The Great American Table: A Culinary Journey from Coast to Coast Celebrating All Fifty States

by: Michelle Wright

More than 150 recipes celebrating the food we crave, the places we love, and the traditions that make American tables uniquely ours. The perfect way to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday.

The Great American Table is a celebration of the foods, flavors, and memories that bring America together. From the rocky shores of Maine to the red deserts of Utah to the islands in the Pacific, this cookbook features full-color photography and an elegant design that highlights dishes that define our communities and connect us around the table. With more than 150 recipes from all fifty states, plus a sampling from the US territories as well as festive dishes for Thanksgiving, game days, and other celebrations, this unique cookbook invites us to take a delicious culinary journey through the nation’s diverse heritage.

Every family and region has its own version of beloved classics—from desserts to chowder to barbecue—and this cookbook offers Michelle’s take on these iconic dishes. Her recipes honor the spirit of the places they represent while celebrating the personal touches and traditions every cook brings to their own kitchen.

Blending approachable recipes with captivating trivia, The Great American Table invites readers to rediscover the joy of gathering. These are the meals that feel like home—whether rooted in Indigenous traditions, carried across oceans by immigrants, passed down through generations, or newly created in the ever-evolving tapestry of American cuisine. Warm, inclusive, and deeply flavorful, this cookbook reminds us that food doesn’t just nourish us—it connects us.

Welcome to the table. There’s a seat here for everyone.

Recipes include:

Maine: Maine Lobster Rolls
Rhode Island: Rhode Island Doughboys
New Jersey: Disco Fries
Delaware: Peach Crumb Pie
Virginia: Brunswick Stew
Kentucky: Kentucky Hot Brown
Georgia: Old Fashioned Southern Cola Cake
Arkansas: Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy
Minnesota: Juicy Lucy Burger
Missouri: Kansas City BBQ Beef Ribs
Illinois: Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
Montana: Overnight French Toast with Huckleberry Sauce
New Mexico: Stacked Enchiladas
Puerto Rico: Mofongo

Meet the Author

Michelle Wright

Baking at her grandmother’s side in a small Idaho kitchen, Michelle Wright discovered early in life that there’s no better way to combine creativity, love, and service than by mixing up some flour, sugar, butter, and chocolate—and then sharing those freshly baked cookies with neighbors and friends. Over the years, besides perfecting the chocolate chip cookie, she has expanded her repertoire to include more challenging recipes and feature more unique ingredients, such as infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. But at her core, she still uses baking as a creative expression and an act of love. When she’s not baking, she loves to travel the world, though that may secretly be another way to extend her love of good food because her destinations and itineraries are always planned around trying the best local cuisine and finding a new regional cookbook to add to her collection. Her most cherished cookbook of all is the one she still uses from her grandmother’s kitchen.

Books of Michelle Wright