Susan Mocsny Thomas Profile

Favorite Cookbooks

Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread, & Scuppernong Wine (Joseph E. Dabney)

Subtitled The Folklore and Art of Southern Appalachian Cooking

Southern Sides (Fred Thompson)

The man is in love with Southern food. He and his chef son in law have perfected some classics.

The Tex-Mex Cookbook (Robb Walsh)

Everything you ever wanted to know and everything you love about this food.

The New England Clam Shack Cookbook (Brooked Dojny)

Lobster, clams, everything that says New England summer and food.

Delilah's Everyday Soul (Delilah Winder)

Delilah's mac and cheese won "best" on Oprah. It quite possibly is the best ever.

California's Favorite Mexican Foods (California Home Ec Teachers)

I have had this little gem for many years. It was sold through one of the schools.

Chefs I recommend

Marc Elliott (Pinehurst, NC)

Big on creating dishes from local, in-season foods. Had own summer garden. Elliott's on Linden, Rue 32, The Sly Fox are his varied restaurants and he has a wine shop and a provisions shop for great ingredients at the Linden Rd. restaurant.

Sean McCabe (Worcester, MA)

Formerly at Zipango, now at Ritual. Very delicious dishes with innovative touches.

Restaurants I Recommend

Elliott's on Linden (Pinehurst, NC)

Local foods prepared with flair by an innovative British chef.

Ritual (Worcester, MA)

Chef Sean McCabe has been one of my favorites for years and most recently he has taken the helm at Ritual. The only complaint I've heard is that some find the portions too small.

Romaine's (Northborough, MA)

Not named after the lettuce, but the founders' last name. This place has delicious food with a Mediterranean flair.

Allora (Marlborough, MA)

Wonderful seafood and other dishes with an Italian influence. Eat outside, overlooking Lake Williams.

Red Rock Bar and Grille (Upton, MA)

Great takes on American comfort food.

Ashmont Grill (Dorchester, MA)

Wonderful food, great wine list! Monday Night Wine Club is 4 courses, 4 wines for $38.

Ironwood Cafe (Southern Pines, NC)

Great place for a special evening out! Choose the patio which is enclosed but beautiful.

Pik N Pig (Carthage, NC)

Great down home Carolina BBQ at a local airport. Watch small planes take off and land. Play corn hole while waiting for your table, or use the "driving range" with the caveat that you have to pick up your own balls. Try the Coca Cola cake! Eat under the large tin roof or inside if you prefer.

BO's Fish Shack (Key West, FL)

Great local seafood served on paper plates in a funky place that grew out of a pickup truck BO would use to sell his food.