Homefront Cooking: Recipes, Wit, and Wisdom from American Veterans and Their Loved Ones

by Tracey Enerson Wood, Beth Guidry Riffle, Carol Van Drie

Food brings families and friends together, providing not only nourishment for our bodies, but also the glue that holds our families and society together. It is around the dinner table that we interact and important announcements are made—it was chow time in the foxholes when soldiers came to know each other, forming bonds so strong they would risk their own lives for one another. Remembering the smells and tastes of home support many in difficult times, those memories captured here in photographs and recipes.

Homefront Cooking brings you a collection of treasured family recipes and photographs from military service members past and present, and their loved ones. Recipes are accompanied by brief stories and memories related to the recipe, military service, and/or lifestyle.

The stories range from anecdotes passed down from great-great grandfathers who served in the American Civil War, to tales of terrified family members caught in a foreign country when John F. Kennedy was shot, to the stories of service members serving in Afghanistan and Iraq today. Many are heartwarming, some are humorous, most are bittersweet. All are written with a sense of pride and passion, and offer a glimpse of a lifestyle that is as unique as it is challenging.

All authors’ profits will be donated to a charitable organization in support of veterans.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction

240 pages, Hardcover

Published May 8, 2018

About the author

Tracey Enerson Wood has always had a writing bug. While working as a Registered Nurse, starting an interior design company, raising two children, and bouncing around the world as a military wife, she indulged in her passion as a playwright, screenwriter and short story writer. She has authored magazine columns and other non-fiction, written and directed plays of all lengths, including Grits, Fleas and Carrots, Rocks and Other Hard Places, Alone, and Fog. Her screenplays include Strike Three and Roebling's Bridge. The Engineer's Wife is her first published novel.
Other passions include food and cooking, and honoring military heroes. Her co-authored anthology/cookbook Homefront Cooking, American Veterans share Recipes, Wit, and Wisdom, was released in May, 2018, and all authors' profits will be donated to organizations that support veterans.
A New Jersey native, she now lives with her family in Germany and Florida, and loves to travel, so be careful giving out casual invitations, she will show up anywhere.

(source: Amazon)

Reviews

[Jami]

Part cookbook, part memoir/historical nonfiction, this reminds me of those little recipe books people put together for their families, but in a really good way. As a military brat myself, though I didn't move around nearly as much as is typical, I recognize the family here. While the recipes themselves aren't all to my tastes (Ha, name a cookbook that is, it's impossible!), they seem well developed. The anecdotes here are worth a read on their own, with some excellent photography.

[Tracy Gold]

I've got a recipe and essay in this book, and I love the other recipes and essays as well! A wonderful keepsake for any veteran or loved one of a veteran.

[Theresa]

In the dedication of Homefront Cooking: Recipes, Wit, and Wisdom From American Veterans and Their Loved Ones, Tracey Enerson Wood, author of The War Nurse and The Engineer's Wife wrote, "This book is dedicated to all who have served, in peace and in war, whether at the front lines of foreign conflict, or saving tin foil and eating blueberries for dinner on the homefront."

The book is divided into several sections beginning with reveille and ending with final thoughts. Each section is a combination of colorful and delicious recipes coupled with stories of those who served in the military.

Tracey Enerson Wood's book is a combination of culinary and reading delight.

[Lisa]

Cookbook with good recipes

It has many recipes to choose from including desserts, main meals, vegetables, seafood recipes. Will make a few and give it a new rating.

[Elizabeth]

Fantastic

I can't wait to try some of these recipes. They look great! I won't be trying any fish ones but the best looks yummy.