September 2020 Cookbook Reviews

 

The Duke's Mayonnaise Cookbook: 75 recipes celebrating the perfect condiment by Ashley Strickland Freeman

I came to liking mayonnaise later in life. I was a VERY picky eater as a child and almost everything I ate was "plain." But, once I discovered homemade pimento cheese I discovered Duke's mayonnaise and was hooked. I still don't like a ton of mayo on a sandwich, but I do find it does a lot for a lot of different foods. This cookbook shows just how much you CAN do with mayo - from breakfast all the way to desserts. There were several recipes I wanted to try from this cookbook and I might end up buying it at some point. It also gives the history of this iconic condiment as well. Overall, if you're a fan of Duke's then this is a book you need to check out!

Modern Cast Iron: the complete guide to selecting, seasoning, cooking, and more by Ashley L. Jones

This book is much more than a cookbook. The first 80 pages are information about cast iron pans - their history, how to restore one, how new ones are made, best practices for care, etc. Jones gives a LOT of information before getting into actual recipes. And with cast iron I think that's important. There weren't many recipes I wanted to try, but I did like all the information about finding and caring for cast iron pans.

Hope's Table: everyday recipes from a Mennonite kitchen by Hope Helmuth

Hope Helmuth is a Mennonite living in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. She grew up on a farm and this cookbook is a blend of Mennonite recipes and traditions with new recipes she's created as well. It's organized like many cookbooks by meal/type of recipe - breakfast, soups, vegetables and side dishes, dessert, etc. But, she adds a chapter called "canning and miscellany" that talks about canning and also making your own basics like pizza or tomato sauce, pickles, etc. There are SO MANY recipes I want to try from this book that I might end up just buying it. Very wholesome, seemingly simple recipes that make the most of in-season ingredients.

The Berkshires Farm Table Cookbook: 125 homegrown recipes from the New England Hills by Elisa Spungen Bildner and Robert Bildner

This book is a collection of recipes from several Berkshire area farms. The book features dozens of short articles about these local farmers and what they grow and do in the area. The recipes are organized by type of dish - breakfast, sandwiches, vegetables, desserts, etc. It's an interesting look at local food in the Berkshire County area of Massachusetts looking at both farmers and recipes. While I didn't find a ton of recipes I wanted to try I did like the format of the book with it's focus on both the farmers and recipes for the food they're producing.

Stunning Spreads: easy entertaining with cheese, charcuterie, fondue, and other shared fare by Chrissie Nelson Rotko

Snack/cheese spreads are all the rage now. In this cookbook the author gives tips for putting together different spread trays in the first two chapters, then there is a chapter on fondue, other dips/spreads, appetizers/snacks, and cocktails. Overall, I feel like there were more actual recipes in this book, but not as many nice pictures of beautiful spreads/trays. I personally feel like Platters and Boards by Shelly Westerhausen is a much more beautiful, inspiring book.