The Spiral Bound Bible of Southern Cooking: A Community Cookbook from the Southern Foodways Alliance (Working Title)

Edited by John T. Edge
UGA Press, Summer 2010

I tested and edited all of the recipes. I also collected some of the oral histories and did extensive research on authentic Southern recipes. The SFA Web site has a short announcement about the book.

The Blackberry Farm Cookbook:
Four Seasons of Great Food and the Good Life

Sam Beall
Clarkson Potter, 2009

I helped with the recipe testing and development for this cookbook.

Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials:
An Insider's Guide to Buying and Serving Cheese

Laura Werlin
Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2007
Nominated for a 2008 James Beard Award

In the foreword, Laura said, "I shudder to think what the recipes in this book would have been without phenomenal cook and de facto Southern humorist Sheri Castle, who enthusiastically tested each recipe and weighed in with experience, grace, the aforementioned humor, and essential tips. Thank you, Sheri."

Seasoned in the South:
Recipes from Crook's Corner and from Home

Bill Smith, Jr.
Algonquin Books, a division of Workman, 2005, reissued with new chapters in 2006

Bill says, "I don't know how many times, when reading a cook book, I've thought to myself, 'This isn't going to work.' A lot of the time I'm right. I'm happy to report that all the recipes in Seasoned in the South do work. Countless people have gone out of their way to tell me since its publication last fall. Sheri did great work. She is clear and quick. And clever--ask her about my grandmother's candy recipes."

In an interview with Food and Wine in June, 2006, Bill said:

I found this woman who tests the recipes for me. I don't know what I would have done without her. And she told me, "You chefs don't know anything about writing recipes. I do this all the time and you think you know how much you use, but you never pay attention," and all this other stuff. I'd get these hilarious e-mails and phone calls from her saying, "This [recipe] you said made six made sixty. Do you want me to fix this?" Or she'd say, "Did you want this to be really runny?" And I'd say, "No, I don't want it to be runny." And she'd say, "Well, it is. I think I know why. Do you want me to fix it?" "Yes, thank you."

Other Cookbooks

Appalachian Home Cooking:
History, Culture & Recipes

Mark F. Sohn
University of Kentucky Press, 2005

I tested the recipes from several chapters in this book. I also wrote the foreword.

Fresh Every Day:
More Great Recipes from Foster's Market

Sara Foster with Carolynn Carreno
Clarkson Potter, 2005

The Foster's Market Cookbook

Sara Foster with Sarah Belk King
Random House, 2002

Sara says in her acknowledgements, "Thanks to Sheri Castle for testing recipes in a relentless pursuit of perfection and deliciousness."