Customer Reviews

Bootstraps and Biscuits: 300 Wonderful Wild Food Recipes from the Hills of West Virginia

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Author Anna Lee Robe-Terry is a distant cousin of mine, who has written not just a book of recipes, but an evocation of the atmosphere of our northern West Virginia roots. Disabled by a chronic disease, she lost home, job and possessions until she moved onto the old Robe homestead in Marion County determined to survive. "If life gives you wild grapes, then make jelly" is her philosophy. She began investigating the wild plants that she had grown up with and educating herself in botany and the ways of the old settlers. Her recipes are wonderful just to read. I have tried the Snapping Turtle soup recipe myself and can recommend it as a definite change of pace from clam chowder. She also has a recipe for skunk (!) that resulted from a hilarious end to a hunting trip. I would recommend this book not only to people in the area, but those interested in its pioneer culture and folklore.

I had such a good time reading this book! I even tried to find the author on the web, but with no luck. I'd love to meet her. The recipes look good, the lessons about finding food in natural environments are invaluable, and the stories are entertaining. Anna Lee Robe-Terry takes us into the woods of West Virginia through the seasons to find and prepare truly local foods. Anyone who is interested in local food really must read this. And anyone who isn't sure if we're losing anything of value with mountain-top removal processes to get coal should read this too -- to understand what a precious environment is being destroyed. Thank you, Anna Lee!