Southern desserts. So decadent.

I've been living in the South for a long time, and yet it's still hard for me to truly describe Southern food. I know a little. It's flavors, it's simplicity, it's soul. But I've never cooked it. Never really read about it. And I don't eat it as much as I would like to. I do know that Southerners, love their food. If they could get fried chicken and green bean casserole everyday, they would. I do think what they love the most is dessert, especially the way Nana made it. 

Let's talk about pie for a little bit. I think pie is easily the favorite among most people around here. I'm talking about any flavor of pie. Apple, pecan, peach, banana cream, lemon cream, coconut, (they love coconut) sweet potato and the list goes on. What kind of pie you get usually has to do with occasion and season, as the south is very abundant with the growth and availability of beautiful fruits and vegetables all year long. There are also cobblers, pound-cakes, coca-cola cakes and gooey toffee cake. 

Gooey Toffee cake is not something I had at a friends house, but something I've had too many times at one of the city's best restaurant, Rathbun's. Kevin Rathbun is one of the city's biggest celebrity chef and plays a huge part in providing the city with delicious food and beautiful restaurants. Being from the South has a influence on his cooking, since he was born in Texas and now lives in Georgia. But chef Rathbun gets his inspiration from all over the world. However his pastry chef, Kirk Parks,seems to really love the South and Southern desserts. Always working with banana, peanut butter, Jack Daniel's, toffee, pecan and all things South! My favorite dessert in the city of Atlanta is by far the Gooey Toffee Cake with Jack Daniel's and Pecan Ice Cream. I've had it too many times to count on two hands and fall in love everytime. It's wonderful any time of the year, but always shines on cold nights. The warm gooey center of the cake, with the decadent toffee sauce always seems to warm me up. One of the single desserts where the ice cream could be optional for me since the cake is the star.

I was getting ready to e-mail Bon Appetit and ask them for the recipe. I did a Google search to see if I could find any write-ups on it, and found the recipe on the restaurant website and on a book called Atlanta's Classic Desserts which I can't wait to get my hands on. Most of the book is available through Google books, so that will so for now. I also can't wait to try other recipes  from the Rathbun's website such as: Banana Fritters, Pecan and Pumpkin Cobbler, Banana Cream Pie, and Cast Iron Roasted Georgia Peaches.  They all sound so delicious and simply Southern.

Of course I'm going to try savory dishes as well, such as Kevin's Lamb Meatballs, his spicy Thai Rare Beef,  the Shrimp and Okra and the addictive Jalapeno Cream Corn. I'm sure Davis is going to be having a few good days ahead of him. 

Sunday Supper was fantastic and so fun. I will talk about it later, when I get some photos from Victor's camera. There were so many photo's taken that night, I would have no idea where to start. Having a precious little baby around is so liberating. I haven't experienced that in while. Can't wait for next time.