About Nancie McDermott

Nancie McDermott

Nancie McDermott, a native of Burlington, NC and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, developed a lifelong love for the cuisine of Asia during her tenure as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand. She’s been cooking and writing about Asian food ever since. She’s the author of nearly a dozen cookbooks and a contributing editor for Edible Piedmont. McDermott lives with her family in Chapel Hill, NC. @nanciemacpix

Two coconut cream pies with meringue tops, pastry crusts, and sprinkled with shredded coconut

Coconut Cream Pie

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A retro classic with a velvety coconut custard buried beneath billows of sweet, luscious, airy meringue and cushioned by a tender, flaky, buttery lard crust. You’re welcome.

  • (3)
  • 25 M
  • 45 M
  • 18
Two plates topped with stir-fried cauliflower and garnished with cilantro.

Stir-Fried Cauliflower ~ Bong Cai Xao

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The complex, almost caramelized taste of this sweetly savory side illustrates just why the last few years have seen a resurgence in respect for cauliflower.

  • (1)
  • 10 M
  • 15 M
  • 8
Two slices of oatmeal cake on plates

Oatmeal Cake

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Oatmeal cake, to us, is synonymous with breakfast, seeing as there’s wholesome oatmeal beneath all that coconut and old-fashioned boiled frosting.

  • (2)
  • 50 M
  • 1 H, 50 M
  • 5
A chipped white bowl filled with Cajun chicken and sausage gumbo and a scoop of rice with a spoon resting in it.

Cajun Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

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“Your family will think you are AMAZING.” “A straightforward, real deal Cajun gumbo that everyone loved.” “Easy and affordable.” “A keeper!” That’s what we’re hearing about this.

  • (5)
  • 2 H
  • 2 H, 45 M
  • 12
A frosted brown sugar pound cake on a white plate on a cloth-covered picnic table.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

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This rich, buttery, unabashedly sweet Southern tradition is a twist on a classic and becomes even more indulgent with a heavy-handed drizzle of caramel glaze.

  • (3)
  • 30 M
  • 1 H, 40 M
  • 8
Three pieces of steamed halibut with ginger and scallions on a blue rectangular plate with chopsticks on the side.

Steamed Halibut with Ginger

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An elegant and easy riff on a classic Chinese technique that’s ideal for the fish-averse given that it’s quick and almost effortless.

  • Quick Glance
  • 20 M
  • 20 M
  • 0
Bowl of black-eyed peas in a tomato broth on a sheet of wood

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

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This classic brings good luck to all who partake on New Year’s Day. Or so says Southern tradition. We can’t vouch for that, but we can vouch for it’s ability to bring sated appetites.

  • (3)
  • 25 M
  • 2 H, 45 M
  • 16
Three slices of pear bread on a white plate with a cut loaf in the background.

Pear Bread

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Quick bread. Tea cake. Spice bread. Whatever you call it, this recipe has pedigree–and you don’t need to know its geneology to know this. One taste tells all.

  • (5)
  • 15 M
  • 1 H, 30 M
  • 13
Cantaloupe

How Cantaloupe Got Its Name

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Cantaloupe. Muskmelon. Charentais. Tuscan melon. Rock melon. How the heck did summer’s favorite fruit get all these names?! Nancie McDermott explains.