The Tasha Tudor Family Cookbook: Heirloom Recipes and Warm Memories from Corgi Cottage

by Winslow Tudor

World-renowned artist Tasha Tudor charmed and fascinated fans with her sweet illustrations and simple lifestyle. This cookbook echoes the cultural and family narrative so accurately and beautifully reflected in Tasha Tudor's art and life. The receipts (what she called recipes) also suggest Tasha's philosophy. "In all things moderation," she would say, then with a laugh, "except gardening."Tasha’s grocery list was never long. She had a robust vegetable garden, a large chest freezer, and well-stocked larder. She created countless meals over many decades, and they were all very good. When possible, Tasha purchased fresh food, the origin and method of production of which she knew. But if she couldn't, or didn't want to, she didn't worry. Frugality was on her shopping list as well.These receipts&mdashfrom Tasha’s poppyseed cake to shepherds pie, potato soup to chocolate pudding-have been the mainstay of Tasha's family for generations and are, for the most part, from the original cookbook she began as a young woman. The simple, comforting, and delicious receipts are accompanied by her beautiful watercolors and new photographs of the food and Tasha’s homestead.Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Good Books and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of cookbooks, including books on juicing, grilling, baking, frying, home brewing and winemaking, slow cookers, and cast iron cooking. We’ve been successful with books on gluten-free cooking, vegetarian and vegan cooking, paleo, raw foods, and more. Our list includes French cooking, Swedish cooking, Austrian and German cooking, Cajun cooking, as well as books on jerky, canning and preserving, peanut butter, meatballs, oil and vinegar, bone broth, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Art

242 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a self-proclaimed literary cookbook expert, I can assure you that all good literary cookbooks contain 5 essential qualities - connection to the source material, context, appetizing recipes, practical dishes and aesthetically pleasing pages.

Before we begin, Tasha Tudor was an American author and illustrator who participated in nearly a hundred books - most often for children.

Her art style and content focuses heavily on the "olden days" and often pictured an idyllic past.

→ Connection to Literature: ★★★☆☆

So, the Tasha Tudor Family Cookbook is a cookbook based on the author's life written by her grandson. So right off the bat, it doesn't truly fit a literary cookbook other than the relation of the recipes to the author's life but there are connections from the author's life and her works of literature, so it fits fairly well like that.

→ Context Given to the Recipes: ★★★★☆

Every recipe is accompanied by a short paragraph explaining why they were chosen for this book and what events of Tasha's life inspired the bakes. I do enjoy that every recipe seemed to have a connection...though I would've provided a few sources or outside information that brings a bit oomph to all of the stories.

→ Appetizing Recipes: ★★★★☆

So...on the one hand we have very pleasing staples like banana bread, breakfast muffins and cinnamon raisin bread...and on the other we have literally a cauliflower with cheese melted on top. Granted, there weren't many recipes like the cauliflower + cheese, but the mere fact that it exists takes off a star in my book.

→ Practicality of Dishes: ★★★★★

This isn't a cookbook for someone looking for something new and wild, nor someone who enjoys uncommon flavors. The recipes chosen are extremely simple and practical - biscuits, soup, and stews. They are the strong staples of classic American cookery and they are the kind that fill the belly and provide delicious leftovers.

→ Aesthetics of Book: ★★★★☆

Every recipe is accompanied by a photograph and while the photography sometimes does feel a bit plain/simple, it does match the tone of the book. The drawings from Tasha Tudor's books also add a bit of zip to each recipe.

Overall thoughts

This is definitely a SOLID cookbook full of classic American faire. It isn't complicated, it doesn't have many frills but it will provide delicious from-scratch meals that will be passed down through the generations.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not get enough of Tasha Tudor books, the transport me to idyllic days of my childhood. the photos and illustrations are a dream and did I mention the recipes for simple hearty fare like banana bread, winter squash soup, baked custard, applesauce cake, roast beef and all the recipes include delightful antidotes & memories. Wonderfully fun!

[ChristineK · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet little book written by Tasha Tudor's grandson. The recipes (he calls them receipts)are good and basic. There are pictures of most of the final products of the recipes, and charming illustrations sprinkled throughout.
I can't help thinking that this would be a useful book for a young person to learn what good, practical food is and how to make it without fancy appliances or even relying on a microwave.

[Juli Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best part of this cookbook are the illustrations. Most of the recipes are boring and the food photography left much to be desired.

[c. jarrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. I found a hard copy I have to my nephew who wants to go to culinary school. This is a great place for him to start with the easy to follow recipies.

[jimtown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow Tasha Tudor escaped my notice until recently. She was a back to the earth type person who wrote and illustrated many books for children. Her charming artwork reminds me of similar artist who depicted children or little urchins back in the 70's such as Betsey Clark and Holly Hobbie. This book has some of her oft used recipes. There were several in the book that I'd try. I love simple few ingredient recipes. I'd never thought of baking and frying up cream of wheat like corn bread or polenta. I'd try that. I'll save a few recipes to try. Good old timey charm.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, but it felt like a money grab with the grandson leveraging the success of his grandmother. It holds some of the Tasha Tudor enchantment, but learning about her reliance on processed food and seeing recipes with ingredients I don’t buy, like Ritz crackers, kind of broke the spell a bit. There are recipes in there I’d like to make, but others were just lazy. I know how to make orange juice…You squeeze an orange and you have juice…

[Marissa | storiesinthemeadow · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple recipes I want to try, but plenty that felt sort of silly to have a “recipe” for. As each recipe was introduced with a brief memory of Tasha Tudor (the writer’s grandmother) that related to that dish, it made sense to include them though.

My favorite aspect might be the illustrations from Tasha that were included. Lovely touches!

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and lovely.

[SonataReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the potato recipes!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Recipes

I love the clover rolls recipe!! I make these every thanksgiving!! The oatmeal cookie recipe is good too!! I add a little rum flavoring and dried cranberries too. My husband loves my oatmeal cookies now!!!