Good Housekeeping Great American Classics Cookbook [Hardcover]

Beth Allen (Author), Susan Westmoreland (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2004

From Good Housekeeping, the most trusted home source in America, comes the very best in American cooking. Each of the 300-plus recipes is a classic, delicious, and perfect for the home cook.

From Southern Fried Chicken to New England Clam Chowder, Good Housekeeping presents the best of traditional, time-tested American cooking, all in one big, beautiful book. Every cook needs these favorites—with delectable photos and fascinating history tracing the recipes’ evolution—at her fingertips. All the recipes were triple-tested in the Good Housekeeping kitchens, where the magazine’s experts created the perfect rendition of every classic dish. And what a delicious portrait of American cuisine they paint! Who could resist Maryland Crab dip, Oysters Rockefeller, Bear Mountain Butternut Soup, Barbecued Pulled Pork or Boston Creme Pie? The recipes also reflect the American “melting pot,” with dishes ranging from Egg Foo Yong to Huevos Rancheros.

Ever wonder how certain popular recipes were invented? This cookbook has delightful historical sidebars providing background on the American culinary scene over time—Friday Night Fish Fries, Cakewalks at County Fairs, and more.

• Major National Publicity
• Reviews and Features in Food Publications as well as Newspapers Nationwide
• National Radio Campaign
• 5-City Author Tour
• On-line Good Housekeeping Readers Poll to tie in with Great American Classics Cookbook
• Excerpt/Editorial in October and November Good Housekeeping Magazine
• Full-page advertising in Good Housekeeping November, December (2004), and January (2005)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This volume of American standards offers a good snapshot of the state of cooking in the nation's homes at the beginning of the second millennium. Gone are cloyingly sweet molded salads. In their place, salad recipes specify fresh herbs, now ubiquitous in the most prosaic grocery stores. Just when it seemed Italian pastas might hijack traditional American home cooking, Mexican dishes materialized on the nation's tables. In fact, this book's first recipe is for guacamole. East Asian cooking puts in few appearances here, and sushi remains a restaurant dish only. Most startling is the European-influenced casual use of wines and spirits in all kinds of appetizers, entrees, and desserts. Current emphasis on food's nutritional value manifests itself in tables enumerating calories, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats appended to each recipe. A host of sidebars offers antique recipes such as Kentucky Hot Brown sandwiches, culinary history from early cookbooks, kitchen hints, and cultural anecdotes. Desserts have never lost their appeal to Americans, and classics here include the requisite cakes, pies, and cookies. Brilliant color photos throughout. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Hearst (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158816280X
• ISBN-13: 978-1588162809
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT cookbook!!!, January 9, 2006

By 

Joanne Peachwall "Peachy" (Within ME) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Good Housekeeping Great American Classics Cookbook (Hardcover)

This book includes all the hard to find recipes Americans love and grew up on. Some of the regional and country wide recipes included are: Salisbury Steak, Fried Green Tomatoes, Muffuletta, Chicken-Fried Steak with Milk Gravy, Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, Meat Loaf Surprise, Mom's Pot Roast, Yankee Popovers, and so many more. Brings back memories of your childhood. Each recipe has a story to tell and there is a lot of other information related to recipes. It's fun reading and even better eating. This is a must in every American kitchen and so reader friendly - good for the learning cook to an experienced one.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great classics, indeed!, March 15, 2010

By 

Misspudding "Anthony's mom" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Housekeeping Great American Classics Cookbook (Hardcover)

I never write reviews, but this cookbook has been such a delight, I had to write something!

Looking to make the Christmas gingerbread cookies and frosting? It's here. An authentic jambalaya? It's here. Chili? Here. Chicken soup? Here. Every single recipe I've tried from this book has been above average to excellent. Just made the chicken enchiladas last night and they were better than what I've frequently ordered from my favorite Mexican restaurants.

Like another reviewer said, this cookbook doesn't have every single recipe, just the truly great American classics. Recipes that we all grew up on, or wish we had! The history that accompanies most recipes is really interesting, and it displays how truly diverse this country is, and how there actually is "American" food.

I actually picked this up at the thrift store for $7, so I really lucked out.

If you're looking for a cookbook where you'll get a TON of mileage out of the recipes, and where almost every recipe will please, look no further!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Cook Book, March 2, 2009

By 

Eileen M. Maher "One Who Loves To Cook" (Monroe, New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Good Housekeeping Great American Classics Cookbook (Hardcover)

A great old fashioned recipe cook book. Remember the morning fresh bisquits or muffins your mother made when you were little, or Black and White cookies, you'll find the recipes in this book. Plus the book gives you a little bit of history on the recipes or the different foods. Just a very good cook book all around! I am totally enjoying it.