Jim and I had our first cookbook signing event over the weekend. It was a huge success! We really enjoyed meeting so many nice folks and the staff of the Mast General Store in Waynesville, NC couldn’t have been nicer.
Chatter and Chitter tagged along with us. I know they also enjoyed meeting everyone who came to the event.
The cookbook is selling well and we are happy that it is! The supply I had on hand is sold out, but I hope to have additional copies to sell by week’s end.
We have several upcoming cookbook related events and we would love to meet you if you’re able to make it to one.
Here’s the list:
Mast General Store Book Signing Events
- May 13, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Hendersonville, NC (Jim won’t be at this one—his granddaughter is graduating college)
- May 27, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Knoxville, TN
- June 10, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Roanoke, VA
- June 17, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – Boone, NC
- June 17, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – Sugar Grove, NC
Other events
- June 1, 6:30 p.m. Swain County Genealogical & Historical Society – Bryson City, NC
- July 1, 3:00 p.m. City Lights Bookstore – Sylva, NC
In previous posts and videos I’ve shared details about the contents of the cookbook, but I don’t think I’ve mentioned it has a glossary of southern Appalachian Food Terms. Here’s a sampling.
Arsh tater—Irish potato.
Bait—A mess or ample quantity, often preceded by the word big. “We had us a big bait of turnip greens and cornbread for supper.”
Bile or biled—Boil or boiled.
Blinked—Milk that has spoiled.
Butter—A sweet fruit preparation, as opposed to the dairy product, made with either molasses or sugar
and often used to spread on biscuits or loaf bread.
Cannery—An out building used to store canned goods and, often, cured pork.
Cathead biscuit—A large biscuit, equivalent in size to the head of a cat; a biscuit cut from dough using the open end of a tin can.
Cowcumber—A colloquialism for cucumber.
Cracklings—Crisp tidbits left when pork fat is rendered into lard.
Cushaw (or kushaw)—A large winter squash with a taste resembling that of pumpkin.
A few of the words from the glossary came up at our event in Waynesville. We had the great pleasure of explaining arsh taters and cathead biscuits.
Last nights video: Due to internet issues I was unable to upload the video, but I’ll be sure to share it this week once things are straightened out.
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Tipper, I absolutely love watching you on youtube and have been able to relax and look forward to what you will post next. I was so excited when you put your cook book out and when had time to get it they were sold out. My boyfriend, Jeff Stuit, bought if for me as soon as it was available again as a surprise and even had you sign it. I was so excited and can’t wait to try all the recipes in the book. Thank you for all you do and bless you and your family and you are all in my prayers. Have a truly blessed day.
I just want to thank you for keeping our mountain heritage alive through your blog and youtube videos. I am thoroughly enjoying them. I’m praying for Miss Cindy and the family. I am excited about the cookbook and would like to purchase a signed copy.
Michele-You can purchase a copy here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1467868257/celebrating-southern-appalachian-food or if you don’t do online shopping email me at blindpigandtheacorn@gmail.com and I’ll send you the details of purchasing by mail 🙂 Thank you!!
Wishing all good things for Tipper as she visits my hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee. You’ll feel right at home
So happy for you that the book is such a success. I received mine this past weekend and sat down Monday evening and went through the whole book. My husband and I have grown to love your family from he videos that you and the girls post and can’t wait for the next one. We are planning to go to your book signing in Boone just so we can meet you in person. We pray several times a day for your family and Miss Cindy. God bless you and your family Tipper.
Hello Miss Tipper,
We are so glad the cookbooks are selling so well. Thanks for the updates. I was gonna surprise Robbie Lynn with one but when I got home this evening hers was in the mail box where she had already ordered it herself from Amazon, oh well so much for me surprising her huh. Lol. I’m sure we both are gonna enjoy the book She will enjoy the recipes & the cooking & I will enjoy the history & stories.
We are still praying for Miss Cindy and will continue to do so as long as she has breath in her body.
How exciting! LOVE my cookbook, and I’m making Soup Beans w/ Ham Hocks, Cornbread and the Best Church Dessert (Chess Cake from a Celebrating Appalachia episode) today for supper. Looking for some Wild Onions now. WOW. Feast, indeed.
So pleased with all the recipes – they remind me of the cooking of my Great-aunt Lena. I’ve squirreled it away for my sister’s Christmas!
Tipper
We so enjoyed meeting you, and the girls, y’all felt like family! It was such a special blessing to get to meet y’all and talk with y’all. The cookbook is awesome. We had a great day and took the opportunity to see family and visit, then we decided to take the long way home through Pisgah National Forest and had a picnic in the dark by the creek! What an amazing day!!
