The American History Cookbook (Paperback)

~ Mark H. Zanger (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Zanger's zealous pursuit of populist cookery covers a wide swathe of American history. Concentrating on resources in local food history, he avoids the usual homage to the divas of the American cookery and home economics movements, such as Fanny Farmer and Rose Knox. Instead, he covers Indian bean bread, Pilgrim succotash, New England back-burner standing dishes, slave and ship's galley cookery, school lunch standards, trestle-table specialties from the Amana and Oneida communities, and the favorite recipes of Henry Ward Beecher, Emily Dickinson, and Susan B. Anthony.

The more than 350 recipes for muffins, syllabub, leatherbritches beans, jelly cake, flapjacks, S-O-S, and stewed gizzards were selected from historical cookbooks and other sources because they "tell people's stories" and help illustrate something about U.S. history. Recipes and commentary are arranged in 50 chapters focusing on particular time periods and themes, such as "Temperance and Prohibition Recipes (1837-1930)." Zanger's presentation preserves both history and practicality with the original wording of each recipe followed by an approximation of current cooking styles and measures and substitutions for rare items with available ingredients. The work concludes with a generously annotated bibliography, and chronological, geographical, and subject and recipe indexes.

Enhancing the text are photos and line drawings that resurrect containers and implements long relegated to antique shops. This book is a must-have for food history collections. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“More than just another cookbook, Mark Zanger's American History Cookbook relies on historical commentary and recipes to trace the history and evolution of American cooking and culinary trends, from the first European contact with Native Americans to the 1970s.”–Midwest Book Review Internet Bookwatch

“Sure to be a family favorite....A unique compendium of authentic, historic American cuisine, The American History Cookbook is a superbly presented and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!”–Wisconsin Bookwatch

“Could benefit American studies curricula at any level from middle school to college and also should speak to an any adult interested in culinary history.”–Gourmet

“Zanger's presentation preserves both history and practicality with the original wording of each recipe followed by an approximation of current cooking styles and measures and substitutions for rare items with available ingredients....This book is a must-have for food history collections.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

“If you need to re-create a period with food, dont miss this volume.”–Gale Free Resources Reference Reviews

“The American History Cookbook is sure to be a family favorite as its dishes such as "Preble Cake," "Walnut Oat Burgers," "Ground-Nut Soup" continue to be enjoyed through the generations. A unique compendium of authentic, historic American cuisine, The American History Cookbook is a superbly presented and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!”–Internet Bookwatch

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Product Details

• Paperback: 488 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (April 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573563765
• ISBN-13: 978-1573563765
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #278,184 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, October 10, 2005

By	apoem "apoem" (Bosque Farms, NM USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This cookbook is a great history cookbook. It has been meticuously researched. There are original recipes from every era in America History- Indian recipes from before the Pilgrims landed, recipes during prohibition and so on. The commentary that goes with each recipe helps to put the recipe in its historical context and provides an overview for what was going on at the time. It is interesting reading and fun to try these recipes. The directions are clear and most of the recipes do not require unusual ingredients. Additionally the end results are usually pretty good.

This is an excellent book for homeschoolers hoping to put a new twist on history and teaching about people of the past. This is also a great resources for the cooks who have every other cookbook on their shelves.

Enjoy.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Combines recipes from centuries of American history, June 17, 2003

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

Compiled, written and edited by Boston journalist and restaurant critic Mark H. Zanger, The American History Cookbook combines recipes from centuries of American history with historical commentary. Indexed by year of the original publication of the recipes, The American History Cookbook is sure to be a family favorite as its dishes such as "Preble Cake," "Walnut Oat Burgers," "Ground-Nut Soup" continue to be enjoyed through the generations. A unique compendium of authentic, historic American cuisine, The American History Cookbook is a superbly presented and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great recipes, March 2, 2008

By	Sadierose "Sadierose" (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews

I won't repeat what other reviewers have said about the research -- I agree that this book is a meticulous investigation into the history of American foodways. What I want to comment on is the recipes. I've tried most of them & found them very clear, well-tested, and ... delicious! I'm especially impressed with the baked goods. The breads, cakes, and pies are fantastic. I've served a number of these dishes & baked goods to friends, to rave reviews.

I particularly appreciate the fact that Zanger took the time to explain the methods and ingredients so that even beginner cooks (or children who are old enough to handle knives & hot stoves) could work their way through these recipes. He's always careful to explain how the recipes would have looked, tasted, or been cooked in the past, while teaching thet reader exactly how to accomplish the same result in a modern kitchen. Highly recommended.