Cookbook Review:
I never buy books. Why buy when you can borrow from the library? This week's run to the public library netted half a dozen great cookbooks. Currently, I'm perusing, "The Little House Cookbook" ... about "Frontier Foods from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Classic Stories." Having read all of the Little House books, this cookbook has a lot of pioneer recipes that I wondered about when reading said books. The author, Barbara M. Walker, has done a great job of reliving a portion from the novels that recall certain foods the Ingalls family ate. She has adapted the recipes and some of the ingredients to modern measurements/products, but for the most part, has done an excellent job of retaining authenticity to the pioneer era. Illustrations are by Garth Williams; I believe he illustrated the series I read. This is a good read for those of you that would enjoy minimalist ingredients and a sense of history through the preparation of food. At one time I had wanted to make 'ginger water' as described in The Long Winter book. Having mistakenly made the likes of ginger beer, this book describes the beverage ginger water or switchel .. a non alcoholic drink given to farmers on hot days. I shall try to once again make this drink. It sounded so refreshing as I read through the book years ago.
2 comments:
That sounds like an interesting cook book, I will have to keep it in mind this winter when we hit the library.
By the way, I am also a fan of Little House (the TV show, I've yet to read the books) and the Waltons. I was just talking to my wife the other day about the lack of quality television shows. It came up as we had just introduced our grandson to the first Little House episode, I think he liked it.:)
Mr. H. I encourage you to read the books .. perhaps even to your grandson if he's young. They are a wealth of historical facts about pioneer life, establishing the railroad routes, traveling by covered wagon, surviving long winters with barely food or wood for the fire. If you read one, you will be hooked .. and need to read them all :)
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