Coconuts and Collards

The cookbook *Coconuts and Collards: Recipes and Stories from Puerto Rico to the Deep South* was written by Von Diaz, an award-winning food writer and audio producer. Published in 2018, the book explores her personal journey of migrating from Puerto Rico to the Southern United States. She uses food to trace her family's history and cultural assimilation.

The book features a unique fusion of traditional Puerto Rican cuisine and classic Southern U.S. foodways. You will find recipes for dishes like pernil (roast pork), tostones, and pasteles, paired creatively with Southern staples like grits, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese. Diaz adapts these recipes for modern home cooks while keeping their deep cultural roots intact.

Von Diaz uses the cookbook as a memoir to map her family's migration from Puerto Rico to Atlanta, Georgia, highlighting how food helped them maintain their identity in a new environment. The coconuts represent Puerto Rican heritage, while the collards symbolize her upbringing in the American South. The recipes are framed by deeply personal stories of resilience and culinary adaptation.

*Coconuts and Collards* was officially published in April 2018 by the University of Georgia Press. The book received widespread critical acclaim for its heartfelt storytelling and cultural intersectionality. It was highly praised by food critics and recognized by major platforms like NPR and the New York Times.