From Publishers Weekly
This curious collection is one part retro cookbook, three parts family scrapbook. Crammed with childhood photographs and fond family memories, this volume from the four Sanvidge sisters, who grew up in Wisconsin in the 1960s, feels uncomfortably similar to crashing someone else's reunion. Text accompanying a recipe for Ground Beef and Mashed Potato Casserole, for instance, reads, "Dad didn't like this one at first... so mom would make it only when he went hunting." Other commentary covers Julie's lousy singing voice, the family bus ("Red Rover") and vacations at the lake-sweet, but almost entirely irrelevant to any reader looking for background on a particular dish. Not that most recipes invite close examination; the authors excavate largely musty, unadorned dishes like Spamwiches, Tuna Noodle Casserole, Meat Loaf and Twice-Baked Potatoes (the casserole requires a can of mushroom soup, the meatloaf is brushed with ketchup, etc.). Even more bizarre are non-recipes like Cereal in a Bowl ("Make sure there's milk in the refrigerator"). Anyone with a soft spot for mid-Century Midwestern cuisine, or a voyeuristic interest in other people's families, might enjoy this offbeat collection.
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Review
“I chuckled all the way through this delightful book. I felt like I was spending a sunny afternoon visiting with the charming Sanvidge sisters as they tell their funny, warm, and wonderful stories about growing up in 1950s Wisconsin. Each recipe evokes family memories (which each sister remembers a little differently . . .) and conjures up a time and place that has become an American icon.” (Judith Fertig, author of Prairie Home Cooking)
“From the first page to the last, the mouthwatering recipes and the rich family reminisces drew me in and kept me there, giving me a wonderful serving of the tastes and textures of growing up in Wisconsin.” (Patty Pinner, author of Sweets)
"The four Sanvidge sisters will take you back to a cozy childhood of canned soup casseroles, relish trays, and Crisco. From their Mom's lime Jell-O and cottage cheese salad to their Dad's applesauce, Apple Betty & Sloppy Joe is a charming paean to their Oshkosh family and the food we all grew up with." (Anne Dimock, author of Humble Pie: Musing on What Lies Beneath the Crust)
