By Nichole Manosh, UPF acquisitions intern
.
I would definitely consider myself a foodie, so when I started my internship at UPF and heard about the imminent book release of Pickled, Fried, and Fresh I had to take a look. While perusing the pages and beautiful photos I seemed to hear my stomach growling “please Nichole, feeeeeeeed us,” and I instantly knew I had to try some of Bert Gill’s culinary creations for myself.
In Pickled, Fried, and Fresh you’ll find a variety of southern-inspired dishes to satisfy any craving. Each decadent recipe had my mouth watering with anticipation, whether it was the classic Southern Shrimp Boil or my all-time-favorite, Pork Rind Fried Chicken (I never thought anything so amazing could exist!). Every course is covered, from appetizers to cocktails to desserts. And if you’re a fan of seafood you’ll be delighted to find that there’s an entire section devoted to dishes from the sea.
Not only is the cookbook amazing, but Gainesville (where I live) is lucky enough to be home to author Bert Gill. Along with his wife Tara, Gill owns three restaurants in town—Blue Gill Quality Foods, Mildred’s Big City Food, and New Deal Café. I had the chance to visit New Deal Café this past weekend and was thoroughly impressed with my ND Chicken Sandwich (fontina, bacon, tomato, & avocado aioli). And of course I had to get a taste of my friend’s entrée as well, the Blue Cheese & Bacon Burger (delish!). To top it all off, the cocktails were divine and pleasantly strong. Bert Gill is also one of Gainesville’s biggest supporters of locally-grown foods, so another great aspect of his cuisine is that most of the ingredients are fresh and locally-grown. Now I’ve got to try cooking some of Gill’s recipes in my own kitchen. I recommend you pick up a copy of the book and do the same!
.
Nichole Manosh, acquisitions intern at the University Press of Florida, is majoring in anthropology and Spanish at the University of Florida. She decided to intern at UPF because she wanted useful experience in pursuit of her ultimate dream of becoming an editor at a publishing house, indulging in every book-lover’s fantasy.
The Florida Bookshelf 