Midwest Books - Page 8

Ovens of Brittany Cookbook

Therese Allen

Amazon Price: $12.92 List Price: $15.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Amherst Press Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $3.92

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

This cookbook rocks! 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I have used this cookbook for years and everything that I have made has been excellent. Most recipes are easy to do and you will get rave reviews from your friends and family.

My favorites include all the soups, Bailey's Corn Oat Muffins, and the Carrot Cake.

Enjoy!

My absolute favorite! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This cookbook is so full of awesome recipes of such a wide variety!! This is, honestly, my very favorite cookbook. Couldn't live without it.

Best Cookbook 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Eating at the Ovens of Brittany was a real treat when I was in graduate school at UW-Madison. I've used this cookbook for about 20 years and it's still my favorite. The Triple Chip Cookies have become my signature recipe and I'm in trouble with my friends if I don't bring them to a gathering. The blueberry muffins are my all time favorites; hearty bread muffins, not sweet and cake-like. I just ordered my second copy of the cookbook. I wore the first one out!

Editorial Review:

Since the first Ovens of Brittany restaurant opened its doors in 1972, throngs of customers have enjoyed the menu and the ambience of this unique restaurant. Although the restaurants are now closed, the demand for the cookbook is as strong as ever. Whether you are a loyal Ovens fan or simply looking for new and exciting recipes, this cookbook is for you.

Joyce Lamont's Favorite Minnesota Recipes & Radio Memories

Joyce Lamont, Linda Larsen

Amazon Price: $15.96 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Voyageur Press Amazon Marketplace: 32 new & used starting at $11.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In more than fifty years of broadcasting from the Twin Cities WCCO, Joyce Lamont shared countless recipes, household tips, travel notes, and homey anecdotes with her audience. In the process she became one of the best-loved cooks, household helpers, and radio personalities in the Midwest--and a virtual member of the family for millions of listeners. This book collects 300 recipes from Joyce Lamonts kitchen--all of them well tested over time by her vast and devoted audience. Characteristically simple, well-seasoned, delicious, family-friendly, and reliable, these recipes are the essence of comfort food. Each week WCCOs "Best Buys" guided homemakers to the foods that were in season, at peak quality, and reasonably priced. Just so, this book follows the calendar, directing readers to the freshest ingredients available throughout the year and making the most of these in recipes that celebrate the seasons plenty. Sweetened and spiced throughout with Ms. Lamonts reminiscences of radio personalities and on-air antics, these recipes invite us back into one of the warmest and most welcoming kitchens ever to serve such a close, extended family. And as a bonus the book includes a collection of Ms. Lamonts household hints--tips that range from drying gourds for decoration to the best way to open a stubborn jar--suggestions that are as trustworthy and timeless as the recipes they accompany.

The Madison County Cookbook: Homespun Recipes, Family Traditions, & Recollections from Winterset, Iowa-The Heart of Madison County

List Price: $17.95 By: Carol Publishing Corporation Amazon Marketplace: 83 new & used starting at $0.16

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Typical local cookbook 2 out of 5 stars.
5 of 7 people found this review helpful.

This cookbook is pretty much exactly the same as any other charity cookbook you can get in any rural area. It's a collection of mostly country style recipes that were submitted by residents of Madison County, Iowa. Of course, the fascination with the bestselling novel "Bridges of Madison County" explains why this particular local cookbook was released nationally. As such, the cookbook is fine, and there are a number of stories included that some people might find interesting (again submitted by local residents).

The main fault of the cookbook is the lack of standardization across recipes, leading to recipes that are sometimes vague. For example, one recipe may call for "1 can of tomato juice," but not specify what size can to use. Many of the casserole recipes are especially vague; for example, indicating that one should "cook one chicken," but not explaining how the chicken should be cooked. This cookbook would probably make a nice gift for persons who like country style food and who already know quite a bit about how to cook in this manner. Others beware.

Editorial Review:

The Madison County Cookbook is a delicious resource for those who seek to celebrate life, build community, and hand down traditions. It is the perfect addition to the cooking bookshelf of anyone who wishes to experience the taste and feel of the country that so attracted Robert Kincaid. Readers are likely to be reminded of their own family traditions.

As a bonus, a patchwork of anecdotes, stories, customs, and authentic family activities add a distinctive charm to the book. The Madison County Cookbook also includes pictures of historic sites in Madison County.

