5Bridgette A. Lacy offers an ode to a meal that, notably in the Sabbath-minding South, is more than a meal. Sunday dinner, Lacy observes, is a state of mind. It is about taking the time to be with the people who matter to you. Describing her own childhood Sunday dinners, in which her beloved, culinary-minded grandfather played an indelible role, Lacy explores and celebrates the rhythms of Sunday food traditions. But Lacy knows that, today, many who grew up eating Sunday dinner surrounded by kin now dine alone in front of the television. Her Sunday Dinner provides remedy and delicious inspiration any day of the week.

Sure to reward those gathered around the table, Lacy's fifty-one recipes range from classic southern favorites, including Sunday Yeast Rolls, Grandma's Fried Chicken, and Papa's Nilla Wafer Brown Pound Cake, to contemporary, lighter twists such as Roasted Vegetable Medley and Summer Fruit Salad. Lacy's tips for styling meals with an eye to color, texture, and a simple beauty embody her own Sunday dinner recollection that anything you needed was already on the table.