Review: Recipes Across America

Taste of Home Recipes Across America: 735 of the Best Recipes from Across the Nation

About the Book:

Whether sinking your teeth into crispy Southern Fried Chicken, enjoying a Philly Cheese Steak or sampling a slice of Ozark Mountain Berry Pie, you simply can’t beat the comfort of iconic American foods. Now, it’s easier than ever to sample the flavors of the country with Taste of Home Recipes Across America.

This keepsake collection offers 655 recipes that deliver regional flair from all 50 states. Grill up a fiery Southwestern barbecue, stir together a little Texas Caviar, host a New England clam bake or share a Chicago deep dish pizza! You’ll find everything from no-fuss snacks and quick supper ideas to weekend menu items and impressive desserts…each of which left a delicious mark on its part of the country!

Divided into five regions (Northeast, South, Midwest, Southwest and West), Recipes Across America offers all the mouthwatering specialties enjoyed by locals, including unforgettable dishes featuring regional produce. You’ll even discover ethnic favorites passed-down through generations of cultures who established roots in various cities throughout the nation.

As a bonus, you’ll enjoy fun food facts and folklore sprinkled throughout the pages. (For example, did you know that Chef George Crum of Saratoga, NY is rumored to have created the potato chip after a customer complained about the chef’s fried potatoes?) There are even colorful photos and notes regarding regional landmarks, infamous restaurants and more.

With so many recipes, photos and kitchen tidbits, Taste of Home Recipes Across America makes it a snap to take your senses on a culinary vacation you’ll cherish for years to come.

My Comments:

I'll be doing another post on this book showing the recipes we've tried and letting you know what we think about them.  This is strictly about the book itself, which is a winner.  It is hard-covered and stays open easily. The paper is nice quality and there is a color photograph to go with each recipe.  The recipes themselves are generally easy to make and use ingredients commonly found in the pantries of ordinary people and in your local grocery store.  

Each page has a feature called "dishing about food".  From those little boxes you learn such gems as the fact that blackberries grow wild in the Ozarks, that spaetzle dumplings are German dumplings which can be served with butter or caramelized onions and gravy or can be tossed into soup.  My maternal grandmother was a German-Russian and I found a German-Russian recipe for Runza, which appears to be like a homemade hot pocket.  It is on my list to try.  The book also contains numerous photos of buildings throughout the US along with a note describing them.  

I'd like to than FSB Media for making a review copy available.  Stay tuned to learn what I cooked and how we liked it.  Grade:  A.