February 5            #633                The Church Cookbook

            Jerry and Al are students of the history of American cooking, and they hold the belief that church cookbooks are incredibly accurate barometers of what is going on in the average American kitchen.  By comparing these homely little collections of heartfelt amateur cooking, we can trace trends and developments that have moved American cooking over the years.  What once was strange and exotic is now commonplace and accepted by ordinary folks who would never think of putting on gourmet airs.

            Vickie Gray, Al's girlfriend, gave him "Church Suppers" by Barbara Greenman (Black Dog & Leventhal, 2005) as a Christmas present, and boy, was he thrilled.  This handsome book with it big spiral binding (what else?) and pretty blue gingham cover is an All-American document of what's really cookin'.  It's available at Amazon.com for well under $20.

BACK TO RECIPE ARCHIVES