Best of the Best from Minnesota: Selected Recipes from Minnesota's Favorite Cookbooks (Best of the Best from Minnesota)

Amazon Price: $13.22 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Quail Ridge Press Amazon Marketplace: 45 new & used starting at $3.51

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Hot dishes, Lutefisk, and Lefse 4 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Yep. Yah. Sure. You betcha. 'Dis cookbooks got 'em all.

Minnesota stereotypes aside, this is a fine cookbook filled with many, many practical and tasty dishes that the average American family will enjoy.

It features a lot of hot dishes (casseroles), meat and potatoes, brunch dishes, and some Minnesota favorites.

The book itself is nothing great to look at. It does feature a few black and white photographs of Minnesota sights and scenery, but contains no photographs of the food items.

The book is broken down into useful sections to help the cook quickly find whatever he or she is looking for.

Editorial Review:

From the Twin Cities to the Red River Valley, from the shores of Lake Superior to the Prairieland, Minnesotans from big cities to rural farms have eagerly and graciously shared some of their most treasured recipes.

Sixty-four of the leading cookbooks from throughout the Land of 10,000 Lakes have contributed their most popular recipes to create this remarkable collection. Not far removed from Grandma's kitchen, the memories of her cooking can come alive in your kitchen by way of over 400 classic recipes within these pages. Included are such proven favorites as No-Flop Flounder, Edelweiss Torte, Chicken Minnetonka, Pumpkin Cake in a Jar, Swedish Meatballs and Amelia Bedilia's Raspberry Pie.

Best of the Best from Minnesota is one of thirty volumes in Quail Ridge Press' acclaimed Best of the Best State Cookbook Series—continuing the tradition of Preserving America's Food Heritage.

Farm Recipes and Food Secrets from the Norske Nook: The Midwest's #1 Roadside Cafe

Helen Myhre, Mona Vold

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Hearty, simple, plentiful meals made with wholesome ingredients have earned national acclaim for the Norske Nook in Osseo, Wisconsin. Now the restaurant's founder, Helen Myhre, shares the recipes and philosophy behind her remarkable success.

Plain and unassuming, this dynamo of a cafe is popular not only with local visitors but also with tourists and celebrities across the country. For years cars from everywhere have lined Osseo's streets, but since Helen was featured on "NBC News" and appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman" to teach the host how to make a good pie, helicopters even land in the church parking lot bringing diners eager for honest home cooking and a glimpse of the real-life" Queen of Pies."

Now, at last, this entrepreneur, who "never expected I'd own a restaurant," has given us a compilation of her simple, reliable, time-honored recipes. More than a cookbook, this charming collection teaches such intangibles as the "feel" of a tender crust, the "look" of quality ingredients. In her no-nonsense, friendly, slightly sassy style -- a voice schooled in a lost era when farm women gathered in neighbors' kitchens to cook for threshing crews or prepare a Ladies' Aid supper in honor of harvest -- Helen delivers the soul of good, country cooking.

Included are breads made with Old World knowledge -- from kneading to "spanking"; soups both hearty and light -- and dumplings, of course; delicious, mouth-watering meats and thick, old-fashioned gravies; farm lunches and suppers; snacks and after-school treats; and pies, puddings, pickles and jellies, cookies, fry cakes...and so much more, including a selection of Scandinavian specialties.

And included here is her real recipe for the world-famous Sour Cream Raisin Pie that Helen even denied the New York Times.

The Heartland (Williams-Sonoma New American Cooking)

Beth Dooley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Classic and Updated Regional Recipes 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 7 people found this review helpful.

"New England" by Vermont chef Molly Stevens is part of a series of six American regional cookbooks published by Williams-Sonoma. (Others are "Pacific Northwest," "California," "The Southwest," "The Heartland," and "The South." Beautiful color photos of the prepared dishes accompany most recipes. What I like most about this cookbook is the emphasis on classic New England cooking: New England Boiled Dinner; Red Flannel Hash; Yankee Pot Roast; Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onion; Lobster Rolls; Steamer Clams with Broth and Drawn Butter; New England Clam Chowder; Baked Beans with Molasses; Blackberry Slump; and Gooseberry Fool.

