The first volume in an annual collection, ""Cornbread Nation"" gathers the best of recent southern food writing. In 51 entries - original features and selections previously published in magazines and journals - contributors celebrate the people, places, traditions and tastes of the American South. In these pages, Nikki Giovanni expresses her admiration for the legendary Edna Lewis, Rick Bragg thinks back on Thanksgivings at home, Robert Morgan describes the rituals of canning time, James Villas remembers his friend Craig Claiborne, and Fred Chappell offers a contrarian's view of iced tea. Also among the contributors are: Jim Auchmutey, Roy Blount Jr, Gene Bourg, Lolis Eric Elie, Damon Lee Fowler, Jessica Harris, Karen Hess, Jack Hitt, Ted and Matthew Lee, Ronni Lundy, and Robb Walsh.