Mennonite Country-Style Recipes & Kitchen Secrets (Plastic Comb)

by Esther H. Shank (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Amateur chef Shank's compilation, which fairly bursts with unpretentious recipes and kitchen tips, is a boon for novice or busy cooks. Most of the hearty, appetizing dishes reflect the Mennonite hallmarks of simplicity, thrift, moderation and common sense. Shank shares her considerable expertise on coffee, breads, pastry, canning, freezing, preserving and leftovers, distinguishing the various meat cuts and cleaning fish. Nonfood recipes include old-time mustard plaster, prewash stain treatment and liquid fertilizer for houseplants. The offerings are overwhelmingly nostalgicsweet-potato biscuits, banana-pudding cake, Rice Krispies marshmallow squares, ham-and-cheese bake, country chicken 'n' biscuits, hamburger and spaghetti pies, sausage-and-cabbage dinner, clam chowderbut there are also helpful microwave recipes and hints. A quick-fix section is valuable for its time-saving recipes and advice, but Shank relies here on convenience foods, a deviation from traditional Mennonite cookery. Illustrations.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Plastic Comb: 680 pages
• Publisher: Herald Press; Revised edition (July 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0836136977
• ISBN-13: 978-0836136975
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #441,519 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An absolute survival kit for any cook., November 2, 1999

By	Nancy Farres (Teaneck, NJ) - See all my reviews

As a New York City working woman with a house, two kids and a husband, this book is my lifeline to kitchen survival. A friend was convinced she needed the book when I found a recipe for syrup (I realized we were out after making the third pancake). It has easy to follow instructions, easy to substitute ingredients and I live on the quick fix section. Other recipe books have come and gone, but this one is my bible for the kitchen.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed.., July 13, 2004

By	MissVanna "Patty" (Philadelphia, Pa United States) - See all my reviews

I made a casserole that looked pretty tasty before it went in the oven. When it came out, it didn't turn out so well. It was also very high in calories.

I thought all the recipes in this book were going to be from scratch. Dutch country cooking is like that. This books uses cans of soup and other means to complete the recipes. Also, you can't eat this food every night. It will give you a heart attack.

I'm willing to give this book another try, but I think I'll stick to some of my other books. Don't buy this book if you are expecting traditional Mennonite cooking, that's not what this book is!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beats Betty hands down!, September 21, 2000

By	"kkshafar2" (Sumner, IA) - See all my reviews

I was given this cookbook as a gift while living in the Shenandoah Valley. Little did I know that it would become not only my most favorite cookbook, but really the kitchen bible. I am a cookbook collector but this one is hardly ever put away. It has helpful information for beginner cooks as well as the more experienced ones. The recipes use basic foods but make wonderful meals. I love her recipe "Clothes Stain Remover". Anyone with children need that one! She covers gardening, canning, butchering, substitutes, entertaining, etc. It is a wonderful gift idea that your friends will thank you for years to come.