Americana Songstress Serves Up Home Cookin' In New Book

In Ruby Dee's Juke Joint Americana Cookbook, chef, chanteuse, and former restaurateur Ruby Dee Philippa (of Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers) offers readers a taste of down-home Americana cuisine.

A Grammy nominated musician, Ruby combines her two loves - music and food - by packaging each book with a full-length Americana CD. The disc features songs by Two Hoots and a Holler, Marti Brom, The Modern Don Juans, Teri Joyce, Elizabeth McQueen, Rockin' Lloyd Tripp, and even Ruby herself.

But it's not all gravy. Ruby began writing after a devastating scooter accident left her with a brain injury that caused vertigo, trouble speaking, and memory loss, which hindered her ability to recall lyrics onstage. Soon, Ruby turned to writing as a form of cognitive therapy. She began with stories but quickly realized recipes were an even better workout for her mind.

"I realized if I wrote out the recipes that friends and family had been asking me to share for years," says Ruby, "I could challenge my brain to find the exact word it was looking for. In stories, I could substitute words and change details when the exact word escaped me. But with recipes, I had to be precise: tenderloin is tenderloin, a carrot is a carrot, whipping cream is whipping cream, and so on."

The result of her efforts has become Ruby Dee's Juke Joint Americana Cookbook, a smorgasbord of recipes from appetizers and drinks to special occasion dinners and bittersweet farewells. Recipes include:
- Bacon Wrapped Dates
- Texas Martini
- Pineapple Rum BBQ Short Ribs
- Banana Cheese Pies
ABOUT RUBY
Ruby Dee Philippa is the lead singer of the high-octane roots and rockabilly act Ruby Dee and the Snakehandlers. Raised in both the Northern California foothill ranches and the cotton and oil fields of the Texas panhandle, Ruby has worked on fishing boats in Alaska, lived in South America, and toured most of the United States. Her travels have inspired her devotion to Americana culture, which celebrates the melting pot heritage of the United States.

Previously, Ruby owned three successful restaurants in Seattle, Washington, until she finally "settled down" as a musician in Austin, Texas, where she lives today. Her book, Ruby's Juke Joint Americana Cookbook, is a veritable feast of down-home recipes meant to be enjoyed with family and friends.

Ruby's Juke Joint Americana Cookbook is available at www.barnesandnoble.com and www.amazon.com, in hardcover, paperback, and eBook format. It can also be purchased from major and independent bookstores nationwide or from Ruby directly at www.rubysjukejoint.com.

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