BATCH, A Bitter Southerner Podcast

Blackwater rivers are the haven of innumerable species, the keepers of our earliest recorded history, and the key to the health of our marshes, islands, and coastlines, but they’re under threat from mining, residential development, and pollution. We speak to Georgia author Taylor Brown about his piece “Ode to Blackwater Rivers” - it’s a love letter to the rivers he grew up on, and a call to keep t...

To shore-living Marylanders, the humble, blue-collar  Natural Light  is more than just cheap beer. Five years ago, nearly to the day, we published "My Old Friend Natty Light." In her story, Mickie Meinhardt firmly staked the claim that a certain part of Maryland is "the South" while also paying tribute to Ocean City locals and their dogged devotion to "shore champagne," aka Natural Light beer. Wha...

Show Notes You can read the full story at the Bitter Southerner’s website. Here’s a link: https://bittersoutherner.com/cooking-country-women-food-nashville It can also be found in our new book Food Stories: writing that stirs the pot, available here: https://bsgeneralstore.com/products/food-stories Credits Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones Produced by Ryan Engelberger Engineered by The theme music for Ba...

Show Notes You can read the full story at the Bitter Southerner’s website. Here’s a link: https://bittersoutherner.com/feature/2023/immigrant-spaghetti It can also be found in our new book Food Stories: writing that stirs the pot, available here: https://bsgeneralstore.com/products/food-stories Credits Hosted by Kyle Tibbs Jones Produced by Ryan Engelberger Engineered by The theme music for Batch...

This week, in Episode 12, we're laughing, chatting, and reading with Alana Dao, author of "Southern Hustle: Houston Hip-Hop & Chinese Chicken." As we've seen in FX's "The Bear," (big love for that show here at The BS!) the energy and buzz of working in kitchens can show up in someone's DNA. Alana echoes that sentiment as she shares the tale of her great grandparents' journey to the U.S. and ho...

In Episode 11 of BATCH, we spend time with the talented and charming Caroline Hatchett, author of the James Beard nominated Bitter Southerner story, “The Elusive Roots of Rosin Potatoes.” Back in 2019, Caroline, a seasoned food writer, began a quest to solve a serious mystery. Bound and determined to uncover the true origin of people cooking potatoes in vats of boiling pine rosin, she asked the li...

BATCH is back! We're bringing you conversations and excerpts from our new book Food Stories: writing that stirs the pot - we can't wait to share it with you! You're gonna love it

Today, for our last episode in this BATCH of Earth Stories, we look back at one of the most monumental environmental disasters in American history. While many stories have been written about how New Orleans came back after Katrina, at The Bitter Southerner, we were interested in a deeper question: Why did the people of New Orleans come back and rebuild their city? In episode 10, journalist and fil...

In our latest "Earth Stories" episode, Bitter Southerner contributor Jessica Bradley Wells reads her sweet tale, "Where the Tupelo Grows." Since the 1800s (way before Van Morrison's hit "Tupelo Honey" or Peter Fonda starring in "Ulee's Gold,") locals in the panhandle of Florida have been harvesting our rare, sweet, and precious tupelo honey. So put in your earbuds and travel with Jessica to Wewahi...

In Episode 8, writer Boyce Upholt notes, “There’s a lot of beauty and joy and wonder in the world. And of all the beautiful places in our country, the Southeastern coast is one of our most beloved and extraordinary.” Oh, how we love our beaches! Unfortunately, our coastlines are now some of the most at risk due to the accelerating impacts of climate change, sea level rise, intensifying storms, and...

In our second BATCH (5 episodes called "Earth Stories"), we're digging into fragile, precious, and sometimes surprising places across the South. In Episode 7, writer Jim Barger reads his piece "The Untold Story of Hibiscus Grandiflorus." Listen as Jim takes us deep into the interior forest of a barrier island, where he witnesses a grove of gigantic prehistoric flowers - flowers the world had thoug...

in Episode 6, "Okefenokee Heavy & Precious," Janisse Ray almost whispers her cautionary tale. Her voice is mesmerizing, her writing takes our breath away, and the message of her story sets our hearts on fire to save the swamp. Janisse is an acclaimed author and environmental activist whose first book, the memoir  Ecology of a Cracker Childhood  won the American Book Award. Since then, there ha...

In our new BATCH of episodes - "Earth Stories" - we've recorded some of our favorite contributors reading their stories about special and fragile places across the South. Listen to these wonderful writers read their powerful words and then talk with our host, Kyle Tibbs Jones.

We’re so excited to bring y’all our grand finale for this first BATCH: a conversation with writer and TV host Sheri Castle as she talks us through her piece, “The Seven Essential Southern Dishes.” This is a good one y’all - it’s the Bitter Southerner’s second most read, discussed, shared and argued over story of all time. We’re talking about highly contentious stuff here. Sugar in cornbread. Cream...

This weekend, the Bitter Southerner is back with a real peach of an episode. If you are listening for the first time, at BATCH, we have our favorites read some favorites. What we mean by that is that we dig around in our archives and record readings of the stories y'all love. In our first batch of episodes, we're sharing some of our most popular food stories. In episode 4 of BATCH, James Beard Awa...

This weekend, the Bitter Southerner is back with - can you believe it? - the third episode of BATCH! If you are listening for the first time, at BATCH we have our favorites read some favorites. What we mean by that is that we dig around in our archives and record readings of the stories y'all love. In our first batch of episodes, we're sharing some of our popular food stories. And in today's episo...

Take a road trip through the Mississippi Delta eating fried olive po'boys, pound cake, tacos and tamales, all served up --- at gas stations. That's right, if you grow up in the South, you know there's some good eating at service stations down two lane highways. From Lula to Leland to Alligator, Mississippi, in Episode 2 of BATCH, Kate Medley shows us how to truly get to know a community.

Finally, The Bitter Southerner returns to your ears, your mind, your heart… with BATCH. Yep, we’re digging into our archives to read and record batches of our favorite stories; the stories you love. In BATCH #1, we focus on food - how we make it, how we feel about it, and in episode #1, how a meal can change or sometimes save a life. Travel with us to Brewton, AL and a restaurant unlike any other,...

Finally, The Bitter Southerner returns to your ears, your mind, your heart… with the first episode of our new podcast : BATCH. Yep, we’re digging into our archives to read and record batches of our favorite stories; the stories' you all love. In BATCH #1, we’ll focus on food - how we make it, how we feel about it, and in episode #1, how a meal can change or sometimes save a life. We start in Brewt...