Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Cookbook

Shop Notes:

As a bit of context to this book, in the early 1990s American whiskey was just beginning to come out of the sales decline of the 1970s and 80s (contrary to today's exploding bourbon and whiskey market). One of the reasons the decline was coming to an end was the fact that people were beginning to write books about bourbon and creating new interest in American whiskey.  Brown-Forman, the parent company of the Jack Daniel's brand, and their marketing teams leveraged cookbooks to help lead the way into new markets and guide consumer preferences.

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House in Lynchburg, TN (where Jack Daniels is distilled to this day...in a dry county) is where all of the official visitors to Jack Daniel's Distillery were roomed by Brown-Forman. She became a legend in her own time for the quality of the food she served to these visitors. 

The book itself is a generous helping of traditional boarding house recipes, where diners had the pleasure of dining on home-cooked dinners, family-style.  That is, guests were all seated at large tables and sharing plentiful platters of the food on offer with the company of friends and strangers.  These restaurants have been a Southern tradition for a long time, but are starting to disappear.  This book gives readers a view into a past that is quickly disappearing, and sadly so.  

One last note about this book: Lynchburg, TN is located in a dry county, so it's unlikely that Miss Bobo made a habit of openly serving Jack Daniels's Lynchburg Lemonade to guests, but that's a very small critique in an otherwise fun and informative read.

From the Publisher:

Dive into the history of Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House and enjoy a celebration of traditional southern recipes with her delectable dishes that made her an American legend.

Shortly before noon, about sixty guests gather on the front porch and lawn of Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House in Lynchburg, Tennessee for a mid-day dinner. Each table is cared for by a Lynchburg hostess, a lady from the town who sees to it that the bowls and platters are kept full, that everyone meets each other at the table, that the conversation is always flowing, and that everyone has a grand time. The dinner bell is rung and as each name is called, diners follow their hostess to the dining table.

Now you can give your guests the same delicious southern dishes served at Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House. None are difficult to cook, but all are best when prepared by caring hands and served with friendship, a recipe that all boarding houses have found to be foolproof!

In Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Cookbook, you'll discover delicious dishes including…

• Unforgettable Ham Balls,
• Miz Bobo's Cabbage Relish,
• Miss Mary's Famous Chicken and Pastry,
• Moore County Mushroom Soup and more

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Cookbook is the perfect collection of recipes to entertain guests, bring family and friends together, and of course, enjoy some good old-fashioned Southern cooking.

About the Authors:

Pat Mitchamore is a writer, public speaker, seminar leader, and travel consultant. She is also executive director and producer of Mr. Jack Daniel's Original Silver Cornet Band.

Lynne Tolley, the great-grandniece of Jack Daniel, is the proprietress of Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House restaurant in Lynchburg, Tennessee. Lynne travels extensively as a talk show guest, sharing traditional southern recipes.

Release Date: 1994

Condition: Very good, pages are stain-free and ink is bright.  Dust jacket is like new.  Some very minor moisture splatters on the top edge (likely from sitting on a kitchen shelf)