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Cooking the Books
A selection of food-related reads that will feed your soul and your stomach .
BY ELIN WOODS
Every year I track the books I read ( which is a lot !), and without fail there ’ s always a significant chunk that ’ s culinary-related . From nonfiction to cozy mystery reads , I ’ m often reading about food and its history , and I ’ m always up for sharing a good recipe . If you ’ re anything like me , or are just curious about books that make food the main character , you ’ ll love this issue ’ s recommendations . They ’ re a mix of fiction and nonfiction , so there ’ s a little something for everyone . Happy reading , and bon appétit !
The Kitchen Front
By Jennifer Ryan During WWII , the BBC produced a radio program called The Kitchen Front , which offered up ways for people to use their rations to make nutritious and tasty meals and which continued until 1954 as Britain was still under rationing after the war was over . This fictional tale takes place two years into WWII , and sees The Kitchen Front hosting a contest where the winner gets to be the first-ever female cohost . Four different women set their sights on taking home the prize , and their stories weave the history and food ways of the time into a wonderful book . I loved the ingenuity of the women , discovering what constituted good food per the BBC , and the struggles that led to the creation of some of the recipes . I felt like I was getting a front-row seat to a particular part of history that can sometimes be overlooked in war history . I couldn ’ t put the book down , and its 400 pages flew by .
Twain ’ s Feast : Searching for America ’ s Lost Foods in the Footsteps of Samuel Clemens
By Andrew Beahrs I both read and listen to books , often going back and forth between one in my ears and one on my nightstand . Twain ’ s Feast is a book that I strongly suggest you listen to it , as it ’ s narrated by actor Nick Offerman , of Parks and Recreation fame , and he brings this rich culinary history of America to life . The book explores
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“ forgotten ” foods from our past through the writings and taste buds of Mark Twain , a self-proclaimed glutton , and takes you on a journey into the life of one of our greatest humorists through the foods he loved best . Along the way , you ’ ll meet Midwestern hunters , Southern bakers , and fishers from New England who all tell the story of not just what kept Twain fed during his journeys , but who also provide insight into the way Americans used to eat . It ’ s humorous , especially when Offerman is involved , and fascinating to learn about all of the culinary traditions that are going extinct but that have a chance at revival thanks to this book and the people behind the scenes keeping those traditions alive .
Too Many Crooks Spoil the Broth
By Tamar Myers This is the first book in the Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery series , and I had to include it because it takes place in my home state and features some amazing recipes from a culture and cuisine that doesn ’ t always get its due . My dad ’ s side of the family has Pennsylvania Dutch roots , and in colder months , I turn to their recipes for comfort and warmth . One of the things I loved about this series was that it includes recipes , so you can cook along with the characters , especially its lead Magdalena Yoder , an inn owner who has quite a lot of work on her hands in this first book . True to the plot of a typical small-town mystery , we have the death of two of her