2 comments about Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book.

1. What an amazing book! I glimpse into the not-so-distant past when we couldn't just "log-on" and get whatever we desire. This cookbook goes back to the time of self-sustaining farms and communities. You can see this in the number of recipe variations that include the town where it is common. Anyone familiar with PA Dutch cuisine should own this cookbook!



2. This `Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book' by J. George Frederick is the next step on my search to find the best `Pennsylvania Dutch' cookbook. For many reasons, it is not the best `Dutch' cookbook for the average modern American amateur cook who happens to want to make some traditional Lancaster County dishes, but it is near the top of the titles I have found for documenting this great Southeastern Pennsylvania cuisine for the author(s) of more popular books.
   
   The first thing to note is that this is a standard Dover reprint of a book published in 1935. This means that since the book has a distinctly early 20th century point of view, before James Beard and before Julia Child and before Craig Claiborne, and certainly before the `back to the farmer's market' movement of Alice Waters and Deborah Madison. This being so, the introductory material is not only a narrative of the Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, it is a testament to the mid-Depression view of the Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine.
   
   The first thing which tickles me about this point of view is that the author has no interest in the more politically correct `Pennsylvania German' term, since the ethnic origins of the Pennsylvania Dutch is actually the German, French, and Swiss lands bordering on the Rhine. (I can personally attest to this, as my mother's family that settled between Bethlehem and Philadelphia were originally German Swiss Huguenot clockmakers from Western Switzerland.) The second thing that appealed to me personally was the fact that the author includes my hometown of Bethlehem, PA among the five great cities of Pennsylvania Dutch homeland, including Allentown, Lancaster, Reading, and Philadelphia. There is even a recipe for `Bethlehem Scrapple Cabbage'. Talk about a `signature' dish!
   
   One of the most distinctive aspects of the 1935 point of view is the author's belief that all regional American cuisines are dying out, diluted into the great American soup pot (my term). The great thing about this perception is that it was either wrong, or the emphasis on regional culinary identities of the last 30 years has overcome and reversed this fading of local differences. On the other side of the coin, the author's claim that of the three great regional cuisines he mentions, referring to `Southern' cooking and `New England' cuisine, the Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, based in a few counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania, has by far the smallest geographical base, yet it has some of the greatest culinary diversity. The only real competitor the author sees is the Cajun / Creole cuisine based in New Orleans.
   
   At first, I was inclined to take this statement as simply an expression of regional pride, until the author started to remind me of the genius of the Pennsylvania Dutch culture for preserving food and using preserved foods in a wide range of recipes. Is this not the cornerstone of the great Italian cuisine, with their wealth of preserved meats, cheeses, pastas, wines, and liqueurs? As a minor participant in that great tradition in making and buying our church's `chow-chow', the classic vegetable relish. This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg, as there are dozens of varieties of pickled and dried vegetables and meats in the Dutch repertoire.
   
   On the recipes in this book, they truly reflect a cuisine of frugal self-sufficiency. They make me laugh at all those boosters of Italian `cuisine of poverty' as they load up their dishes with $16 pound cheeses and dried ham. The most common `rich' ingredient in these recipes is butter, but then, all these recipes arose on dairy farms, where the butter was made at home. Like the Northern Italians, corn is one of the most common ingredients in Dutch dishes, but we don't make a heavy use of corn meal. Instead, the `signature' Pennsylvania Dutch corn ingredient is dried corn, famous in Southeastern Pennsylvania in the green `Cope's Corn' cans and boxes.
   
   Since these recipes are so authentic, and since they genuinely reflect a thrifty culture, many actually appear rather unappetizing on the surface, due to the heavy use of flour, suet, lard, and items from the `fifth quarter' of animals. The most common examples of this `use everything' culture are scrapple and souse. The first is a pate of pork scraps and corn meal. The second is a Gelee of pork and vegetable scraps. Both dishes are symptoms of the Rhineland on the border between France and Germany. What is odd is that while the book gives a recipe for making souse and ten (10) recipes for cooking scrapple, it has no recipe for making scrapple. For this, you will need to go to `Country Scrapple' by the foremost author on `Dutch' cuisine, William Woys Weaver, the author of the best historical perspective on `Dutch' cooking, `Sauerkraut Yankees'.
   
