My grandmother Dorothea always said that
it was a combination of beauty and strength that made Southern women ‘whiskey in a teacup.’

 We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside we’re strong and fiery.

My Southern heritage informs my whole life, and spreading the gospel of Southern living has become sort of an obsession of mine. I bring the South everywhere I go with bluegrass, big holiday parties, and plenty of Dorothea’s fried chicken. It’s reflected in how I entertain, decorate my home, and make holidays special for my kids—not to mention how I talk, dance, and do my hair (in these pages, you will learn my fail-proof, only slightly insane hot-roller technique). I love sharing Dorothea’s most delicious recipes as well as my favorite Southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honkytonks.

I hope you’ll see how easy it is for you to bring a little bit of the South to your home, no matter where you live. After all, there’s a Southern side to every place in the world, right?

Enjoy, y’all!