The Book Lover's Cookbook

by Shaunda Kennedy Wenger, Janet Kay Jensen

Recipes Inspired by Celebrated Works of Literature, and the Passages That Feature Them

Wake up to a perfect breakfast with Mrs. Dalby’s Buttermilk Scones, courtesy of James Herriot’s All Things Bright and Beautiful and Ichabod’s Slapjacks, as featured in Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. There’s homey comfort food like Connie May's Tomato Pie, created with and inspired by Connie May Fowler (Remembering Blue); Thanksgiving Spinach Casserole (Elizabeth Berg’s Open House); and Amish Chicken and Dumplings (Jodi Picoult's Plain Truth) . . . Sample salads, breads, and such soul-warming soups as Nearly-a-Meal Potato Soup (Terry Kay’s Shadow Song); Mr. Casaubon’s Chicken Noodle Soup (George Eliot’s Middlemarch); and Mrs. Leibowitz’s Lentil-Vegetable Soup (Frank McCourt’s Angela’s Ashes) . . . After relishing appetizers and entrees, there’s a dazzling array of desserts, including Carrot Pudding (Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol); Effie Belle’s Coconut Cake (Olive Ann Burns’s Cold Sassy Tree); and the kids will love C.S. Lewis's Turkish Delight from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Sprinkled throughout with marvelous anecdotes about writers and writing, The Book Lover’s Cookbook is a culinary and literary delight, a browser’s cornucopia of reading pleasure, and a true inspiration in the kitchen.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Books About Books, Reference, Food and Drink

352 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2003

About the author

Shaunda Kennedy Wenger is co-author with Janet Kay Jensen of The Book Lover's Cookbook, Recipes of Celebrated Works of Literature and the Passages That Feature Them, which was featured as a 2003 Holiday Gift Pick on National Public Radio. Her niche cookbook, From Rivets and Rails, Recipes of a Railroad Boarding House Cookbook, is based on her great grandmother's 1900s cookery journal. Her self-published books include two middle grade novels, The Ghost in Me and Reality Bites, Tales of a Half-Vampire, as well as a chapter book, Little Red Riding Hood: Into the Forest Again, which earned the 2011 KART Kids Book List Award and the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention Award. Her other work includes stories, poems, and articles with educational publishers and magazines. When she is not writing, she is either teaching, spending time with family and friends, or seeking outdoor adventure. She can be visited online at her blog, www.shaundawenger.blogspot.com.

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a HUGE literary cookbook fan and I thought I would LOVE this one...but it fell quite a bit short of expectations.

So, something that I did like about this book was that each recipe had a quote from a book that involved the food item...but even with this book citing recipes left and right, it still didn't scratch that literary itch.

I think the main issue was that this book focused on breadth but not depth.

I felt like the authors were grabbing quotes from as many places as possible then including the recipes that matched in name only (not specific to the book).

For example, the "eggs" category quoted Poor Richard's Almanack, Little Women, and Herb's Pajamas. Two of the quotes mentioned omelets but Poor Richard's almanac just said:

Pray don't burn my house to roast your eggs

So, the only thing in common is that all three books had an egg dish in them.

However, the recipe chosen to go along with the three quotes was "the Specialty Omelet." I doubt that the contents of an omelet would be consistent across books from 1732, 1868, and 1998, respectively. And while the cookbook authors mentioned:

Filling for an omelet is entirely a matter of personal taste

I want to mention that I'm not picking up the Book Lover's Cookbook because I want my omelet to personal taste...I want to try the omelet from Little Women (or something appropriate to that historical era).

Additionally, some of the recipes provided were just plain wrong. For example, under the bread section, there is a quote from Little House on the Prairie.

Pa always said he did not ask [for] any other sweetening, when Ma put the prints of her hands on the loaves.

This is a super cute quote, showing the love for two characters and their connection to food. So, tell me why the two recipes listed under the quote are for Irish Soda Bread and bagels?

In a book where the main character were famously nearly starving multiple years, who had to make every ingredient from scratch because they LIVED ON A PRAIRIE in the middle of nowhere...why would the two recipes listed have ingredients such as raisins, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and onion flakes? Laura Ingalls Wilder was NOT chowing down on an onion-sesame bagel.

Additionally, there is a HUGE variety of books chosen - from Gone with the Wind to The Importance of Being Ernest to Gap Creek to Cat's Eye to Bridget Jones's Diary to several dozen other books I've never even heard of.

There were OVER 200 sources for the quotes in this book. And, when you are pulling from books that span centuries, there will be a lack of cohesiveness in the book on a whole.

I feel like the authors should have done one-quote-one-recipe for the book, and even then it would have been worth adding a quick sentence or two to ground the reader (in case they aren't familiar with the source material)/

Ultimately, this one was a disappointing read. The idea was there, just not executed as well as I hoped.