Chef Stevens updates the traditional Harvard Beets recipe and offers her take on others such as Salt Cod and Potato Cakes (offered with tomato salsa as a starter); and Roast Cod Fillets with Horseradish Dill Sauce (based on a Kennedy family favorite dish). Also, I like these: Shaker Herb Salad and Seafood Grill with Nasturtium Butter.

Nutritional analysis is given, per serving, and there is a food glossary. Some ingredients may be hard-to-find outside of New England though, and no mail-order sources are given. I would also have liked some menus included. However, this cookbook has recipes for year round, and I recommend it for its authenticity and appeal.

Editorial Review:

New England reflects the foods, recipes, and ways of cooking that distinguish the region from the rest of the country. In addition to such classics as chowder, pot roast, and bread pudding, this collection explores the vibrant palate of New England’s contemporary cuisine. At the same time, it offers a lively portrait of the eclectic mix of foods and people that set the Northeast apart.

Food from the Heartland: The Cooking of America's Midwest

Glenn Andrews

List Price: $19.95 By: Simon & Schuster Amazon Marketplace: 18 new & used starting at $0.82

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Simple and fabulously tasty! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

You know how you remember the food of your childhood and think, it couldn't possibly taste that good today? This book is proof that it can. I have to admit, after 20 years on the East Coast, I'd forgotten there even was such a thing as Midwestern cuisine. Then I started flipped the pages, and was hit with a wave of nostaglia. I got images of pancake suppers at the Kiwanas, picking wild grapes for jam, real coffee cakes with brown sugar bubbling hot from the oven, mac and cheese recipes that unabashedly call for one pound of cheese for every pound of noodles.

Midwestern cooking isn't boring, I realized, but simple. Most recipes have only five or six ingredients -- it's the skill of the cooking and the freshness of the ingredients that counts.

If you get the book, try the recipe for Dutch letters from Yaarsma's Bakery in Pella Iowa. I thought I just remembered it as good because of happy childhood memories of walking with my cousins through that leafy, lovely old town, our shorts pockets full of change to spend at the two rival bakeries. But no, it really is that good. Nothing I had in in the Netherlands recently (and I sampled religiously) even comes close.

Savor Michigan Cookbook: Michigan's Finest Restaurants Their Recipes & Their Histories (Savor Cookbook) (Savor Cookbook)

Matt Sutherland; Chuck & Blanche Johnson

Amazon Price: $18.21 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wilderness Adventures Press, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 25 new & used starting at $12.45

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Editorial Review:

Recipe and travel cookbook. Describes some of Michigan's finest restaurants and includes recipes from each restaurant for the home cook.

Have a Crumby Book: A Collection of Wit and Whimsy from Cincinnati's Favorite Bakery

