Retro Reads discussion
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The Retro Cookbooks thread.
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Barb in Maryland wrote: "Love my Le Crueset dutch oven..."Barb, I, too love your Le Crueset! Never had one, but have admired them for ages.
Critterbee❇ wrote: "Barb in Maryland wrote: "Love my Le Crueset dutch oven..."Barb, I, too love your Le Crueset! Never had one, but have admired them for ages."
I have drooled a bit from afar, too!
I finally bit the bullet 6 or 7 years ago--waited for a sale, of course! It was a Xmas present to myself. Using it also gives me my upper body exercise for that day. Enameled cast-iron is heavy! My 4.5 Qt pan with lid weighs over 9.5 pounds empty. Add in a 3 lb roast and some cooking liquid...Let's just say I never want to drop in on my toes!
(Oops--I misspelled the name. It's Le Creuset.)
Critterbee❇ wrote: "Susan, get in there, try some stuff out, and have some fun! Cooking before baking, because baking is more of an exact science. There are some great cookbooks out (some are not retro, so won't tal..."
Thank you, very good advice (I especially like the eating what you cook part...)
Karlyne wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Sometimes my ideas turn out; sometimes I don't talk about them. 😁"Well, I envy you for being brave enough to wing it - I especially regret it now that, due to ..."
Yes, I love a good pot roast in the Dutch oven or crock pot - one-pot comforts!
Barb in Maryland wrote: "Karlyne--sounds like my pot roast recipe! (But you left out the half-bottle of red wine...) Love my Le Crueset dutch oven for slow braising meat in the oven. The house smells so good while its cook..."Barb, sounds like we’ve the makings of a cookbook...Dishes for the Forgetful Reader! I love my Le Creuset as well, and my crockpot. Tonight we’re about to enjoy Chinese Hotpot of Beef from one of my old Cooking Light recipe collection books (well, 2001 or so, so not Retro). It’s one of our winter favorites, especially for when anyone has a cold! I use Chinese Five spice blend, so the smell is heavenly - along with the ginger, garlic and cinnamon sticks - smells good, and tastes better. Spicy, too, our favorite!
Yes, please never drop Le Creuset on your toes! I once dropped an entire stack of cast-iron frying pans on my big toe--not so big, now . . .
Barb in Maryland wrote: "I finally bit the bullet 6 or 7 years ago--waited for a sale, of course! It was a Xmas present to myself. Using it also gives me my upper body exercise for that day. Enameled cast-iron is heavy! My..."Heavy, but they fill their role so well, and are so pretty!
...time passes as the Le Creuset website is thoroughly viewed...
those gorgeous colors!
Abigail wrote: "Yes, please never drop Le Creuset on your toes! I once dropped an entire stack of cast-iron frying pans on my big toe--not so big, now . . ."Ouch - after that, I'm just glad that you still have any toe left!
Susan in NC wrote: "Barb in Maryland wrote: "Karlyne--sounds like my pot roast recipe! (But you left out the half-bottle of red wine...) Love my Le Crueset dutch oven for slow braising meat in the oven. The house smel..."That sounds lovely, and perfect for warming up someone with a cold - darn good medicine.
What color is your Le Crueset?
Critterbee❇ wrote: "Abigail wrote: "Yes, please never drop Le Creuset on your toes! I once dropped an entire stack of cast-iron frying pans on my big toe--not so big, now . . ."Ouch - after that, I'm just glad that ..."
Yes, really - and I love the colors, too!
Abigail wrote: "Yes, please never drop Le Creuset on your toes! I once dropped an entire stack of cast-iron frying pans on my big toe--not so big, now . . ."Ohhhh, I’m sorry, that is a stinker...you could’ve broken your whole foot!
Critterbee❇ wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Barb in Maryland wrote: "Karlyne--sounds like my pot roast recipe! (But you left out the half-bottle of red wine...) Love my Le Crueset dutch oven for slow braising meat in the ..."Sorry, just saw this - I have my first four pieces from the outlet which have served me well for 20 years (I think they must’ve been at the outlet for hardly noticeable scratches), a lovely yellow 5 qt Dutch oven, a red 2 qt saucepan and a red frying pan, and an orange Windsor pan (small saucepan- I think they discontinued this one). I went a little color crazy...
And a couple years ago for Christmas, my husband got me a bigger Dutch oven in marine blue! I’ve been eying their beautiful baking dishes, but I really can’t justify buying any more since the plain white Corning Ware bakers I got at my wedding shower 31 years ago are all still in good shape!
Karlyne wrote: "Barb in Maryland wrote: "Karlyne--sounds like my pot roast recipe! (But you left out the half-bottle of red wine...) Love my Le Crueset dutch oven for slow braising meat in the oven. The house smel..."Lol🤪🍷
My Le Creuset dutch oven is a cobalt-ish blue. So pretty.
I had a heck of a time choosing- it looks like a rainbow crashed into my kitchen!
It would be difficult to choose, the colors are all gorgeous. Even with 'window shopping' the website, I can not choose.
And, they are some of the rare products that are actually more beautiful in person (I was in a store the other day and had to go look at the display - Todd asked if I needed or wanted anything and I just said no, I just want to look and touch!) He laughed but I told him, hey, after the last year and a half, my first trip back to a kitchen store, I just wanted to touch the mother ship! I was able to get my pizza seasoning mix, though, so it was inspiring...
has anyone where read The Complete I Hate to Cook Book? I love Peg Bracken but you wouldn't read this one for the recipes. In fact, it probably belongs in another thread. since I haven't found that thread, I'll add my favorite Peg Bracken is I Try To Behave Myself, her book about manners.
