South of the Fork (VG)

South of the Fork cookbooks showcases fresh, simple-to-prepare recipes from The Junior League of Dallas. Although brisket, barbecue and beer were once the staples of the Dallas palate, in recent years the gourmets of haute cuisine, amateur and professional alike, have stampeded this town like cattle.  While those of us who were used to plain cooking discovered that sole was not soul or ratatouille just a fancy dance step, these pioneer chefs learned to speak in several "tongues," from Southern to Spanish, Texan to Tex-Mex, Anglo to Italian, to name a few. They may have messed with our mesquite and sometimes over-dressed our salad, but they also deliciously spared our ribs and never spoiled our appetites. Nor has all this experimentation stuffed our shirts or waistlines, tangled our old-fashioned apron strings, or just cluttered the kitchen with dirty dishes.  Now Dallas has a keener appreciation for its own regional cuisine that's as bold and individual as the entrepreneurs who live he