Bragg's writing, as always, is phenomenal, and one could not find anyone better than Bragg to do the narration. At the end of stressful, hectic days, his soothing Southern drawl would relax me almost as much a massage. I even enjoyed listening to him read the recipes though it sometimes made my mouth water and my stomach growl.

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Taught me a lot

I usually cook with Lawry's instead of plain salt. Bot, was I wrong. Tried salt and light pepper, as "momma" says and discovered a world of natural flavor.
The short tales mixed with the recipes is a perfect story of old days. Brilliant and engaging story of a life.

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The food of my people!

Love the way the recipes are presented! There may be hope for my granddaughters! Thank you.

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Most Enjoyable

Rick Bragg and his family of memories has been a constant companion lately during commuting for a new job . It has been like riding with a family friend .It has been a touching, funny, entertaining,and especially memorable experience ! Thank You for sharing!

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Outstanding

I’m going to listen to it again, it’s just that good! Thank you Rick for another amazing account of your people.

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Rick writes my life....again

Mr. Bragg and I grew up together, one year, 60 some miles apart but somehow with the same familial characters. If you grew up in the South, or wish you had, this book is a wonderful glimpse into the heart of any old southern family- the kitchen.

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love to listen to these stories told by this man.

its like visiting with family. i can see these people abd i love everyone of them...

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Grateful for having found this.

I was born in Mazatlán, Mexico and, at many times I heard the description of my father, grandfather, acquaintances, relatives, and my dear Mother. Miles away, fields and streams apart. But; so much similar, a lot of the same values and traditions all wrapped in amazing, honest, simple, humble food.
I made me some great grits and reminisced, thought of my mom cooking and dancing.
Thanks Mr. Bragg.

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