Customer Reviews

Old West Baking Book (Cookbooks and Restaurant Guides)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I adore this cookbook! Spiral-bound, lie-flat pages; many gorgeous color photographs of the baked goods as well as historical photographs of cowboys cooking and eating; and a great layout are just the beginning. Every single recipe has a several-paragraph commentary about how the recipe came into being or the differences between the original Old West and updated recipes. Scattered throughout the book are features on various topics such as cooking equipment in the Old West, chuck wagons, and availability and use of various foods. I also enjoyed the uniqueness of the recipes. Never before have I seen recipes for green tomato pie, gems (similar to muffins), or spotted pup (a pudding). However, the book doesn't neglect more common fare such as sourdough bread, cherry cobbler, bread pudding, biscuits, etc. Additional features include an Old West cooking dictionary, a comprehensive index, and a bibliography of books about food and life in the Old West. If you love baking or the Old West, you MUST get your own copy, because I'm not going to lend mine to anyone!!!

Get out your Dutch oven. Find a ceramic crock with a tight lid. You'll need both when you open this wonderful cookbook. Of course the oven is for the baking and the crock is for the sourdough starter you'll learn to make. I couldn't believe the Old West recipes that were in this cookbook. I immediately bought several books as gifts for my relatives and friends. Walters has dug up so many memorable and forgotten recipes that it's like finding the Mother Lode of pioneer vittles. Houn' Ears & Whirlups, Splatter Dabs, Oatmeal Pudding, three different sourdough starters, Railroad Cake, they're all packed into 170 pages. In addition, the book has excellent historical and contemporary photographs and informative inserts. The Old West Baking Book is a truly a treasure found.

Walters Old West Baking Book has all those recipes that were "handed down." I was impressed with the photography, the vignettes about the Old West, and the historical photographs. This book should be in the kitchens of every home west of the Mississippi. I hope he has a sequel in the process. Northland has published another winner and the price is right. I hope they continue the Old West theme.

There are many things about this book that are great; the stories, the lay out, the quality of the book itself, but what I love the most are the recipes. I would have paid double what this book is listed at just because I love it so much. Its a book that I will have to order more copies of and hand out as gifts. Don't pass this one up. Its a keeper.

This is an awesome book! So much more than just a "cookbook" it contains little bits of history woven throughout, along with many detailed descriptions and explanations on how and why things were done. I also enjoyed the wonderful pen and ink illustrations. The recipes are great and easy to follow. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for original, old-time recipes!

Not only does this cookbook have some great recipes, but it like reading an Old West novel. Extremely interesting and informative.

"I was impressed beyond words with Lon Walters great cookbook. I'm a guest reviewer for the Tombstone Epitaph and you can bet the remuda this cookbook will place high on my best selling cookbook list. Bob Wiseman, author of HEALTHY SOUTHWESTERN COOKING

This book is fun, it's readable, informative, inspiring and got so many important tips about baking, it's unbeatable. Lon Walters knows what he is talking about and what to look out for when baking. Best baking tips ever! I love the history part, very well researched, entertaining and well combined with the recipes. But I would say, it is even worth buying just for the recipes and baking tips, if you're not interested in history. Another great part is that it let's you bake without shopping. If you're short on eggs, a leavening agent, butter, even flour, whatever, you almost certainly will find a recipe that fits your supplies and tastes good.
Small drawback: It's not available in hardcover and the paper is of a kind that you can't write on with pencil. (I put slips of paper into the book for notes.)