Ashley Christensen is a champion of the new and evolving South, and her debut cookbook, Poole’s, honors the traditions of this celebrated cuisine, while introducing a new vernacular—elevating simple sides with complex vinaigrettes, giving vegetables center stage, and layering flavor through a cadre of back-pocket recipes that will soon become indispensable in your kitchen. Recipes like Turnip Green Fritters with Whipped Tahini; Heirloom Tomatoes with Crushed Olives, Crispy Quinoa, and White Anchovy Dressing; Warm Broccoli Salad with Cheddar and Bacon Vinaigrette; and the show-stopping Macaroni au Gratin redefine what comfort food tastes like.

Ashley practices powerful community activism through food, and Poole’s is as much a cookbook as it is a guide to good living: build a community of farmers, cooks, and guests, and take care of your people by feeding them well. It is the story of how Ashley opened a restaurant and in the process breathed new life into Raleigh’s downtown.

With abundant, dramatic photography, Poole’s is an important and ambitious book, one that people will cook from and be inspired by for generations to come.