An Evening with Vishwesh Bhatt, Snackbar chef and author of I AM FROM HERE

111 South Spring Street,Tupelo MS 38804

17 November, 2022

Description

Reed’s GumTree Bookstore is thrilled to present an evening of books and snacks with Vishwesh Batt. Tickets include a copy of I AM FROM HERE, light snacks featured in the cookbook, and drinks. This is a come-and-go event, and the author will give brief remarks at 5:45 pm. Ticketing: There are 3 ticket options for this event: • A one person/one book general admission ticket costs $75.00 and includes admission to the event for one person and one copy of I AM FROM HERE. • A two person/one book general admission ticket costs $95.00 and includes admission to the event for two people and one copy of I AM FROM HERE. • A signed book ONLY ticket costs $40.00 and includes no admission to the event, but includes a personalized copy of I AM FROM HERE for pickup at Reed’s. Perfect for those who can’t attend but would like a copy of I AM FROM HERE to be personalized by Vishwesh Bhatt. Additional signed copies of I AM FROM HERE will be available for purchase at the event. About the book: One of the South’s best chefs invites you to grill, stew, and fry your own way to a more expansive and delicious dinner. A Vishwesh Bhatt dish conjures an evolving American South. Peanut Masala–Stuffed Baby Eggplant alongside fried okra, tossed in tangy chaat masala. Collard-Wrapped Catfish with a spicy Peanut Pesto. These much-loved dishes are stars on the menu at Snackbar in Oxford, Mississippi, where Bhatt has been the executive chef since 2009, earning him Best Chef: South (2019 James Beard Awards) and induction into the Fellowship of Southern Farmers, Artisans, and Chefs in 2022. His food draws from his Indian heritage and is unpretentious, inventive, and incredibly delicious. I Am From Here organizes 130 recipes by ingredient, emphasizing staples, spices, and vegetables that are as beloved on the Indian subcontinent as they are in the American South. Summer means okra, tomatoes, corn, and peas. Winter brings sweet potatoes and greens: mustards, collards, kale, and spinach. Rice is a constant throughout. Bhatt vividly recounts the special meals cooked by his mother and grandmothers―vegetarian comfort food such as Khichadi, custardy rice pudding, and Stewed Gujarati-Style Black-Eyed Peas―and presents them alongside dishes he’s shared with friends, colleagues, and family across the decades. Recipes run the gamut from uncomplicated roast chicken and Citrus-Herb Rice Salad to dinner party–worthy Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Tandoori Spices. Writing for the home cook, Bhatt includes recipes for making your own spice mixes, including a versatile chaat masala. A mix-and-match meal-planning guide will help you pair dishes for different occasions. And every ingredient is within reach even if you’re cooking far away from the warmth of Mississippi. This cookbook thoughtfully and persuasively expands notions of what it means to be, and cook like, a Southerner today. About the Author: A native of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Vishwesh Bhatt has made his home in Oxford, Mississippi, for more than twenty years. As the executive chef of Snackbar, where he has cooked for the last twelve years, he was nominated for People's Best New Chef by Food & Wine and won the 2019 James Beard Award for Best Chef: South.