Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine

Buttermilk Graffiti by Edward Lee is a James Beard Award–winning culinary memoir that explores the evolving story of American food through the voices and traditions of its people. Blending travel writing, personal reflection, and more than 40 inspired recipes, Lee traces a cross-country journey through immigrant communities and regional kitchens—revealing how cultures, histories, and flavors intersect to shape what we eat today. Thoughtful, deeply human, and richly observed, this book is both a meditation on identity and a powerful celebration of America’s ever-changing culinary landscape.