Paying homage to his grandmother, Carter's debut cookbook, The Hachland Hill Cookbook: The Recipes and Legacy of Phila Hach, shares the many stories and recipes that shaped the life of a legendary Southern cook, author, and television personality.
Hach brings his grandmother's recipes, many of which are tried-and-true classics, into the modern day by adding his own unique take and fresh spin. Woven between recipes for hoecakes, egg salad toast, old fashioned tea cakes, and fried chicken are essays on Phila's many life accomplishments--from her years traveling the world as a flight attendant to being the first woman to host a television show in the South to cooking for the United Nations to running her beloved Hachland Hill Inn. Written to tell and preserve Phila Hach's legacy as a pioneering woman in the culinary arts, The Hachland Hill Cookbook captures an essential history while sharing the joy of Phila's cooking with a whole new audience.
About the Author: Carter Hach grew up cooking with his grandmother, the legendary Chef Phila Hach. He wrote his first recipe for chocolate nut drop cookies before he could actually spell the word, "recipe." In 2015, through the University of Virginia, he studied creative writing and traveling-writing while visiting over 15 countries throughout Asia, South Asia and Africa. Both this trip and four years at Ole Miss played significant roles in developing his worldly pallet. He was introduced to many different dishes during his time abroad, more often than not taking notes so that he could develop his own recipes back home, marrying southern comfort food with other cultural influences. Now executive chef at Hachland Hill, he brings that same approach to his farm-to-table dining experience.
Hach completed his intensive studies of bread and pastry under Chef Christopher Ciresi at the French Culinary Institute or ICC in New York City, where he also worked on cakes under the tutorage of chefs Jürgen David and Kierin Baldwin. Ciresi had been the executive pastry chef at Manhattan's legendary Plaza Hotel before joining the faculty at the ICC. This caliber of instructor shines through in Hach's innovative breakfast pastries and desserts.
He continued to learn the staples of southern cooking from longtime employee at Hachland Hill, Ruth Williams. She started cooking with Phila Hach at the age of sixteen years old and retired in March of 2017 at 80. She continues to pop in for the occasional prep as she likes to stay busy and check in on things at the iconic dining inn that she helped to build.
All of Hach's food is made from scratch and he uses only the best local ingredients from nearby farms, all within 30 miles of Hachland Hill.Carter has an allegiance to Hachland Hill's past with a respect for the land and food that will continue to be a backbone of his work.
