1 comments about Danish Cookbooks: Domesticity and National Identity, 1616-1901 (New Directions in Scandinavian Studies).

1. Food history has a unique set of documents - cookbooks and recipes - but no canon or methodology by which they can be interpreted. A number of recent books, however, have attempted to redress this deficit. Danish Cookbooks is an account of the emergence of a Danish national cuisine. Gold does not think Danish national cuisine somehow bubbled up from the people, but rather it was imposed by nationalist elites of the early 19th century, the same class as issued the first dictionaries and began to identify national themes of folklore. The key chapter here is a brilliant account of how potatoes - a new world crop--came to become the lynchpin of a Danish national cuisine and enshrined national identity. In her analysis of cookbooks, Gold detects a shift, documented by other food historians too, in the mid-19th century from descriptive recipes aimed at chefs of the aristocracy to prescriptive reifies aimed at women. Prescriptive cookbooks, both standardized recipes and made it possible for anyone to cook. recipes document the literacy of ordinary women. Then as urban women learned to cook from books, technological innovations increased their capacity to cook at home. The enclosed stove of the late 19th--century, for example. made it possible both to bake at home and to increase the scope of roasting. This book is innovative and enjoyable, which addresses food history at its sources.
   
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2 comments about The Art of Dutch Cooking.

1. C. Countess van Limburg Stirum has written an interesting cookbook discussing the food of the Netherlands. I'm part Dutch but know nothing about their food other than those cute windmill cookies you can buy at grocery stores. With relatively few Dutch cookbooks available, I was eager to purchase this book. Overall, the cookbook is interesting, and the author admirably describes the food and food-related customs of the country. However, her writing is choppy and difficult to understand at times. Admittedly, the writer's first language is probably not English, but the American publisher should have done more editing. Although no photos are included of the recipes, a number of the author's hand-drawn pictures are included throughout the cookbook. The pictures are fairly odd, portraying a rather old-fashioned Holland. The cover, for instance, depicts people eating raw herring in a scene that could be straight out of a Rembrandt painting.

   The recipes are intriguing but often incomplete, expecting the reader to understand Dutch ingredients and techniques without much explanation. For example, a number of recipes call for boiled ham or beef, without any details. A large portion of the recipes also call for eggs or seafood, so non-fans of those foods may not enjoy this book. In sum, you'll probably really enjoy this cookbook if you're interested in learning more about Dutch food and culture. On the other hand, actually making the recipes may be problematic, as the recipes are written somewhat poorly.




2. It is a great collection of Dutch recipes. Dutch cooking is not a widely known cruisine and this book will introduce it to more people. Being part Dutch I really enjoyed it and used many of the recipes.

5 comments about Best of Austrian Cuisine.

1. Although the list of recipes is varied, the actual recipes are poorly written, inaccurate in measurements, and confusing. Many sentences are cut-off and end abruptly. The book badly needs an editor who actually reads the contents of the work.



2. Hmmm... My copy of this book doesn't have the problems mentioned below, but then it's a 2001 reprinting and is perhaps corrected.
   
   In the late 1990s I rented a room in Vienna from an 80-year woman who cooked for me every Saturday. Since then, I've longed to replicate the delicious, savory, and often quite filling meals that we ate together. I've read dozens of Austrian cookbooks, and this is the best by far. Most others are either hopelessly out of date, written for non-American audiences (like Gretel Beer's famous but useless volume), or concentrate on what I'd call "restaurant food"--special, elaborate, time-consuming dishes that don't exemplify what a typical home-cooked Austrian meal is like. This book takes Austrian "Hausmannskost"--everyday food, the sort of thing you'd eat for Tuesday dinner--and translates it to the American kitchen. The recipes are perhaps a little vague here and there and assume previous experience in the kitchen, but the author's point usually is clear. And is it ever authentic; the kohlrabi recipe on pg. 79 is *exactly* my landlady's, and it's delicious.
   
   The book includes chapters on meat dishes, 'Mehlspeisen,' organ meats (beloved in Austria if not in the US), fish, poultry, sauces, starches, vegetables (more varied than one might expect), and then of course the full range of desserts and "Süßigkeiten." The range is encyclopedic and varied. Special sections include menu planning, a description of Austrian wines, and a chapter on munchies for that afternoon 'Jause.'
   
   A gourmet book this is not; if you want splash and glam, it will disappoint. But if, like me, you long to recover how your old Austrian host made cabbage taste so yummy, this book is the answer. Through it, you can recreate an Austrian kitchen in your home, which is a very nice thought!



3. Some photos would have been nice, but then I'm sure the book would have cost much much more, and the price is one nice thing about it. I also didn't have any of the problems of the first reviewer- it was all clear in my edition. I found some Austrian wines to go with the dishes at www.winemonger.com and had a great party!



4. The "Best Austrian Cuisine" is not the best text for newcomers to Austrian cuisine to cook with.
   
   It has the briefest instructions on most recipes that I've seen in a good while. While this is fine for one accustomed to cooking Austrian cooking, it is not helpful to others new to the cuisine.
   
   One problem is that it doesn't tell the reader when one cooking step is completed, as it's easy to greatly undercook or overcook with these brief instructions.
   
   For example, there are 6 sauerkraut recipes, however each starts with "put the sauerkraut in water" or another says "melt the butter and brown the sugar in it. Add the sauerkraut.." Yikes, nowhere does it tell how to make the sauerkraut.."Obviously" any (Austrian) cook should know that!
   
