This is a great book for anyone who loves American regional cuisine — Southern cuisine in particular. It focuses on the Delta region of Mississippi, one of the quirkiest places in America and one of the most interesting, culturally and historically. Its food reflects its nature — a blend of traditional Southern dishes and eccentric local oddities. The book is part travel guide, part restaurant guide — laced with recipes for many of the dishes it describes and profusely illustrated with gorgeous and evocative color photographs by Langdon Clay, depicting both the food and the places it’s served.

After spending some time with it, I guarantee you’ll want to throw this book in the back of your car, head off to the Delta and start looking for some Delta-style tamales or fried okra or crawfish cakes. The mouth waters just thinking about it.

You can buy the book here — Eat Drink Delta.