The Saltwater Table is a culinary travel fantasy cookbook, celebrating the food of the southeastern coast, by Whitney Otawka, the award-winning chef of Greyfield, a celebrated Carnegie-built inn located on Cumberland Island, Georgia—a magical and remote barrier island that has been left undeveloped as a national seashore.
“Readers of this beautiful book can learn a lot from her.” ―Jacques Pépin
“The book shines when it digs deep into the region’s briny history.” ―Grub Street
“Otawka’s cooking is approachable and meant to be shared.” ―Epicurious
Cumberland Island and the exceptional local ingredients to be found there are Otawka’s muse, inspiring her to celebrate the beloved food found along the Southeast coast. Offering a modern perspective on southern flavors with a strong emphasis on vegetables and fresh ingredients, the book contains 125 approachable and flavorful recipes, such as:
- Summer Tomatoes Topped with Crispy Okra
- Flakey Buttermilk Biscuits with Ginger-Spiked Jam
- Sweet Atlantic Shrimp Poached with Beer, Citrus, and Bay Leaves
- Shrimp Escabeche with Sungold Tomatoes
- Cumberland Paella
- Spaghetti Squash with Pecorino Romano Cream and Walnuts
- Banana Leaf–Wrapped Snapper
- And much more!
This beautifully photographed book also shows us how to enjoy iconic southern meals, everything from an oyster roast to a fish fry to a Low Country boil.
Otawka writes in her introduction, “Layer upon layer, century upon century, the history and the people that have called Cumberland home have sculpted a unique place. It is this wild isolated nature that over the centuries added to its lore.” The Saltwater Table transports readers to the mysterious, lush Cumberland Island, allowing us to recreate a taste of this vibrant world in our own kitchens.
Praise
“Whitney Otawka shows us that the South has so much more to discover and so much more to taste. The Saltwater Table reveals the rewards of reverently exploring a place, its people, and its products.”Sean Brock, James Beard Award-winning chef and author of Heritage
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"The book shines when it digs deep into the region’s briny history and puts a spin on it, like with this paella featuring shrimp, flaky fish, littleneck clams, and Carolina Gold rice."Grub Street
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"Otawka's cooking is approachable and meant to be shared—this is a book you could dive into right away, relying mostly on pantry staples. It's also one of the most beautiful books to be released this year—illustrations and hand lettering by Jessie Pickren Warner of Hew & Co. and photos by Emily Dorio make The Saltwater Table (which was shot, designed, edited, and produced by an all female team) a welcome addition to any coffee table."Epicurious
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“In this transcendent new book, a love letter to the cuisine and the culture of the South Atlantic Coast, you can smell the brine of the water and feel the sand between your toes as you drift through the delectable recipes and stories.”Edward Lee, chef and author of Smoke and Pickles and Buttermilk Graffiti
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“It has been my privilege to enjoy Whitney Otawka’s food several times on Cumberland Island. Her knowledge, plus her creativity and passion, makes her an excellent cook, and readers of this beautiful book can learn a lot from her.”Jacques Pépin, James Beard Award–winning chef and author
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"In The Saltwater Table, Otawka presents her own colorful and bright interpretation of the coastal food culture she has studied and is inspired by...Otawka kindly educates the uninitiated that this region, in its geographical and cultural complexity, has ever more to offer, and she reminds those in the know that these traditions are to be celebrated, if not outright cherished. This is a book the South deserves."Eater
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