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[Doris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clever idea, poorly executed. While some of the passages inspiring the recipes and the recipes themselves were appropriately paired, many others were flat-out wrong. Real men certainly don't eat quiche when it's made with a crust based on refrigerator biscuit dough; and when Mrs. Bennet promises the servants a bowl of punch for Lydia's wedding in Pride and Prejudice, she was *not* thinking of frozen grape juice concentrate and 7-Up. And even recipes that were appropriately paired were mostly uninteresting: I can't think of one I'm tempted to try.

[reading is my hustle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a clever idea! Uses recipes mentioned in novels and the passages they were taken from. Perfect for a book group event.

Favorites:

- Pippi Longstocking Muffin Cakes

- Fried Green Tomatoes... Dumplings

- Like Water for Chocolate Tamales

- Cold Mountain Ruby's Potato Salad

- Little House on the Prairie Ma's Irish Soda Bread

- Jane Eyre Privileged Tart

[Rebekah Theilen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and practical homeschool resource.

[OutlawPoet]

Hard to believe a cookbook is a DNF, but 32%.

Dull recipes, very loosely related to books. Like a book would say the word zucchini and hey let's make zucchini lasagna.

And in what freaking world are you giving us Little Black Sambo pancakes???? Damn.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cookbook is aptly named. Not only does it contain recipes inspired by books, but it shares excerpts from books that inspired the recipes. Before I read "Mr. Wonka's Strawberry-Flavored Chocolate-Coated Fudge," I enjoyed a short passage from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory . After that recipe, I found a short quote by Gene Shalit [remember Gene?] sharing his thoughts on the joys of childhood reading.

The concept of this book is great, the passages are great, the quotes are great. I am not sure if all the recipes are great, but two that I tried, "Sober Shepherd's Pie" (inspired by Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones' Diary ) and Matanni's Butternut Squash and Apple Cider Soup" (inspired by Gwen Hyman Rubio's Icy Sparks ), were successful. I have read most of the recipes at a high level and I think that the cooking steps in some of the recipes are a little light on detail. Sure, I am probably used to Food Network recipes that really break down the steps into granular specifics. I just feel a warning is necessary. For beginner cooks, some of the recipes may not be easy to follow.

I think it is also worth commenting on the overall organization. I like the structure that provides the passage from a book, the recipe inspired by that excerpt, and a lovely quote that ties everything together. I'm sure it was fun for the authors to decide what passages to use and what quotes to use. But the recipe chapters don't follow what I would consider a normal cookbook format. The breakfast chapter is first, which is pretty standard. (The subject of Julia Child's first chapter in Mastering The Art Of French Cooking is eggs.) But the main course chapter (combined with sides - what?) is next, followed by soups, salads, appetizers, then desserts. I have not seen a cookbook before where the appetizers are located right before the dessert chapter. I am probably being picky, but I like to have appetizers first before salad, soup, the main course, and sides, and I like my cookbooks organized that way. Oh well.

Some of the quotes I like best are:

I was born with a reading list that I will never finish. - Maud Casey

Just the knowledge that a good book is waiting at the end of a long day makes that day happier. - Kathleen Norris

I suggest that the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down our particular path than we ourselves have gone. - E. M. Forester

As a little bonus, the end of the book offers a short interview of the authors, Shauna Kennedy Wenger and Janet Kay Jensen, who shared their thoughts on inspiration for the construction of the book, along with their favorite quotes and the books they were reading at the time.

[Becky Ginther · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, clever idea for a book. I like that they included passages from all of the novels that they feature, to really put the recipe into some sort of context. I would say that the majority of these recipes aren't "quick and easy" meals, but if you're looking to put a little more effort into it I think there's some really promising recipes here. After reading through the whole thing, I know I personally have a list of about 10 recipes that I'd like to try.

If there is one thing that could make this book better, it would be if they added photographs of at least some of the dishes. I know that can be difficult, especially when you know the photos will probably just be in black and white for a book like this, but I find cookbooks a lot more appealing when they have photos.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

After accidentally leaving this book in Utah I finally finished it! This was the first cookbook I've ever read cover to cover and I loved it! A combination of two of my favorite things, reading and cooking!

[Lize · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming idea, and one I wish I'd come up with myself: take food-related quotes from a wide variety of literature (everything from Pippi Longstocking to The Great Gatsby to Ogden Nash poems) and include them with the recipes. It makes for a delightful and nostalgic read, and you almost can't bear to put it down without trying one of the recipes. I decided to attempt "Anne's Anodyne Liniment Cake (Without the Anodyne Liniment) from Anne of Green Gables, which produced a dense old-fashioned cake like my Great-Grandma used to make, and led to a re-read of Anne of Green Gables itself so that I could place the passage. A recipe for Turkish Delight from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe brought back memories of trying Turkish Delight as an adult and discovering it was so not what I had pictured in my mind as I read the book.

