At Freedom's Table: More Than 200 Years of Recipes and Remembrance from Military Wives (Hardcover)

by Carolyn Quick Tillery (Author) "My experience as an Air Force spouse has been forged and shaped by those who went before me, countless, sometimes faceless, and often nameless women..." (more)
Key Phrases: cup bacon drippings, teaspoon grated nutmeg, military wives, Libbie Custer, Frances Roe, Katherine Tupper Marshall (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Even history buffs will find something to like about this collection of recipes and remembrances from military spouses. -- St. Petersburg Times - Aug. 14, 2002

Product Description
Now in paperback, At Freedom’s Table is a tribute to the unique contributions of American military wives to the morale of their families and the well-being of the nation. Featuring recipes, anecdotes, and vintage photographs, it recreates the scenes and foods that recount the commitments and sacrifices that military wives have given the nation for more than two hundred years. Presented in a menu format, At Freedom’s Table is divided into six large sections: Teas and Coffees; Buffets, Brunches, and Lunches; A Taste of Home: Dinner Family Style; Alfresco Dining Over There: An International Affair; and Home for the Holidays and Other Celebrations. Each chapter includes a story that relates to the recipes that follow, placing them in a historical context. Some chapters recreate recipes from a specific event, such as "A Colonial Thanksgiving" and "Christmas in the Confederate White House," both of which describe holidays celebrated under wartime conditions. Other recipes are of the international foods that military families have learned to enjoy from such places as Morocco, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Japan, and Korea. The women whose stories are told and whose recipes are shared in At Freedom’s Table are truly remarkable. They courageously balanced the responsibilities of maintaining home and hearth, raising a family, managing family businesses, and supporting a war effort. In addition, they found time to extend themselves in friendship and hospitality to one another and to women in the places where they were stationed, earning them a well-deserved reputation that continues to this day. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Cumberland House Publishing (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581821921
• ISBN-13: 978-1581821925
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #748,108 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Read as Good as the Recipes, but TheStar's Belong to Them, February 7, 2002

By	carolyn tillery (Texas) - See all my reviews

The read is as good as the recipes! This narrative cookbook features the comfort foods we all have come to love and enjoy. Now as always, soldier's letters home almost always contained a line or two about a favorite meal. The women who prepared these meals were often women of exceptional courage and strength.

I am exceptionally proud of the women profiled in this narrative cookbook. They made tremendous contributions to our country and are role models for every generation. Not only did they design and make flags that defined us as a nation, many like Margaret Cochran Corbin stepped up to the artillery to defend it. When her husband fell by her side during a British Hessian attack on Fort Washington, she took his place at the cannon. Her 'her'oic action was noted by a resolution of Congress in 1779

Others, like Sarah Borginis accompanied their husbands and enlisted as cooks. When General Zachary Taylor took most of his troops from Fort Brown to the Rio Grande, the undermanned fort was attacked by Santa Anna's forces. Sarah was issued a gun and it is said that while dodging cannon and musket fire she never missed striking a target or preparing a meal. Upon his return, General Taylor breveted her to Colonel. After the war Sarah opened a hotel in El Paso, which became a favorite of the 49er's heading to the California gold fields.

These are only two of the many featured women,who captivated me with their timeless stories, words of wisdom and advice that is as relevant now as it was then. I do not have space to tell you of Deborah Champion who outdistanced Paul Revere in her midnight ride, or Prudence Wright, Charity Adams and others whose service and sacrifice contributed to the greatness of our nation.

...The star's belong to these truly heroic women.

Thanks so much to all of you who stop me to say you love the book. It was truly a labor of love. Air Force bred and wed, (brat and wife) a life of military service is all I have ever known. And without exception, it has been a wonderful experience. The pride I have in the history and heritage of military wives led me to write this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for cookbook collectors, April 18, 2003

By	E. Suter "erindipity" (D'Iberville, MS) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

More than the recipes, I love the history in this book. I learned so much from it. The recipes were great, but I really thought they took a back seat to the letters and stories listed. So many of the things I read I want to take back with me to my next family support group meeting. I am particularly interested in the section Ms. Tillery wrote about the Military Wives Table Setting. I have looked all over for more information on it and hope to find something soon.

Thank you for taking the time to record our history as so much of the women attached to military endured has been forgotten and overlooked.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just a Cook Book, December 12, 2002

By A Customer

This is one of the most interesting and moving books I have read in a long time. This book is not just for great recipes but for inspiration of mind and soul. It will touch your heart as well as your appitite. A great gift for a loved one as well as yourself. This is a book not to miss.