Melanie
Melanie-we enjoyed meeting you all too!! So glad you had a good day 🙂
So glad your first cookbook signing went well. I was sure that it would. It couldn’t go wrong with such a great book and your personality. I received my book last week and am looking forward to trying recipes and reading all the stories. Thanks for signing it. I would love to be at one of your book signings but I live too far away.
I saw corey and matt this morn in lowes but i declined to speak to them cause i don`t know if they get tired of people bothering them in punlic. always enjoy your post
Ronnie-please do next time 🙂 We love to meet people who support us 🙂
Hello! So glad that your book has been such a success. My husband and I have planned to be in Hendersonville NC this weekend for your book signing. Our problem is I do not have a copy yet. Will it be available for sale at Mast General Store? Thanks
Rene-it is supposed to be available at the Mast General Store 🙂 Thank you!
Tipper, have you tried all the recipes in the book? I know the ones you contributed are tried and true in the Pressley household. How about the one’s Jim contributed? Has he prepared them all? Did any come from anyone other than you two?
I’ll bet the Mast General Store had more foot traffic last Saturday than they’ve ever had and will be glad to welcome y’all back. Congratulations on the first of many successful signing events.
Miss Cindy continues in our thoughts and prayers. I’m thinking we should all send her cards and/or letters.
Blessings to all . . .
Robert-I haven’t cooked all of Jim’s recipes, but I have made all the ones I submitted 🙂 The same goes for Jim-he’s made all of his. Since we used our favorite family recipes we’ve both made them a lot! I do hope to try out all of Jim’s in the coming months.
In my part of Appalachia “the cathead biscuit” is the last biscuit made from a batch of biscuit dough. After the first cutting, the left over scraps between the biscuit cuts are balled up together, kneaded again a tiny bit & rolled out again & more biscuits are cut out. This continues until there is not enough left over dough to make more than 1 biscuit. That final biscuit is not perfectly round because it is the result of the balling up of the last of the dough. It is called “the cathead biscuit”. Its shape is whatever results from the final bits of dough balled together & flattened a bit. I supposed someone before my time thought it looked like the shape of a cat’s head; thus, the name “the cathead biscuit”.
Hi Tipper, I bought my cookbook from Etsy last week, and I want to thank you and Jim for putting in the work to get out such a great book. When is your second cookbook due out? 🙂
I can also give testimonials: Honey Nut Bread – Spread honey-butter all over it! Apple Bread – I used a potato peeler for the juicy apples. Strawberry Bread – I also made blueberry bread with this recipe by swapping the strawberry jam for 2 cups of blueberries from behind my grandma’s house. Molasses Sweet Bread – A big hit at work. Molasses doesn’t seem to come up much in their recipes.
Charla-thank you! So glad you are enjoying the book!!
Most of my apple “butter” is made without a sweetener, just apples. I cook it for a long time, at low heat, to concentrate the sugars that are already present without caramelizing it too soon. I taste it after it reaches the “butter” stage and add a little honey or corn syrup (no, not high fructose corn syrup, it’s Karo and has none of that).
I’m definitely getting a cookbook as soon as they are available again.
A cookbook to me is better than a novel. Anything that that has recipes in it is good reading to me.
Congratulations to you and Jim.
It was a treat to meet all of you and get a signed copy of your cookbook. I am so happy for the success of your work. You are a wonderful ambassador for Southern Appalachian culture.
Leisa-it was wonderful to meet you too 🙂
Sound like the Cookbook was more than you expected. More than the publisher and printer expected. It ISN’T more than I expected! YOU are the driving force in this endeavor.
I hope this success of this rollout has and is giving confidence enough that you will write the next Southern Appalachian cookbook on your own.
Dusty told me that people in line were buying multiples. What does that tell you? People are interested in what you are saying and doing and that they are spreading it around.
What a wonderful gift to an old Appalachian mother on Mother’s Day. And if it’s too late then Father’s Day. Or young mothers and fathers for that matter.
Tipper,
How can I order your cookbook? I use so many of your recipes. Thank you
Bobbie-I’m out of stock right night but hope to have more books by week’s end. You can buy it from my Etsy store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlindPigAndTheAcorn Thank you!
I am one who conscientiously tries to read all the comments each day. And it occurs to me that just maybe this digital ability is being woven into something very much bigger and better than anyone has realized, even as wicked minds try to use it the other way. Anyway, so glad for all the good news about the cookbook. You are going to make so many more friends!
Looking forward to my cookbook. it’s for my two sweet sisters who love to cook and collect cookbooks. it’s worth the wait. so happy it is selling well
So excited about your cookbook. Amazon says out of stock. Want to get a copy. Can I order directly from you? I’ve learned so much from BP&A in these years. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Cheryl, Thank you! I hope to have them back in stock in my Etsy store later this week. You can find the store here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlindPigAndTheAcorn
Etsy sold out for now. Looking forward to more! Amazon only had paperback, is it hardback also?