   Frederick's book is more useful to the general audience than either of these two books from Weaver, but it is still something of a challenge to the amateur. There are several ingredients such as souse, scrapple, and dried corn that may simply not be available. There are other ingredients that I confess are a mystery to me, such as `sago'. On the other hand, `Reading Pretzels', a surprising ingredient in some soups, is plentiful throughout the country now.
   
   On searching the book for my favorite `Dutch' dishes, I find everything but stuffed pig's stomach. And, all the other recipes I found are close to or exactly like my grandmother and mother made; however, even their versions were a bit fancier and richer than the recipes given in this book. The hot endive salad, for example, wilt's the dickens out of the greens, while my mother's take on the same dish is to simply heat the greens with the hot dressing, without the endive ever touching the hot pan in which the dressing was cooked.
   
   For the amateur culinary archeologist and the native `Dutchman', this is a great, inexpensive find, containing a heap of nostalgia for the tummy.

2 comments about Foods of Long Island.

1. I purchased this cookbook when if first came out many years ago. It is still my favorite and I am now purchasing a copy for my Son & future Daughter-in-law as a gift. The recipes are amazing...I've never been disappointed. The photos are works of art!



2. This book is for people who live by the sea in the Northeast. The recipes are mostly locals and some professionals. The recipes are spices that are found in most kitchens. What I like about the book is that it has numerous recipes for Bass, shellfish,bluefish etc. and not just one. Sections are divided into poultry,fish,seafood and vegetables that are all found,grown on Long Island

5 comments about Italian Comfort Food: Intensive Eating from Fresco by Scotto Restaurant.

1. I TRIED A FEW OFTHE RECIPES AND I FELT LIKE I WAS ON VACATION IN ITALY. THEY WERE AUTHENTIC, EASY TO FOLLOW AND DELICIOUS! I ENJOYED THE PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE BOOK AND THE NON-COOKING STORIES WERE FUN TO READ! THIS BOOK COULD GO ON YOUR COFFEE TAABLE AS WELL AS IN YOUR KITCHEN.



2. I was very, very disappointed in this book. The title is misleading in every way. If I had a kitchen staff of 15, these receipes would work. The receipes are time consumming and I did not find one receipe that was comforting. I saw this book advertised on Good Day NY and purchased the book immediately. I thought the biggest downfall was that there were no pictures of the foods. Presentation is very important and this book lacks it. I could of lived without the celebrity name dropping and would have loved pictures of the foods. I might of taken on the challenge of the time consuming receipes had I known seen a picture of it. There was one receipe I would have considered to prepare and then the book mentioned that it was Kathie Lee Gifford's favorite food. That ruined it right there.



3. After watching the Scotto family on FOOD TV, It was a must to buy the cookbook. The mouth-watering recipes are a delight! We decided to visit the posh FrescobyScotto restaurant after hearing the great reviews. YUMMY! The food was AWESOME! My boyfriend is Italian and usually critiques every Italian restaurant, but Scotto's restaurant by far is one of his favorites.



4. Very good, and I love the pictures they look authentic, especially nice to look at. Some of my Italian grandparents look just like that. There is some especially nice recipes I'm going to try. My family is excited about that. MANGIA, MANGIA, LOTS OF LOVE: CATHY ALEXANDER(NH)



5. I bought this because I already owned the other cookbook put out by the Scotto family. I was hoping that this one contained some of the recipes I had hoped to find in the first one but, alas, they weren't in this one either. But instead there are plenty of other great recipes to try. And plenty more Italian history to learn by reading through this cookbook.

No comments about A Quaker Woman's Cookbook: The Domestic Cookery of Elizabeth Ellicott Lea.

No comments about Pennsylvania Trail of History Cookbook.

No comments about Mrs. Kitching's Smith Island Cookbook.

No comments about The Hershey, Pennsylvania Cookbook: Fun Treats and Trivia from the Chocolate Capital of the World.

5 comments about Capital Celebrations: A Collection of Recipes by the Junior League of Washington.

1. What a beautiful and interesting cookbook! The recipes are creative and delicious and yet many of them are simple to prepare. The photographs are beautiful and the variety of foods is excellent. This is a great Jr. League cookbook!



2. In the great tradition of Junior League cookbooks, this is a wonderful cookbook for the cook who likes casual entertaining. Recipes are easy to follow and the book is illustrated with beautiful pictures of the food. Capital Celebrations even has a section for cooking with children. This is a great cookbook for beginners with recipes using easy to prepare ingredients. The perfect gift for a new bride or college graduate just starting out or the seasoned cooking pro.