A real pleasure for those who love books, food, or both.

[Liz Bracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book that combines my two loves of cooking and literature is going to be a winner. I rescued this from a thrift shop this afternoon (for 80¢) and after skimming through it, I can tell it is worth 20 times that price. The research that must have gone into this book to find culinary references boggles my mind. It was sitting on a shelf waiting for me to come along and adopt it. Now to try some recipes.

[Peggy Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun to look through. Good recipes. Long quotes. Interesting quotes.

[Kristy W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literary references, authors, recipes, all the good things.

[Ramona Jennex · Rating 3 out of 5]

What passages and quotes would you chose and what recipes would you share?

I liked many parts of this book but there were flaws and I wonder if the authors were to create this book today what would it look like. Some of the choices showed a tad bit of insensitivity and lack of understanding regarding racism and discrimination.

Food is so important in many books we read. Be it the lack of food or abundance one can usually remember food in a story. Reading Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi introduced me to so many new foods and food preparations and the sensuous food sharings in Bitter Orange by Claire Fuller were memorable. And who cannot read The Dinner by Herman Kock and not long for his meal and who cannot but feel the despair in the starvation caused during wartime novels. So many of the books we read include food in many ways. I am sure each one of us could create our own book cookbook.

Even though this book may not have stood up against the passing of time- it was an interesting book.

[Mary C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a book given to me by my daughter for mothers day. It proved to be one of the favorite books I've read so far this year, a book you seriously have to read page by page. It's fun to read an excerpt and then realize it is from a book you have read. I will find a recipe or two or more to make as I do with all cookbooks I buy and review. I also bought three more copies of this and sent two to relatives who love to cook and one to the local Oyster House we love in town for the special pages about oysters!! What a fun read.

[Emilee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne’s Liniment Cake (without the lineament), Bill Crosby’s Fatherhood Chocolate Cake, Pippi Longstocking’s Orange and Poppyseed Muffins, and more recipes from Harry Potter, Little Women, and The Chronicles of Narnia cram packed between the pages accompanying beautiful passages from best loved classics that bring the magic of cuisine to a reader. The next month I’ll be cooking my way through the best books!

[booksbydorothea · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 stars

This was a super easy read, but I had not read most of the books referenced in the quoted material. I think if you have READ all or most of the books, it would be more meaningful for you. The recipes were okay, but not that different from what you would find in any other cookbook.

LUKEWARM RECOMMEND

[Nicola “Shortbookthyme” · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recipes inspired from books you’ve read….
I was hoping for more down home, family recipes. Though there were some recipes that sparked my interest, overall I didn’t feel the recipes stay true to the books they were taken from.
The quotations throughout the book were unique and interesting.
The cookbook is fun to explore. Pictures of the recipes would have been a big plus for me.

[Stephanie Franklin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked seeing the snippets of text that led to the recipes, and having the bits about reading and books scattered throughout gave me some lovely food for thought (no pun intended, but pun intended). There's a broad range of foods which means that there are definitely a few that I'm looking forward to trying.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delight. Excerpts from childhood favorites, like Winnie the Pooh, as well as several classics. How often our literature revolves around meals.....and now we get the recipes, too. Really fun cookbook.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great resource for both Book Lovers and Book Clubs ! It is LOADED with quotes from various books, and recipes to pair. I've tried quite a few (several Vegan, the rest easily Veganized for me) and enjoyed them, both for their 'Novel' idea (pun intended) and ease of preparation.

[Kristi Clemow]

I didn't rate the book because i did not make any of the recipes. I was thinking it would be more like recipes based on recipes given in books but the book basically took a food reference and then shared a modern recipe for it. Some good looking recipes but not exactly what I was hoping for.

[Pam Nichols]

I have had this book for a long time and decided to actually read through it and copy recipes that sounded good. The connections of food to literature combine two of my favorite interests. I hope to pass the book on to someone with like interests.

[Sandybear76]

read on Libby

[Angela]

I flipped through this book, and from what I can tell, it has quotes from books, and then has a recipe based on that quote. It is eh for me. Going to let it go.

[Stacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suck at cooking, so I can't rate based on recipes, but I found a lot of the quotes inspiring and I was just tickled to see how many passages about food exist.

[Kerwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever, clever.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Focused mainly on "classic" books, and old-fashioned recipes. But there were blurbs every few pages with opinions on writing, books, and libraries, that were great.

[Skyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the cutest idea for a cookbook ever ♥️ my grandma gave it to me for xmas it made me cry 🥲

[Viviana · Rating 2 out of 5]

It sounded better than it actually was for me. Very few recipes inspired me. Relating food and literature is always a good idea but this was a book I didn't enjoy.

[Sheila Simmons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received at book club gift exchange.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading the numerous passages and quotes