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The Kentucky Housewife
Originally published in 1839, this long-lost classic of Southern cooking includes more than 1,300 recipes, all cooked and seasoned in a hot climate. The foods and recipes featured in this kitchen classic are derived from American Indian, European, and African sources and reflect a merging of the three distinct cultures in the American South.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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September 9, 2020
Since this book was written in 1839, I'm not faulting it for what it is or isn't but rather my experience of reading it.
As a Kentuckian, a "housewife", and a reader of cookbooks, the style of recipe writing is not what you're used to. The recipes are written in paragraphs which are sparse with directions and specific measurements. Many of the cooking techniques and ingredients (and vocabulary) are no longer in use. Not only would I not be able to cook from these recipes, I can't even picture what most of them would look like. A recipe for bread might say something like, "take two pints of flour and mix in enough water to make a nice paste." Not specific. At one point she says something like, "now I know you don't have a stove...". Common equipment and taste have changed a lot.
It's interesting to see what types of dishes she focuses on and what she resources she has to work with. She has a lot more boughten ingredients than I would have thought, and she's running an estate, not scraping by in a cabin. You can skim most of it and get the effect. I will not find it useful as a reference to keep around.
As a Kentuckian, a "housewife", and a reader of cookbooks, the style of recipe writing is not what you're used to. The recipes are written in paragraphs which are sparse with directions and specific measurements. Many of the cooking techniques and ingredients (and vocabulary) are no longer in use. Not only would I not be able to cook from these recipes, I can't even picture what most of them would look like. A recipe for bread might say something like, "take two pints of flour and mix in enough water to make a nice paste." Not specific. At one point she says something like, "now I know you don't have a stove...". Common equipment and taste have changed a lot.
It's interesting to see what types of dishes she focuses on and what she resources she has to work with. She has a lot more boughten ingredients than I would have thought, and she's running an estate, not scraping by in a cabin. You can skim most of it and get the effect. I will not find it useful as a reference to keep around.
Displaying 1 of 1 review