When it comes to translating French cooking for American cooks, Julia Child still reigns as the grande dame. She made her first television appearance simply to publicize her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, at Boston’s WGBH in 1961 – and quite unexpectedly built a TV cooking career. Before then, Americans learned about French cooking from books such as The French Cookbook by the Culinary Arts Institute in Chicago (1955) Continue reading
Spring Soup from France – and Chicago!
Posted in cookbooks, Food, history, History
Tagged 1950s, Chicago, Culinary Arts Institute, France, French, Illinois, Julia Child, lettuce, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Peas, soup, WGBH
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Foolish Recipes
Back in 1901, when the concept of commercially canned food was fairly new, the American Can Company set up shop in Cincinnati, Ohio. Despite the company’s “rapid and extraordinary” dominance of the market, training for consumers was still in order. That explains Quick Trick Cookery from the company’s home economics section, which has no publication date but a guess is that it comes from the 1930s. Continue reading
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Posted in cocktails, cookbooks, Food, history, History
Tagged 1930s, American Can Company, April Fool, canned food, Cincinnati, gelatin, Ohio, Peas, Primerica, Quick Trick Cookery, tomato juice, tomatoes, tongue
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Soup for a Snowy Week
Our crocuses bloomed, but now they’ve face planted in a foot of snow, thanks to fickle New England weather. A blizzard shut down the city for an entire day last week, which gave me time to cook an intriguing recipe for German Goulash from Favorite American Recipes (Favorite Recipes Press, 1966). Continue reading
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Attucks Cake with Revolutionary Roots
When British troops opened fire into a crowd of patriotic protesters at the Customs House in Boston on March 5, 1770, five men were killed. The so-called Boston Massacre became part of the lead-up to the colonies in America declaring independence from Britain in 1776. Crispus Attucks, one of the men killed in the Massacre, has a recipe named after him in The Historical Cookbook of the American Negro by the National Council of Negro Women (1958; reprinted by Beacon Press, 2000). The book celebrates African-American history with a year’s worth of recipes. Continue reading
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A Bright Brunch Cocktail
Because I’m a runner, my brunch beverage of choice is usually Gatorade, but once in awhile it’s fun to set a festive table without resorting to the Bloody Mary and Mimosa standards. This recipe for San Francisco Cocktail comes from an unlikely source: Continue reading
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Posted in cocktails, cookbooks, Food, History, memoir
Tagged berry, California, cinnamon drops, cocktails, Gatorade, Junior League, Knoxville, lemon, port, recovery, run, runner, San Francisco, Tennessee, white port
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Icicles and Parsnip Chowder
One way to cope with the recent snowy spell in New England would be to make a batch of tropical cocktails. But for once, I decided to go along with it. I headed out on cross-country skis before work and made traditional New England recipes at night. This chowder interested me because it contains parsnips Continue reading
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Posted in cookbooks, Food, History, memoir
Tagged 1600s, 1950s, chowder, Early American Recipes, Heloise Frost, New England, New Hampshire, parsnips, salt pork, snow
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Rich and Thin Brownies
That old adage, “you can never be too rich or too thin,” coined by Wallis Simpson – the scandalous divorcee who cost King Edward VIII the crown – applies to brownies as well as social climbers. This recipe for Thin Chocolate Bars from Home Cooks’ Easy Recipes (edited by Vivian Rothe, Paradise Press, 1993) bakes in a jelly roll pan. Continue reading
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Posted in cookbooks, Food, history, History
Tagged brownies, chocolate, coffee, Home Cooks' Easy Recipes, King Edward VIII, Starbucks, Valentine's Day, Wallis Simpson
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Snow Blower Cocktail for Patriots Fans
Since I live in the capital of Patriots Nation, I could hardly pass up a chance to serve my Super Bowl crowd a locally themed cocktail to supplement our beer. I found my recipe in the St. Jean’s Book of Favorite Recipes (1982) from Newton, Massachusetts. St. Jean’s Catholic Church formed in the 1890s heart of the Nonantum section’s French-Canadian community. Continue reading
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Posted in cocktails, cookbooks, Food, history, History
Tagged cranberry, Greentail Table, lemon, Massachusetts, New England, New England Patriots, Newton, Nonantum, Patriots, St. Jean's church, Super Bowl
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An Inaugural Food Tradition
As a candidate, President Donald Trump dispensed with many traditions. Continuing that theme, he removed Boston-based Legal Sea Foods chowder from the celebratory menu, where it had been a fixture since 1981. Then he put it back! Want to make it? The recipe comes from the first edition of the Legal Sea Foods cookbook, published in 1988. Use bottled clam broth in place of fish stock to make it easier. Serve with a bottle of champagne — or shots of bourbon — depending on your sentiments today!
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Posted in cookbooks, Food, History
Tagged Boston, chowder, inauguration, Legal Sea Foods, luncheon, Massachusetts, president, Trump
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Party Punch that Swirls and Sparkles
Whether you plan to celebrate or protest, the U.S. Presidential inauguration week begins with gatherings of all kinds. Continue reading
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Posted in cocktails, cookbooks, Food, history, History
Tagged club soda, Deaconess, ginger ale, lemon, lime, Massachusetts, mint, Newton, Newton Massachusetts, orange, pineapple juice, punch, punch bowl
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