John Eckberg

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

CityBeat story 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Diner: Buy This Crumby Book
Busken Bakery celebrates its billboard campaigns in new book
BY Anne Mitchell | Cincinnati CityBeat 11/14/2007
A friend of mine told me that he'd been warned about being late for work so many times that, when he finally knew that this time might be the last, he stopped and got donuts. "Hey, if you're that late, it's better not to arrive empty-handed," he says. "At least the crowd will be on your side."
Brian Busken, the self-proclaimed marketing weasel for Busken Bakeries, agrees. "How can you fire the guy who brought the donuts?"
He hasn't used that for an ad tagline yet, but he could. Busken is famous not just for fantastic donuts but also for incredibly catchy billboard advertising. A new book, Have a Crumby Book, by local author John Eckberg, covers both subjects well. (It's been released by Clerisy Press in Walnut Hills.)
It's amply illustrated with some of Busken's best branding campaigns, from the seasonal "Boosken" for Halloween and "O'Goodie" for St. Patrick's Day to the sublime "Bayou One," illustrated with a Mardi Gras King Cake.
There are also the vaguely sexy, like the pink heart cookies with the tagline "We've been making love since 4 a.m." The company hasn't been censored by Sheriff Simon Leis yet, but it's pulled the plug on some of its own racy ideas, including some in the book that I'm not reprinting here. You have to buy one to find out!
Brian doesn't claim these gems as his own. He freely admits that most of the great ideas come from Busken's ad agency, The Creative Group, whom the company has worked with for the past 10 years.
While the ads made the smiley-face cookie an icon, the cookie had to hold up its half of the bargain by being darn good. And it is a great cookie, whether it's decorated as a shamrock, a pumpkin, a baseball or an unofficial ballot.
Busken's doesn't quite have the influence of Iowa or New Hampshire, but its cookie polls are both tasty and astute.
Brian's favorite Busken creation is the Mountain Cookie, the recipe for which is generously included in the book.
"It's like a breakfast in a cookie, with walnuts, oats and raisins," he says. "In fact, there's a customer at our Hyde Park store who comes in every morning to get one with a coffee cup of hot water. And he's, like, 80 years old. So it's working for him."
I ask Brian if there are regional favorites within Cincinnati -- products that sell better on the West Side than the East, for instance -- and he doesn't think so. He says that there are gender differences, though.
"Men do not generally buy tea cookies," he says. "They eat tea cookies, but they don't buy them. Men buy bread and donuts. Women buy tea cookies."
I ask him about Cincinnati's favorites and about his own.
Donuts: cake or yeast? Cincinnati likes yeast, but Brian is a cake guy.
Cake: chocolate or yellow? Cincinnati's overwhelming favorite is yellow, while Brian goes for chocolate.
Bread: white or rye? Rye on both counts. Rye is in our German heritage.
Pie: apple or pumpkin? Surprise! Pumpkin for both. I had to double check. Apple pie is not the people's choice?
No, the baker has the numbers to prove it. It's pumpkin city.
Another Cincinnati phenomenon is schnecken, and when Tom Thei of Virginia Bakery gave his secret schnecken recipe to the Buskens, the city flocked to their doors.
They couldn't keep up with demand last year, but this year they'll be supplying my favorite buttery treat at all their stores, including their bakery counters in Northern Kentucky's Remke Markets. I had to do a little happy dance over this announcement. Yes!
OK, so, about the book. I've actually written a corporate history before, and trust me: This one is more fun than that one (sorry, boss). It's a great primer on advertising, especially on branding, and it gives as much insight into the zeitgeist of Cincinnati as it does into the Busken family business.
And there are recipes. Not that you'll really be tempted to bake your own Mountain Cookie when you can just roll into Remke's and pick one up with a side of schnecken!
But if you have dyed-in-the-wool Cincinnatians -- or homesick ex-Cincinnatians -- on your holiday list, this is a good gift idea. Or you can get one for your boss if you're late.
Just don't forget the donuts.

Editorial Review:

Started during the Great Depression and surviving long enough to be recognized as one of America's best bakeries (by the Food Network's Best Of, among others), Busken Bakery is as well-loved among Cincinnatians for its delicious donuts, danishes, and muffins as it is for its clever advertising. Have a Crumby Book celebrates a decade of Buskensmart, witty promotion, that have helped define the fun personality of the bakery. Packed with photos of the best of the fully-baked brainstorms of the last ten years, and backed with fascinating descriptions and history, this book will be a collector’s item that donut fans will crave.

Women of Great Taste: A Salute to Women and Their Zest for Food

Junior League Members of Wichita

List Price: $24.95 By: Junior League of Wichita Amazon Marketplace: 19 new & used starting at $1.79

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great Cookbook 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

This is a great cookbook for many reasons:

1) I considered myself more of a virtual cook, than an actual cook. Once I purchased Women of Great Taste, that changed. I actually cook recipes now rather than just talking about how good the recipe might be.

2) I always get rave reviews when I serve recipes from this book.

3) This is a beautiful book with terrific recipes. I have recommended it to many friends and family members.

4) Proceeds from Junior League books support community projects.

5) I use it more than any other cookbook I own, and I own dozens of cookbooks.

You cannot buy this book anywhere cheaper than from Amazon.

I love the simple,creative cuisine offered in this book! 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Every December I prepare a luncheon for my husband's staff at the University of Florida, in Gainesville. I had already planned my menu, but when I received this book from my twin sister in Overland Park, Kansas for our Birthday I changed my whole menu and chose everything from this cookbook. The recipes are simple yet very elegant in their presentation. I know his office staff will really enjoy all that I've chosen to make. I especially loved the quotes at the bottom of the page as well as the beautifully decorated book cover. Anyone who loves to cook will love this book!

Editorial Review:

A stylish collection of recipes with a current twist on haute cuisine. You'll find fresh ingredients for upscale menus.

An incredible woman from histriy introduces wach chapter nd a whimsical narrative illustrates her "great taste."