Jackie wrote: "has anyone where read The Complete I Hate to Cook Book? I love Peg Bracken but you wouldn't read this one for the recipes. In fact, it probably belongs in another thread. since I ha..."
I've never heard of it Jackie but just looked it up - it looks really fun!
Jackie wrote: "has anyone where read The Complete I Hate to Cook Book? I love Peg Bracken but you wouldn't read this one for the recipes. In fact, it probably belongs in another thread. since I ha..."
Oh, I loved(!!!) this. Bracken's writing is such a delight--loved her sense of humor. The recipes were sorta okay, but the narrative was worth the price. Didn't know she did a manners book. I may have to track it down...
Jackie wrote: "has anyone where read The Complete I Hate to Cook Book? I love Peg Bracken but you wouldn't read this one for the recipes. In fact, it probably belongs in another thread. since I ha..."
That looks funny!
Barb in Maryland wrote: "Jackie wrote: "has anyone where read The Complete I Hate to Cook Book? I love Peg Bracken but you wouldn't read this one for the recipes. In fact, it probably belongs in another thre..."I absolutely loved I try to Behave Myself: Peg Bracken's Etiquette Book, you should definitely look for it.
I have been motivated to find some of the Peg Bracken books I've never read and just borrowed But I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World!: The Pleasures and Perils of an Unseasoned Traveler from open library.
I dug out an old cookbook while weeding my shelves that is truly horrific. The Moose: From Forest to Table, published by the National Meat Institute in Montreal in 1970, first explains how to KILL a moose (hint: never approach a wounded moose if its eyes are closed, because moose die with their eyes open!), followed by pages of photographs of how to butcher it, and then some truly gag-worthy recipes including fried testicles, stuffed moose heart, and moose tongue flavoured with crushed gingersnaps! I inherited the book from a friend and have never had occasion to use it.
Elinor wrote: "I dug out an old cookbook while weeding my shelves that is truly horrific. The Moose: From Forest to Table, published by the National Meat Institute in Montreal in 1970, first explains how to KILL ..."Ugh!
Barb in Maryland wrote: "What? No moose au vin??"🤣
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I take it that you have never tasted incredibly delicious Rocky Mountain Oysters. You could argue that no bull calf got slaughtered to produce that really awesome dish. On the other hand you could say that just about anything battered and deep fried is delish.
One of my all-time favorite 'cookbooks' is Lobscouse and Spotted Dog: Which It's a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels whose intrepid authors even ventured to cook and taste Millers with Onion Sauce (aka ship rats, which in those days were locally harvested at sea having been fed on ship provisions). Even the more seemingly benign 18th-19th Century meals included such ingredients as arsenic. "I beg you will join me in a rout cake, or perhaps a glass of this adulterated port wine?"
Learning how to hunt, slaughter and butcher an animal is a basic set of survival skills that everyone should know, along with knowing how to forage and grow veggies.
Hana wrote: "...Learning how to hunt, slaughter and butcher an animal is a basic set of survival skills that everyone should know,..."I feel so lucky that I do not have to do any of that, I really appreciate being able to survive without eating meat. When the dystopian era of humanity begins, just count me out!
I don't have old recipe books, but if anybody is interested in old recipes, I highly recommend this blog:https://rarecooking.com/
The authors remake recipes from the 18th and 19th century. I made a whole collection of the recipes for my birthday party a few years' ago to have something different at a tea party.
One of my favorite oldies is Mrs. Rasmussen's Book of One Arm Cookery by Mary Lasswell, who wrote Suds in Your Eye. Funny and yet great recipes!
I'm a member of the Culinary Historians of Canada group, which has an excellent Facebook site complete with quirky news and old recipes.
Oh, I bet that’s an interesting site! And a great resource for your writing.
Susan in NC wrote: "Oh, I bet that’s an interesting site! And a great resource for your writing."Thanks, Susan. It's just fun to read about cooking in days gone by . . . and once in a while, there's a dandy recipe too.
I love Mary Lasswell’s books, but I hadn’t heard of this cookbook. Karlyne wrote: "One of my favorite oldies is Mrs. Rasmussen's Book of One Arm Cookery by Mary Lasswell, who wrote Suds in Your Eye. Funny and yet great recipes!"
Peggy wrote: "I love Mary Lasswell’s books, but I hadn’t heard of this cookbook. Karlyne wrote: "One of my favorite oldies is Mrs. Rasmussen's Book of One Arm Cookery by Mary Lasswell, who wrote Suds in Your E..."
Lasswell was my mother's favorite author. She read Suds in Your Eye until it was threadbare, so when I found the cookbook, I was thrilled!
Retro Reads
Books mentioned in this topic
Lobscouse and Spotted Dog: Which It's a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels (other topics)But I wouldn't have missed it for the world!: The pleasures and perils of an unseasoned traveler (other topics)
I Try to Behave Myself: Peg Bracken's Etiquette Book (other topics)
The Compleat I Hate to Cook Book (other topics)
The Compleat I Hate to Cook Book (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Mollie Katzen (other topics)Marguerite Patten (other topics)
Marguerite Patten (other topics)
Oops, I must've put it in my glass, accidentally...