Recipe for a Perfect Picnic

Since the brothers Lee began writing about food, they say they've collected more than 300 Southern cookbooks, hailing from Key West to Richmond. "Some are slender pamphlets from the local church, fragile as tissue; others are spiral-bound fundraisers for the PTA or Junior League. Each, though, captures the flavor of a specific place," the brothers say. "We look to these regionalisms to reassure us that America is still quirky and diverse, even if its airports and strip malls all look the same."

"Though some might see our collection as a road map for how to cook Southern, we view it as an album of postcards," they say. "The recipes excite us, but many leave out important information ('cook until done') or use antiquated terms ('a hogshead of beaten pompion'). Still, they provide loads of inspiration, in this case for a picnic menu."

Fresh pineapple and green tea put a new spin on Lansdowne Punch , a fruity rum cocktail.