The Tasha Tudor Cookbook: Recipes and Reminiscences from Corgi Cottage

by Tasha Tudor

Tasha Tudor, beloved children's book author and illustrator, has at last written her long-awaited cookbook. In words and the enchanting watercolors for which she is renowned, she shares the recipes she has gathered over a lifetime - some that have been passed down for generations and some that she created specially for her children and grandchildren. These traditional recipes recall an old-fashioned New England lifestyle and summon up Tasha Tudor's own warm family memories, which she shares here with her readers. Tasha Tudor's recipe collection includes summery picnic salads, hearty winter soups, and breakfast treats like Great-Grandmother Tudor's Cornbread, Blueberry Coffee Cake, and Butterscotch Rolls. Her main dishes - Roast Chicken with tarragon and sage, vegetable-laden Beef Stew, and Salmon served with homegrown peas - are the prelude to her irresistibly rich desserts, including a luscious dark chocolate torte and English Toffee Bars. At Tasha Tudor's Corgi Cottage, Christmas celebrations are the high point of the year, filled with the kind of food and wholesome fun that harks back to an earlier time. Her recipes bring family and friends together to make her well-known gingerbread Christmas tree ornaments (which have been displayed on the White House tree), and such seasonal favorites as thumb cookies and pulled taffy for wrapping as gifts or for putting in paper cornucopias to hang on the tree. All of these authentic, tried-and-true recipes are presented for the first time with some fifty original watercolor and pen-and-ink drawings in this beguiling keepsake kitchen companion.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food, Food and Drink, Art, Childrens

144 pages, Hardcover

First published November 17, 1993

About the author

Tasha Tudor was an American illustrator and author of children's books.

Reviews

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alright, I'm not sure about you, but there are corgis on the cover of this thing and that has me sold. On a not-corgi related note, the recipes-- or rather, receipts-- in this collection make me want to go out into my garden this very moment and glean what I can to make a simple, wonderful meal. Tasha Tudor stresses the need for freshness, but also makes me feel like everything must be done with love. Thorough, well-done, and with love.

I say that's a pretty good cookbook if it makes you want to be a better person as well as a better chef.

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟 The loveliest illustrated cookbook I've ever read! Most of the recipes are classics and looked easy to make. Tasha Tudor's descriptions of the different "receipts" were wonderful to read and amusing, too! I may photocopy the full page works of art to add to my walls. They're just so beautiful and the ultimate in coziness. I only wish this cookbook was more of a memoir with extra stories and information about the past. A must have for your cookbook or Tasha Tudor collection!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of comfort, farm foods. I love the stories behind her recipes. She seems like a fascinating woman. I think I'll check out her biography.

[Shayna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book! I use it as a peak into the life of Tasha Tudor as well as a source of recipes, or receipts as she calls them. I especially enjoy the story and recipe for Becky's birthday cake!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Tasha Tudors little quips included in this book, like how her cat crawled up into the rising bread dough bowl for a warm spot.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best gingerbread recipe ever.

[Ms.soule · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everything in this cookbook calls for plenty of butter, absolutely nothing is healthy or something you could cook for a normal, busy family dinner. Also, she strongly recommends you stay away from tasteless grocery store food and only use fresh farm ingredients.

This cookbook is primarily for fans of Tasha Tudor's artwork and there are many pictures throughout the cookbook of plump, rosy-cheeked children doing old-fashioned chores like churning butter. I think the boy is based on her son as he gets a lot of mentions here (I'm guessing he's the one who had her come live on his farm?). You get several mentions of her children in the recipe introductions, including stories about the imaginary clan of Stillwaters she and her son created. I personally felt these stories had more value than the recipes.

We tried the Pineapple Upsidedown Cake recipe - not impressed despite the impressive amount of butter required. The cake section was dry and more of a cornbread texture than I prefer.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant to look at and fun to read the prefaces to each of the recipes. However, I doubt I will ever cook any of these recipes. Very, Very old-fashioned and there are lots of better versions of this food out there these days. Some of the drinks are interesting. But mostly, we don't eat this way anymore.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I am not a cookbook reader. I turned every page in this book, which means I've looked at it more closely than I have any other cookbook. My surprise: Only a few dishes are illustrated with one of Tudor's drawings. I would have appreciated more. No, I don't need to see a pot of pea soup, but it would be nice to see a "Dundee cake" or a "Christmas Tea Ring."

Tudor fans will appreciate the art, but I realize I prefer when the art illustrates a story. She does give background info for some of the recipes, but it is fairly predictable. (I don't know what I expected.)

I'm going to pass on this book to my sister; she actually does read cookbooks.

[CrystalIsReading on StoryGraph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tasha Tudor's art is always pretty. I guess I figured, based on her nostalgic art, that the recipes here would be old fashioned too, from scratch, wholesome things. and some of them were. recipes from her Dady, her nanny, for example. But I was surprised at how many recipes called for premade ingredients, by brand name (eg--Velveeta cheese, Kellog's All Bran, etc.). It felt like product placement, which made me feel a little dirty. I didn't think that's what Tudor was about. Some of the recipes sounded good--I'm still intrigued by coffee jelly, which is not jelly as we think of it, but a jello dish--but most of the ones that sounded appealing had food items in I couldn't eat (lots of flour, dairy products, and yeast). overall, a disappointing book for me. but the pictures were pretty!

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book is like being in the kitchen with Tasha Tudor while she tells you the story of who this "receipt" came from along with tips on how to make the dish come out perfectly.

[Meltha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice, but be sure to visit the family's website to see the corrections made to a few of the recipes (apparently the editor was in favor of unsalted butter and no garlic).

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't very interested in the recipes, as most are a bit heavy for my style, but the pictures are beautiful and the writing is interesting.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another bargain book from BYU Bookstore.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A truly odd book, even for Tasha Tudor. If it's so historically faithful, why all the convenience foods?! The illustrations, of course, charm. The high class privilege, not so much. Faux grass roots!

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an unexpectedly decent cookbook if traditional American cuisine is what you're looking for. I would definitely think about gifting this to an older child or young adult with such inclinations.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated, classic recipes. You're really reading this for a peak into Tudor's life and for the incredible illustrations. Loved the tie-in to Becky's Birthday; also, the ideas for picnics and the dessert chapter is just delicious.

Not for everyday, but great inspiration.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real treat for Tasha Tudor fans, I loved her little stories before the recipes. The illustrations make it very special indeed.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adding this one to my Amazon cart today. What a treasure! It includes a number of great bread recipes, plus lots of other recipes that all sound scrumptious.

[Megan Shaner · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are beautiful, and the anecdotes that accompany some of the recipes are interesting. Most of the recipes seem a tad pedestrian, but there are a few I may try out.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories are fun, but the recipes are a little too intense.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an interesting woman, Tasha Tudor. Raised in a different time....

[LMTZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a darling book of stories, receipts (recipes) and drawings. The drawings are wonderful!

[Melissa Shreve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Tasha Tudor. i love her art work. It was fun to read the recipes.

[Emmy's Grammy (Susan) · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter has this book now...I hope she enjoys it like I did.

[Robynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recipes with personal reminiscing. Lovely drawings. Skipped and set aside to go back to some day.

[Wandac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations. She illustrated children's books and it shows. Recipes are ordinary but worth the read.