   For cheese soup, it says to "fry the flour lightly in the fat." Most writers would give an endpoint, such as "till light yellow", or golden brown or till some distinct change, and perhaps tell what may happen when it's been fried too long...not ging to find such assistance in this book.
   
   For making dumplings, "roast white bread or rolls in about one ounce of fat. Mix the eggs with the milk and and pour over dumplings and leave for half an hour" Roast how long? Roast until what desired change happens? How exactly does one "roast" in this cuisine, anyhow?
   
   This is a "reminder" type of a cookbook aimed at experienced Austrian cooks, and of little use to a newcomer to Austrian cuisine. A shame. It also lacks photographs, so best of luck trying to make an authentic presentation, if you are a newcomer to the cuisine.
   
   Thus, it is clear, as the jacket says, that this was "originally published in Austria", for Austrians, and is ill suited to those not well acquainted with the techniques of proper Austrian cooking.



5. Being of Hungarian descent, I found a few recipes that I could use especially the desserts. Brought back memories of my childhood.

1 comments about Best of Scandinavian Cooking: Danish, Norwegian and Swedish.

1. This book was more of a travel guide through scandinavia than a cookbook and that was a bit of a disappointment for me.

2 comments about Prairie Cooks: Glorified Rice, Three-Day Buns, and Other Recipes and Reminiscences.

1. You won't be sorry you picked up this book. I've read two other books by Carrie Young, and they are all just a treat to read. I grew up eating this kind of food, lovingly cooked by my Norwegian grandmother. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these recipes and accompanying stories. The stories are often hilarious, and they all ring true for those of us with similar backgrounds. I'm picking up another copy of this book as a birthday gift for a relative, I know she'll love it!!! A great book for Scandinavians, for persons from the midwest, or for anyone else!!!



2. This is a great book for Scandinavian recipes used EVERYDAY in America. There are tons of cookbooks for those special occasions, but the recipes which are hard to find are the ones that grandma didn't write down; she used them everyday; no need to refer to a recipe card! I found SIMPLE recipes that were used when the goal was to just feed the family, not to "entertain." But these are GOOD recipes, quite literally, like "Grandma used to make." If you're looking for a recipe that isn't fancy, but a family favorite, this is the place to find it!

1 comments about Favorite Swedish Recipes (Dover Cookbook Series).

1. I like this little book and hope to make some great dishes for my family.

2 comments about Splendid Swedish Recipes.

1. Splendid Swedish Recipes, in the popular recipe-card file size Stocking Stuffer format, is chock-full of the best recipes and notes on Swedish cuisine. Compiled by Kerstin Olsson Van Gilder, who came to America from Sweden in 1961, and refers to Swedish foods as "cooking the naturally delicious way." The Swedish diet consists mainly of fish (herring) and potatoes, making the food lighter than traditional American cuisine. This cookbook is inspired by the Swedish love of wholesome, natural foods. The cover shows a little girl in a Swedish folk-style outfit.

   In addition to recipes, Splendid Swedish Recipes contains information on The Smorgasbord (a long table buffet Scandinavian tradition), Foods for Special Holidays and Seasons, Notable Sites and Events as well as historical information on the Swedish-American Experience. The book offers you plenty to choose from to make a Swedish feast for family and friends. Try the Swedish Kale Soup or the Swedish Meatballs. Stuffed Cabbage and Rye Bread will suit almost any table! And desserts are the Swedish specialty! Try the Coffee Bread or the Cocoa Balls to end the perfect meal! This is just a sampling of what is offered!

   This book is excellent for personal collections and as a gift for anyone interested in Swedish cooking and heritage.




2. I got this cookbook as a Christmas give for my Swedish wife. She loves the dessert recipies, especially the Cocoa Balls and the Coffee Bread. If you combine this book with "Good Food from Sweden" by Inga Norberg, you'll never lack for recipies to remind you of your Swedish roots.

1 comments about Finnish Touches: Recipes & Traditions.

1. Now in a revised and expanded edition, Finnish Touches: Recipes And Traditions blends Finnish traditions and lore with mouth-watering recipes. The first half of Finish Touches is devoted to engaging anecdotes, thoughts, and introductions to beloved Finnish cultural icons such as the sauna. The second half proves authentic Finnish cuisine ranging from Kaljakeitto (Finnish Beer Cheese Soup); Klimpit (Finnish Dumplings); and Rieska (Finnish Flat Barley Bread); to Sillisalaatti (Herring Salad); Lammasmuhennos (Finnish Simmered Lamb); and Illmapuuro (Finnish Air Pudding). Color and black-and-white photographs enhance this joyous and highly recommended celebration of Finnish cultural and culinary heritage.

No comments about A Treasure Chest of Wonderful Swedish Recipes.

1 comments about The Food & Cooking of Finland.

1. If you enjoy Scandinavian or Eastern European foods, you will love this book. Every recipe is beautifully illustrated. I have made the beef and mushroom loaf, the potato casserole and the Finnish bagels. All were hits with four generations of my family and not at all complicated. They also looked great, just like the photographs in the book. I plan to make most of the recipes. They are all very appetizing. Even the fancier foods suitable for company are not too time consuming. The text at the beginning which introduces one to Finnish customs and food is also very interesting to read. You won't regret buying this book.