State Documents for Cooking and Cuisine Month

As we enter the holiday season, what better way to celebrate than with some good ole Southern cooking!

Explore these resources from the South Carolina State Documents Collection that highlights the deliciously rich history of South Carolina cooking and cuisine.

State Documents

Cover of Home Vegetable Gardening

Home Vegetable Gardening

Clemson Extension Service

Home garden vegetables can be grown abundantly in most areas of South Carolina with proper care. This booklet from the Clemson Extension Service is your go-to for caring for your own Carolina home vegetable garden.

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Cover of Official South Carolina BBQ Trail Map.

Official South Carolina BBQ Trail Map

South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism

This map highlights 262 barbecue restaurants across South Carolina. It also includes a directory showing the restaurants' addresses and websites, telephone numbers, and hours of operation, color-coded to indicate the available sauces (mustard, light tomato, heavy tomato, and vinegar).

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Cover of Happy Holidays: The Palmetto Kitchen.

Happy Holidays: The Palmetto Kitchen

South Carolina Department of Agriculture

An ordinary recipe or dish can become a holiday special with just a touch of imagination. Check out this recipe book, from beverages to breads to desserts, to find some tasty dishes to add to the holiday spirit.

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Cover of Fanfare!: Tailgating with the Gamecocks.

Fanfare!: Tailgating with the Gamecocks

University of South Carolina

Published in 1997, this cookbook contains recipes recommended for tailgating at the University of South Carolina football games. Dive into this resource for dishes perfect for a chilly weekend tailgate!

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Cover of Rice and the Making of South Carolina: An Introductory Essay.

Rice and the Making of South Carolina: An Introductory Essay

Daniel C. Littlefield; South Carolina Department of Archives and History

It is hard to overstate the importance that rice has had on the history, culture, and cuisine of South Carolina. This essay explores the history and continued impact of rice cultivation in South Carolina. It was compiled from a lecture given by University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign history professor Daniel C. Littlefield for South Carolina History Day on October 25, 1994.

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Cover of The South Carolina Wildlife Cookbook: A Collection of Recipes for Sea and Freshwater Food, Large and Small Game, and Savory Oddities from the Wild.

The South Carolina Wildlife Cookbook: A Collection of Recipes for Sea and Freshwater Food, Large and Small Game, and Savory Oddities from the Wild

Julie Lumpkin and Nancy Ann Coleman; South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department

The South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resource Department, now known as the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, created this cookbook to highlight the rich heritage and taste of Carolina cooking. Whether mammal, fowl, fish, or crustacean, appreciating the variety and beauty of South Carolina’s native animals is further enhanced by their sumptuous taste when prepared for the table. 

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Upcoming Event

Cookbook open on a table with foodstuffs all around.

Yum!: Recipes & Resources at the SC State Library

December 15, 2025, 11:00 AM

Hungry for something new? Join us for a tasty webinar as we dig into the library’s food-focused resources—from fascinating historical finds to modern cookbooks. We might even sprinkle in a recipe or two!

This Week