The Modern Mountain Cookbook: A Plant-Based Celebration of Appalachia by Jan A. Brandenburg

Hardcover – March 18, 2025 

Between soup beans seasoned with bacon grease, pot roast, and gravy-drowned meatloaf, Appalachian cuisine is known for featuring plenty of meat. Even seemingly innocent sides like potato salad and mac and cheese often contain animal products. Though adopting a plant-based diet comes with life-changing benefits, it has also stopped many people from enjoying the food they were raised on. Embracing her grandmother’s fearless approach to cooking while staying true to her own beliefs, Appalachian vegan Jan A. Brandenburg has diligently worked to create a cookbook that captures the flavor and comfort that came with every bite of her favorites from back home.

In The Modern Mountain Cookbook: A Plant-Based Celebration of Appalachia, Brandenburg updates the meals of her eastern Kentucky childhood to make them accessible to everyone―including cooks of any skill level―looking to incorporate more veg-friendly fare into their rotation. From eggless scramble for breakfast to fried chick’n for supper, this innovative cookbook provides readers with an extensive menu of delicious, cruelty-free dishes fit for all occasions. Brandenburg feeds both body and soul as she folds in lessons learned from generations of women and memories of family gatherings around the table with sure-to-please recipes, including creamy potato soup, country-fried steak, roasted jalapeno pimento cheese, hash brown and broccoli casseroles, and bourbon pecan pie.

Appalachian and plant-based cooking are no longer at odds―people who love country classics can preserve their culinary traditions while eating a healthier, more ethical diet. With The Modern Mountain Cookbook in one hand and a cast-iron skillet in the other, you can have your pineapple upside-down cake and eat it, too.