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The Fallingwater Cookbook: Elsie Henderson's Recipes and Memories
Hailed as the most architecturally significant private residence in the United States, Fallingwater was a welcome retreat for Edgar J. Kaufmann, his wife Liliane, their son, Edgar jr., and their many guests. The Fallingwater Cookbook captures the experience of fine and casual dining at this famed home. Suzanne Martinson, former food editor and writer for the Pittsburgh Press and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, relates recipes from Elsie Henderson, the longtime and last cook for the Kaufmann family at Fallingwater, along with Henderson's memories and anecdotes of life in the renowned house on the waterfall. Henderson's encounters with the Kaufmanns, John Heinz, Senator Ted Kennedy, and Frank Lloyd Wright, among others, are recounted with humor, affection, and surprising detail.
The book is rounded out with additional recipes from chef Robert Sendall, who began producing special events at Fallingwater in the early 1990s, Jane Citron, with whom Sendall taught cooking classes, and Mary Ann Moreau, former chef of the Fallingwater Café. Artfully composed photographs of food, architecture, landscape, family, and guests complete the collection, which, like Fallingwater, will be treasured for years to come.
The book is rounded out with additional recipes from chef Robert Sendall, who began producing special events at Fallingwater in the early 1990s, Jane Citron, with whom Sendall taught cooking classes, and Mary Ann Moreau, former chef of the Fallingwater Café. Artfully composed photographs of food, architecture, landscape, family, and guests complete the collection, which, like Fallingwater, will be treasured for years to come.
- GenresCookbooks
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 20, 2021
Elsie Henderson was a gem and a class act. I used to enjoy her appearances on the the local PBS station cooking show. Elsie is every bit as fascinating as the famous names she cooked for (Heinz, Mellon, Kennedy, Shriver, Kaufmann,...) and lived such an interesting and inspiring life. It's worth googling her; there are some great interviews and stories that were posted this year after her death at 107!
About 2/3 of the book is recipes. I want to try so many of them - enough that I bought a copy after checking this out of the library. Pennsylvania peach ice cream with pecan shortbread would be first if it was peach season! The ones for breads, cakes, muffins and scones also stand out. Most of the recipes are Elsie's with a chapter from the Cafe at Fallingwater, a chapter of recipes and menus from two of the co-authors, and one or two from the Tic Toc at the old Kaufmann's Department Store in Pittsburgh. Nothing here is too complicated, and there is a focus on seasonal, farm-to-table dishes made from fresh, whole foods. There is only one recipe that I can recall that involves anything from a can.
The rest is history, mostly Elsie's story and Fallingwater/Kaufmann family lore. I enjoyed that, too, though much of it is probably interesting to Pittsburghers who are more familiar with the Kaufmann's and/or nostalgic for their stores.
About 2/3 of the book is recipes. I want to try so many of them - enough that I bought a copy after checking this out of the library. Pennsylvania peach ice cream with pecan shortbread would be first if it was peach season! The ones for breads, cakes, muffins and scones also stand out. Most of the recipes are Elsie's with a chapter from the Cafe at Fallingwater, a chapter of recipes and menus from two of the co-authors, and one or two from the Tic Toc at the old Kaufmann's Department Store in Pittsburgh. Nothing here is too complicated, and there is a focus on seasonal, farm-to-table dishes made from fresh, whole foods. There is only one recipe that I can recall that involves anything from a can.
The rest is history, mostly Elsie's story and Fallingwater/Kaufmann family lore. I enjoyed that, too, though much of it is probably interesting to Pittsburghers who are more familiar with the Kaufmann's and/or nostalgic for their stores.
April 3, 2021
As a former Pittsburgher, the stories of the well-known and generous Kaufmann family were interesting and nostalgic to read. By today's standards, the recipes were common but they required special ingredients that would have been hard to find then: interesting commentary on how supply chains have given us food from other parts/seasons of the world. It made me want to visit Fallingwater again, as it's been decades since I was there.
I don't understand why recipes from other Pittsburgh chefs were appended to this volume except to add some pages?
I don't understand why recipes from other Pittsburgh chefs were appended to this volume except to add some pages?
August 20, 2019
It's about 50/50, half cookbook and half background about the house, the family, and the era. You can read it cover to cover in a couple of hours.
November 17, 2014
Bought this because the Fallingwater tour guide talked it up. I was looking for Elsie Henderson's memories from her days working at Fallingwater, but I should have known that there would be a lot more of recipes and less of fallingwater memories in the book. Duh!
January 6, 2011
The recipes are great, but the dish on the Kaufmann's famous friends,
such as their architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, is even tastier.
such as their architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, is even tastier.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews