Food That Really Schmecks (Life Writing) [Paperback]

Edna Staebler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 4, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0889205213 | ISBN-13: 978-0889205215 | Edition: Commemorative Ed

In the 1960s, Edna Staebler moved in with an Old Order Mennonite family to absorb their oral history and learn about Mennonite culture and cooking. From this fieldwork came the cookbook Food That Really Schmecks. Originally published in 1968, Schmecks instantly became a classic, selling tens of thousands of copies. Interspersed with practical and memorable recipes are Staebler’s stories and anecdotes about cooking, Mennonites, her family, and Waterloo Region. Described by Edith Fowke as folklore literature, Staebler’s cookbooks have earned her national acclaim.

Including this long-anticipated reprint of Food That Really Schmecks in our Life Writing series recognizes the cultural value of its narratives, positing it as a groundbreaking book in the food writing genre. This edition includes a foreword by award-winning author Wayson Choy and a new introduction by the well-known food writer Rose Murray.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edna Staebler who recently passed away in her 101st year was an award-winning journalist and a regular contributor to Maclean’s, Chatelaine, and many other magazines. She is the author of Cape Breton Harbour, Places I’ve Been and People I’ve Known and the Schmecks cookbook series. Must Write: Edna Staebler’s Diaries, edited by Christl Verduyn, was published by Laurier Press in 2005.

Rose Murray, a former English teacher, studied cooking techniques in Paris, Costa Rica, and Hong Kong. Her recipes have regularly appeared in Canadian Living, Elm Street, and Homemakers. The author of nine cookbooks, including A Year in My Kitchen and The Canadian Christmas Cookbook, and contributor to more than forty others, Rose Murray lives in Cambridge, Ontario.

Wayson Choy is the author of Paper Shadows, The Jade Peony, and All That Matters. He was the subject of Unfolding the Butterfly, a full-length film documentary by Michael Glassbourg and has appeared on television and radio across Canada. He is presently working on his second memoir as well as a novel.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Wilfrid Laurier University Press; Commemorative Ed edition (December 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0889205213
• ISBN-13: 978-0889205215
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,232,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Canadian

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mouth-watering medley of country home cooking recipes, May 12, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Food That Really Schmecks (Life Writing) (Paperback)

Written by award-winning journalist Edna Staebler, Food that Really Schmecks: Mennonite Country Cooking is the commemorative edition of a classic cookbook originally published in 1968, now featuring a new foreword by award-winning author Wayson Choy and a new introduction by food writer Rose Murray. Interspersed with Staebler's true stories and anecdotes about cooking, Mennonites, her own family, and daily life in the Waterloo region, recipes in Food That Really Schmecks range from Crusty Chicken Potpie to Beet and Red Cabbage Salad to Porridge Bread, Maple Custard, Emanuel's Dandelion Wine, and much more. A mouth-watering medley of country home cooking recipes that pass the test of time with flying colors.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MY FAVORITES, August 3, 2007

By 

Catherine M. Lafler "Conner's Grandma" (Ransomville, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Food That Really Schmecks (Life Writing) (Paperback)

'Food That Really Schnmecks' and 'More Food That Really Schmecks' are both wonderful books. Story books with recipes. I received Edna Staebler's 'Food that Really Schmecks' as a gift from my Grandmother. It's very special to me not only because of whom it's from but because my entire family uses these recipes - they're handed down from generation to generation. I'm from Kitchener - the same area as Edna - she and her recipes are very popular there and I am now 'spreading' them in the US.

Edna's recipes are so easy to follow and prepare and the food really does "schmeck"! Wonderful books from a very friendly, wonderful woman. I wish she had time to publish more "schmeck's". These books are worth buying.