Cather's Kitchens: Foodways in Literature and Life

by Roger Welsch, Linda K. Welsch, Susan J. Rosowski (Foreword)

Roger and Linda Welsch matched references from Willa Cather's writing with recipes they collected from Cather family recipe files, from other period cookbooks, and from old-time ethnic cooks still living in the Bohemian tradition. Cather's Kitchens comes as close as possible to the precise recipes Cather had in mind and memory as she wrote.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1987

About the author

Roger Lee Welsch (November 6, 1936 – September 30, 2022) was an American news reporter who was a senior correspondent on the CBS News Sunday Morning program, and was featured in a segment called "Postcards from Nebraska." An author, humorist and folklorist, Welsch was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the only son of Christian Welsch, who worked in a Goodyear tire factory and Bertha (Flach) Welsch, a homemaker.[1] He lived outside of Dannebrog, Nebraska.

Welsch earned a bachelor's degree in 1958 and a master's degree in 1960, both in German and both at the University of Nebraska. He also studied folklore at the University of Colorado and Indiana University.[1]

Welsch was the 2005 winner of the Henry Fonda Award from the State of Nebraska Travel and Tourism Division.

Reviews

[Antonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My parents were writing/researching this book when I was born!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique take on reading classic work from Willa Cather. Not often does a reader stop and think about the food that in included in a story unless it is a main part of the tale. Here the authors take us on a journey of food in stories and how they give credit to the story and build on a culture of sorts.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

cool

[Ericka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Cather and I were bound to have a meeting this summer. She is coming up from behind the shelves and meeting me in my hands...and what an interesting way to do so. I love the origins of things and, so far, finding out about Plains way of cooking (as in The Great Plains) and just how much Cather cared about plains food has been a wonderful lesson in how things get from one point to the other.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a big Cather fan this was a fun read and will probably have me re-reading some of her books since I would be more aware of how she used and described foods in her books.