Customer Reviews

American Home Cooking: Over 300 Spirited Recipes Celebrating Our Rich Tradition of Home Cooking

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cookbooks like computers have a bias toward the exotic. We need starter set computers and we need back to basics cookbooks. The former is a pipe dream. The latter is here. It's American Home Cooking. Have you forgotten how to make a New England Boiled dinner [I had]? This cookbook will show you how your mother used to do it. And venison? Macaroni and cheese? The really good stuff you used to get at home [even jalapeno recipes if your home was in the southwest] is all here. The directions are lucid, the results are predictable. Home at last.

I have been a fan of the Jamison's cookbooks over the years, and this latest addition is the best one yet! There are many old favorites (check out the macaroni and cheese... ) and some tasty regional specialties. The recipes are written clearly enough for a novice cook to follow, and there are interesting ideas for the experienced chef. As in their other books, the Jamisons include some historical background for the foods, which rounds out the book nicely. And did I mention the lucious color photos?

It's easy to see why this book was a recent winner at the Julia Child IACP awards! The Jamisons have amassed a fabulous collection of the great recipes we've all loved as we were growing up, as well as new ones to enhance anyone's repertoire. The scrumptious photos tempt anyone's taste buds! Lots of informative tidbits are packed in with all the recipes. So many delicious recipes, but we especially love the macaroni and cheese. Classic comfort food that's easy to make and really hits the spot. This book is great for novice cooks as well as the more experienced ones, and the Jamisons' research benefits all of us!

We loved the cookbook.We tried the Iowa Skinnies a pork tenderloin sandwich from the I states. We grew up in central Illinois and remember these sandwiches from childhood. The recipes are easy to follow. The Jamesons also include ingredient tips which are helpful in choosing the correct ingredients in our area. This would be a great Christmas gift. Our daughter just got married and loves to cook a copy is going to her. Can't wait for the next book. Thanks to the Jamesons!

"American Home Cooking" was a hit at our family's Thanksgiving. The cooks in the group served us some great stuff from the recipies (don't miss the New Orleans Bread Pudding) and the rest of us - from different parts of the country - loved learing the food history of our different home bases. "American Home Cooking" was quickly put on Christmas gift lists. Great food and entertaining reading!

This is truly an excellent cookbook...Clear, precise instuctions for delicious recipes. Easy to obtain ingredients--no exotica here, just good cooking at its best. Best sweet potatoes I ever tasted, and I don't even like sweet potatoes.

Thorough research on the part of the Jamisons makes this an historical treasure as well as a gastronomic one. A great Christmas gift idea for anyone who loves good food!

I bought this book so that I can recreate my favorite American food anywhere, and it has never disappointed me. Great mac & cheese, corn bread, cioppino! I like the selection of vegetable dishes, which are sometimes humble but always delicious. I cooked lima beans and my husband liked it, even though he said he hated lima beans! Squash casserole is very pretty and delicious. Try stewed cabbage once and you may be surprised how good a cabbage can taste. Don't miss the rice griddlecakes for your next breakfast/brunch, it is airy and just divine!
Some words of advice: the recipes tend to be on the richer side. If you find some of your favorites are missing, try looking in American Century Cookbook by Jean Anderson.

I have been a fan of the Jamison's cookbooks over the years, and this latest addition is the best one yet! There are many old favorites (check out the macaroni and cheese... ) and some tasty regional specialties. The recipes are written clearly enough for a novice cook to follow, and there are interesting ideas for the experienced chef. As in their other books, the Jamisons include some historical background for the foods, which rounds out the book nicely. And did I mention the lucious color photos?

It has been said "if you can read you can cook," but whoever said this did not know my x-wife. However, in the spirit of letting bygones be bygones, I am mailing her this wonderful cookbook. The Johnsons have excelled in giving us more than 300 uniquely American recipes that are simple, straightforward and quite tasty.

When I first got hold of this 470-page cookbook, I tried three recipes: Georgia Bits & Grits Waffles, Lancaster Country Chicken-Corn Soup and Banana Pudding. All turned out great (and since I don't cook when I have to bachelor it, that's saying something!).

Though most people do not buy a cookbook to read, I was impressed by the Johnsons' inclusions of cultural and historical backgrounds found on most recipes pages...they were wonderful additions and diversions.

What, then, makes an excellent cookbook? First, great recipes. Recipes that are: a) begging to be tried, b) well laid out with a readable size print, c) simple and mixable with the normal ingredients and equipment and d)prepared in a short period of time. Second, when done your results are praiseworthy and your guests ask for second helpings. Third, a good sprinkling of color photos.

American Home Cooking has given us all but the last. The 16 photos are both disappointing and far too few. However, the strength of the great tasty recipes and the layout of the book cover this weak point. This is a very good cookbook that will become page worn with use in most kitchens.

This cookbook is nothing less than a wish list of so many legendary regional American recipes that I had either heard about or had had on trips and always wanted to try at home. It is a great cross section of all kinds of American food, both fun and delicious.

There are:
*Historically traditional recipes -- Raspberry Switchel, Red Flannel Hash, New England Clam Chowder, Johnnycakes, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, New England Boiled Dinner and Apple Pandowdy.
*Really fun retro recipes -- Cherry Shrub, Pimiento Cheese, Shrimp Cocktail, Iceberg Wedge, Chicken Fried Steak, Swiss Steak, Meat Loaf, Ham Loaf, Chicken Pot Pie, Chop Suey and Key Lime Pie.

However, the regional recipes are what sold me on this book, including:
*Great southwestern recipes -- Chile Verde, Fajitas, Texas Caviar
*New Orleans recipes -- Sangaree, Shrimp Remoulade, Barbecued Shrimp and Crawfish Etoufée
*Southern recipes -- Mint Julep, Grits, Hoppin John, Country Captain, Cream Biscuits and Oyster Stew.

I'd looked for years to find some of the recipes included in this book, especially some very good versions favorite Hawaiian recipes not often found in American compendium cookbooks:
*Honolulu (ahi) Poke
*Saimin broth
*Chicken Long Rice and
*Mango Bread.

The icing on the cake has to be the **Indio Date Shake,*** a recipe for which I'd searched for years. If you've never had a date shake, you're in for an unbelievable treat.

The price of this book as of this date make it one of the best bargains around for a recipe collector.