Joyce-only paperback. I hope to have them back in stock by week’s end 🙂
I’m so glad the event went well. I had no doubt it would. Looking forward to coming to the event in Boone.
I received my copy on Friday, and Tipper it is AWESOME! I love so many of the recipes and can’t wait to try so many of them! Thanks to you and Jim for a great cookbook full of our Appalachian heritage and memories!
Tipper,
I want to order your cookbook directly from you and I would also love for you to sign it. How do I order directly from you?????
jwhittaker2131@gmail.com
5/8/2023
near Athens, Georgia
Thank yoy!!!!!!!
Jeri-I will email you the details 🙂
My copy arrived on a cool damp day. What a pleasure to start to read it, and to enjoy some of the recipes. I love how the two of you share your recipes. I look at how you all cook, and then look at how my great aunts and their cousins prepared them. Good food, good memories.
I am thrilled your event and most importantly your cookbook is a success. congrats to you both
Thank you for the update! My grandson is looking forward to meeting Jim at a book signing and can’t wait to talk fly fishing with him.
I have been enjoying your channel for several months now. I also enjoy the girls channel. Being raised in the mountains of Madison County NC, I truly appreciate the mountain lifestyle. I love our language , our way cooking , gardening, preserving, just everything about it. That’s why I appreciate your channel so much.
I am so sorry about Miss Cindy and please know that she and all the rest of your family are in my thoughts and prayers. I know it’s tough but God will make you strong.
I am here to testify about the Apple nut cake recipe and I’ve got to tell you it may be the tastiest apple cake I ever ate! I found my nuts were expired from April a year ago so I decided against nuts. In spite of no nuts, it is an absolutely moist and delicious cake! Again, you can take that cookbook to the bank cause it’s worth every recipe in it I tell you! I have cookbooks or google and I wonder where or even if they tried the recipes cause things are amiss. Tipper and Jim don’t play games. Their recipes obviously are tried and true! I was going to make the apple stack cake, but decided it was too much work… lol thanks Tipper for a delicious snack this morning too!!! I show everybody my cookbook and your picture explaining “this is my wonderful and talented friend in NC! She can do anything!” They nod in agreement as they look wide eyed at the old pictures in there. They’d better, you know. Any disagreements would not be tolerated… lol
Love, Love, Love, my cookbook! It is so much more than just a cookbook; it is a glimpse of our Appalachian history & culture. I couldn’t wait, ordered mine from Amazon. Can’t wait to get to talk to you & the girls again & get you to sign mine. Thank you so much for preserving these wonderful recipes! I hope you have another book in the works!
I know I am a bit late coming to the game…LOL. How do I get a copy of the cookbook?
Teri-I will have the book back in stock later this week in my Etsy store. You can find it here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlindPigAndTheAcorn Thank you!
The cookbook came last week. Thank you for signing it and it was wrapped in a pretty pink tissue paper. I have been reading it every day. It is informative and I love the recipes! Congratulations to you and Mr. Casada for all of your hard work. This cookbook rates right up there with my cherished Mountain Cooking by John Parris.
Chris-wow thank you! John Parris is my favorite 🙂
Tipper, I’m enjoying reading the recipes and looking at the photos. I can’t wait to get home and try some new ones. I like digital, but a real cool book for me is the best. My phone will stay a lot cleaner. After meeting Jim I can understand how much of a pleasure it would be to work with him. I’m sure you heard some great stories. In person Corie and Katie are harder to tell apart. I so glad my trip
to Appalachia coincided with your book signing. It was lovely to met you all.
Pat-we all enjoyed meeting you!!
Tipper, my husband bought your cookbook from Amazon for me. I love it! We watch your videos and love your simple life and your wonderful family. We make our cornbread in an iron skillet now ,thanks to you! It turns out great! Praying for Miss Cindy and your family. Kay Kelley from Circleville, Ohio
I received my cookbook. I love the recipes and the stories. Thanks to you and Jim for working so hard to preserve our Appalachian heritage.
God bless you Tipper, God bless friends of Appalachia, hard rain with thunder and lightning in north Georgia, God keep you safe and well as you travel about!
Awesome, so happy for the success and rightly so. I am looking forward to receiving mine. I am so glad I asked you to sign it for me. Thanks for all you lessons and knowledge you share. Give Miss Cindy my thoughts and prayers. God Bless
I’m glad you and Jim had a good time turnout in Waynesville Saturday. Can’t wait to get my book this week; continued prayers for Miss Cindy and family.
Did you and Matt get the garden planted before the rain?
I’ve talked about you so much to my craft lady friends, and others, at church they want to come with me on the 27th forward to the 27th in Knoxville.
God bless you and your family today and every day✝️