3. This cookbook hasn't collected dust like the others sitting on my shelves! The recipes are simple to prepare and elegant. My family and friends have enjoyed many of the recipes during the past year!

   The sourdough bread pudding with bourbon sauce is fabulous!




4. What a great cookbook! The pasta florentine was a big hit. And the photos of the Washington area are beautiful.



5. Beautifully enhanced with color photography, Capital Celebrations is a very highly recommended compendium of easy to prepare recipes nicely organized into chapters on Appetizers, Brunch & Breads, Salads and Soups, Seafood, Poultry and Meats, Pasta and Pizza, Vegetables, and Desserts. There is even a wonderful section dedicated to "Cooking with Children". From Meatballs in Cranberry Sauce; Roasted Corn and Wild Mushroom Salad; and Shrimp in Cajun Red Gravy; to Chicken and Artichoke Casserole; Green Beans and Cashews; and Coconut Pound Cake, Capital Celebrations has dishes suitable for all occasions and dining events.

3 comments about The RTM Cookbook.

1. For those of you who think Philly cooking is cheesesteaks and soft pretzels, think again. The Reading Terminal Market is a simply amazing place to shop and eat, and this cookbook brings the flavor home. From Pennsylvania Dutch recipes to lasagna, this is a great book!



2. History and recipes all in one book! What a great combination. The photos, old and new, also greatly added to my enjoyment of this book.

   This is a great cookbook, and the history of Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market is an added bonus. I have visited the market, a true gastronomic feast, many times but was never aware of its fascinating history and how it came to be. This knowledge will add greatly to my future enjoyment when I visit again.

   I was delighted to find the recipes from some of my favorite vendors and plan to re-create my eating experiences by making many of them.




3. I was at the Reading Terminal a year ago and I really enjoy having the book to remember all of the great food and places in the building.

3 comments about Yuengling: A History of America's Oldest Brewery.

1. This is by far the best beer brewed in America. Yes, I know.. 'Yuengling, what kind of name is that.. it sounds Japanese' All I can tell you is this, growing up in PA, and actually graduating from the author's place of employment (GO HUSKIES), we grew up on this beer. (after we hit 21 of course)
   
   The Lager is incredible, although I recommend you get it as cold as possible as it tastes even better as it approaches freezing temperatures..
   
   In the fall, swing to their Black and Tan, a slightly more filling beer, but amazing taste. You don't need it quite as cold as the Lager.. The best part is this stuff comes in 16 oz cans...
   
   Next for winter, break open a case of porter. This stuff is so good you can drink it right out of the case without it ever hitting the fridge.. especially if you live in PA and store it in your garage during the winter months.. After 2 or 3 of the porters, give your keys to your designated driver, and switch back to the Lager, as the Porter is quite filling..
   
   For a special treat, may I also recommend the Chesterfield Ale.
   
   When I lived in New Orleans and would travel back to PA, my neighbors would ask me to bring cases of this stuff down for them. The Black and Tan is better than Abita Turbo Dog..
   
   The best part is you can get a case of this stuff for under $20. Try getting a case of Guiness for anything near that.
   
   So have I read the book? NO, but I have cracked open quite a few Yuenglings in my time.. Maybe it's time to enjoy a few while reading up on the last 175 years.. Although I would have to sacrifice 2 cases of Yuengling to buy the book. HMMMMMMMMMM



2. Unlike the other reviewer, I have read it and I like it better than the beer. It's obvious the author spent many a long night at the local Pottsville pubs interviewing the Yuengling employees and faithful, probably while sucking down a great many black and tan's in the process. Loved the book. So as I sit here sipping a Lord Chesterfield, here's to you Mr. Noon and to you Dick Yuengling; keep up the good work!



3. This book is a must read for any one who is both a Yuengling drinker and who wants to learn the history of brewing beer in NE PA.
   
   The Yuengling is both the oldest merican Brewery--est in 1829 and also it has been run by the Yuengling family since that time.
   
   For anyone planning to visit Pottsville,PA the home of Yuengling,reading this book wil give abroader insight into both the brewery and the overall area.
   
   Overall author Mark Noon has done an excellant "job" in his research of the history of both NE Pa and the Yuengling Brewery.