Just Like Grandma Used to Make: More Than 170 Heirloom Recipes for Remembered Tastes and Cherished Traditions (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Sheri Zitron pincus (Contributor), Liza Antelo (Contributor)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Lois Wyse understands why the recipes for dishes our grandmothers made are every family's true treasures. She wants to prevent the loss of these traditional recipes, which our grandmothers often failed to write out. Wyse's collection of grandma recipes includes familiar regional and ethnic favorites--Chicken Paprikash, Creamed Spinach, Pecan Pie, and so on. Other recipes strike a rarely felt chord of familiarity if you grew up with Johnny Mazetti (a meaty macaroni and cheese casserole) or Poppel Poppel (a bacon and potato omelet) and other specifically local dishes.

Many recipes were contributed by Wyse's friends or acquaintances, who explain their family history. Others, like the moussaka identified simply as "from an extraordinary Greek cook," are strangely anonymous, considering the premise of this book.

Reading Just Like Grandma Used to Make may send you digging for an old notebook where your own family treasures are recorded, or get you into the kitchen to start recreating a dish that lives in your memory. That, one suspects, is what Wyse really intends with this comprehensive collection. --Dana Jacobi

From Library Journal

Wyse is the best-selling author of Grandchildren Are So Much Fun, I Should Have Had Them First (Crown, 1992), and this charming collection seems the natural companion to her other "grandmother" books. Most of the recipes (a few are from grandfathers) are for homey comfort food from a variety of ethnic traditions: Kasha with Bowtie Noodles, Tortilla Soup, Chicken and Cornbread Dressing, Flan. Brief headnotes give some background, but the grandmas and other family members are identified only by first name, without much context. Even so, this is an appealing compendium of favorite, old-fashioned dishes many readers will remember fondly from childhood. For most collections.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (May 6, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684826860
• ISBN-13: 978-0684826868
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,084,435 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific collection of familiar and obscure recipes, June 22, 2000

By	Eileen Galen (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This well-conceived book assumes something that is utterly reasonable: Americans of all stripes long for many of the foods that their grandmothers (and their friend's grandmothers) served. Many wonderful ethnic American cuisines are represented. In addition, we might long for recipes that are simple to shop for and prepare. Most of the recipes call for no more than six or eight ingredients, all available at the supermarket. (Grandma would not ever have gone to three stores to bake one cake, remember). That's one of the best things about this book. There are no hard-to-find ingredients, or complicated, 'foodie' techniques required. There are tables of equivalents (US, British, and metric) and a good index. In addition, many different culinary "grandmothers" contributed, so I'd guess that just about anyone would find recipes that jog the memory - and appeal thoroughly. The sweets, "treats," and desserts are some of the best I've yet found in one book. A great collection and well worth its 'remainder table' price.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the best cookbook ever., November 19, 2001

By	pizzacaller "pizzacaller" (California) - See all my reviews

i picked this one up at my library. it has so inspired that i've put together my own little binder filled with my mom's recipes. there's almost nothing so potent with memories than cooking, smelling, and eating the foods from my childhood. JUST LIKE GRANDMA really helped me realize what i treasure i could lose if i don't take down my mom's old stand bys that she's made over and over through the years. my favorite thing in this book is the no-brainer recipe for pie crust. pie crust has always been shrouded in mystery for me. but the authors gave me courage. if generations of women can make nice crust from this recipe then i can! don't miss this book. it will add so much to your life. the recipes are simple and clear and understandable.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I would totally recommend this book!, November 27, 1998

By A Customer

These ladies obviously know their recipes. It made me nostalgic for MY grandmother's great cooking.