Taste of the South

Taste of the South helps you savor the unique dishes, cooking personalities and culinary destinations of the South - and now you can enjoy every single page on your tablet! For readers who love Southern cooking or simply experimenting with new flavors, this magazine is a guidebook. Taste of the South is for those who have a passion for good food, at home and on the road. Every issue is a guide to Southern lifestyle.

Taste of the South • November/December 2025 Volume 22, Issue 6

Editor’s Letter

tastes & tools • Make gift-giving a little tastier

new + noteworthy • Check out these new dining gems from across the South

dishing with • CHEF SARA BRADLEY believes deeply in using her platform for purpose

The Happiest Holidays • Make room at the table for plenty of good food and good company

One-Pot Wonders • Serve up a week’s worth of all-in-one suppers

’Tis the Season in Thomasville • This holiday getaway has plenty of Southern charm

Holiday Classic • In our family, we have a motto: “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.” This green bean casserole is a perfect example. What started as a simple side dish of three or four ingredients has evolved into what we serve every holiday. It started with my sister adding shoepeg corn and then I added mushrooms, artichokes, and cheese, and now, my daughter, Katie, has added her touch to it with Homemade Cream Soup in place of canned. And, of course, a gracious plenty of crispy fried onions are the crowning glory. It’s the most fought-over leftover at our house for good reason. It’s the Ultimate Green Bean Casserole.

SANTA’S FAVORITES • Set out a plate for Santa and pack a tin for a cookie swap, but don’t forget to keep a stash of these goodies to enjoy at home this holiday season

BAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT • If Christmas had a flavor, it just might be gingerbread. With warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves sweetened by the deep, earthy richness of molasses, gingerbread tastes like a warm hug. These treasured recipes will fill your home with the fragrance and spirit of the season.

STAFF-FAVORITE CHRISTMAS EVE APPETIZERS • Many of our editorial team and test kitchen staff celebrate the night before Christmas with family and hearty snacks, so we’re sharing some of our favorites for a festive gathering

Bread Winners • Preheat your ovens because these breads are going to be the star of your holiday table. Let the baking begin with everything from simple six-ingredient twists to a showstopping star-shaped loaf.

Turkey Day • Try our favorite ways to celebrate Thanksgiving

MASHED POTATO madness • Make the most of this must-have side dish with our collection of new takes on the smooth, buttery staple

Festive Favorites • Delight in these easy recipes from Paula Deen that will impress your Christmas company

Brown Sugar • No kitchen is complete without bags of this molasses-infused sugar in the pantry, so get to baking and cooking with this must-have sweetness

DRESSING • From classic cornbread dressing for the purist in your clan to a simple make-ahead dressing baked in muffin pans for the nontraditionalist, this beloved holiday side is often the star of the table. We’ve added lots of flavorful herbs and spices and fragrant stir-ins to make this year’s Thanksgiving feast the best yet.

Perfect Piecrust • Our foolproof steps and tips for perfectly baked piecrust

Comfort Food Across the South • Soups, Stews, and More to Savor This Winter

Cranberry for Christmas • Sip on the best flavors of the season with this festive cocktail

Recipe Index

Cast-Iron Claus • Learn all about this classic cake mold of Old Saint Nick