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• by:
• Shay, Janice

This collection of recipes is coupled with a history lesson on the most popular restaurants and cafes in the city. B. Matthews was the first tavern in Georgia in 1792 and is constructed from old ship parts. Their B 52 Cheesecake is more up-to-date than their building, using Irish Cream liqueur and Heath bar crunch cookies. Vic's on the River likes to share its traditional Southern food with customers, such as its Sweet Potato Crème Brulee. The former cotton warehouse also shares a piece of history from the Civil War. Union soldiers mapped out Sherman's march from Tennessee through Georgia on one of the walls. Part of the original map is still on display.

As the city expanded, so did their selection of restaurants. Art lovers enjoy the atmosphere of the Soho South café and its Brownie Decadence. Health-conscious diners enjoy the wholesome flavor of the Firefly Café's Southern Comfort Peach Bread Pudding and the Sapphire Grill's Cocoa-infused Crème Caramel. Quaint boardinghouse-style restaurants offer more traditional sweets such as banana pudding. "Perfected" recipes are provided by such well-known chefs and caterers as Paula Deen, Martha Giddens Nesbit, and Susan Mason.

Chapters are divided into cakes and tortes; cobblers, pies, and tarts; custards, puddings, and sauces; ice creams and sorbets; cheesecakes; and candies and cookies. Each inclusion was specifically chosen to offer up the taste of the Savannah lifestyle.