Virginia Willis is a cook whose life story I can easily relate to. She was brought up in Atlanta and is a lifelong devotee of Southern cuisine, but after studying and cooking in France, she also became enchanted with French food. I grew up in Memphis, and to this day make grits for breakfast, bake cornbread almost weekly and serve crispy fried okra often. And I, too, was seduced by "la cuisine française" after studying in Paris while in college. Imagine then my delight when I discovered Willis' new cookbook, "Bon Appetit, Y'all," in which the author combines her Southern heritage with her French training.
As I turned the pages, both Southern specialties and French-inspired creations caught my eye, but one dish in particular stood out. Quintessentially Southern, it was Coca-Cola-Glazed Baby Back Ribs. The recipe was simple and had a short list of ingredients. A glaze is prepared with Coke Classic, brown sugar, vinegar and extra hot Scotch bonnet peppers, and then is slathered on pork ribs as they roast slowly in the oven. When tender, the ribs are run under the broiler for a few minutes to brown.
These ribs did not disappoint. The pork paired beautifully with the sweet notes provided by the Coca-Cola and sugar and were complemented by the robust "heat" from the chiles. As soon as I bit into my first rib, I knew that this dish would make a perfect centerpiece for a Memorial Day fete.
Betty Rosbottom is a cooking school director.
