Two of the things I mentioned in my Letter to Santa: That I liked things that were local to my Santa, and that I collect unique cookbooks.

I don't know whether Santa actually lives in Nashville or just loves the food, but I received, "The Hot Chicken Cookbook: The Fiery History & Red Hot Recipes of Nashville's Beloved Bird."

This cookbook is not just full of tasty recipes for Nashville-style hot chicken, but delicious looking things to go with it such as sides and desserts (completely homemade banana pudding, including making your own (va)nilla wafers?). Plus they tell you how to use the chicken in different ways (assuming, I guess, that there are actually leftovers) and ways to use the style to cook things like whole turkeys, game hens, and even a vegan tempeh recipe.

I am bowled over at how awesome this cookbook is. The recipes look amazing and the pictures are drool-worthy. It's a terrific addition to my collection!

Thank you, Santa, for making my holidays more delicious!

(& sorry for the crappy photos, everyone. I'm the worst photographer on the planet.)