What do you think?
Rate this book
A Taste of History Cookbook: The Flavors, Places, and People That Shaped American Cuisine
The delicious, informative, and entertaining cookbook tie-in to PBS's Emmy Award-winning series A Taste of History .
A TASTE OF HISTORY COOKBOOK provides a fascinating look into 18th and 19th century American history. Featuring over 150 elegant and approachable recipes featured in the Taste of History television series, paired with elegantly styled food photography, readers will want to recreate these dishes in their modern-day kitchens. Woven throughout the recipes are fascinating history lessons that introduce the people, places, and events that shaped our unique American democracy and cuisine. For instance, did you know that tofu has been a part of our culture's diet for centuries? Ben Franklin sung its praises in a letter written in 1770!
With recipes like West Indies Pepperpot Soup, which was served to George Washington's troops to nourish them during the long winter at Valley Forge to Cornmeal Fried Oysters, the greatest staple of the 18th century diet to Boston's eponymous Boston Cream Pie, A TASTE OF HISTORY COOKBOOK is a must-have for both cookbook and history enthusiasts alike.
A TASTE OF HISTORY COOKBOOK provides a fascinating look into 18th and 19th century American history. Featuring over 150 elegant and approachable recipes featured in the Taste of History television series, paired with elegantly styled food photography, readers will want to recreate these dishes in their modern-day kitchens. Woven throughout the recipes are fascinating history lessons that introduce the people, places, and events that shaped our unique American democracy and cuisine. For instance, did you know that tofu has been a part of our culture's diet for centuries? Ben Franklin sung its praises in a letter written in 1770!
With recipes like West Indies Pepperpot Soup, which was served to George Washington's troops to nourish them during the long winter at Valley Forge to Cornmeal Fried Oysters, the greatest staple of the 18th century diet to Boston's eponymous Boston Cream Pie, A TASTE OF HISTORY COOKBOOK is a must-have for both cookbook and history enthusiasts alike.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published May 7, 2019
43 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 16, 2020
While this cookbook has good writing, clear recipes and nice photos, the author completely ignores the enslaved peoples who undoubtedly cleared the land, planted the gardens, harvested the vegetables, and prepared and cooked the food for these rich white men. Staib talks about the dinners and gardens of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other famous historical figures, but completely ignores the people who grew and made that food and the slavery they suffered under.
This seems unforgivable in this day and age.
This seems unforgivable in this day and age.
February 3, 2021
Wonderful modern interpretation of historical dishes
If you have watched the series, and that's how I found this book, then you will want this book. Absolutely worth the $4 for the Pease Soup recipe from Martha Washington's Cookbook alone, because, of course, Pease are just the perfect dish, for every occasion. But then, you get to the Coffee Cake.
Ugh. I must now go hunt a rabbit, because, Fried Rabbit, with Mr. Staib's Mom's Potato Salad. Serve that with some Black Forest Cake. Wait, I did. And I reccomend it. But, you're stuck with three choices. One, it is a special occasion feast, two, you fast for a week before you dine on this, or, three, the only real option- get outside and work a full ten hours chopping wood, wrangling cattle and hiking up and down the property line. That was the standard when these recipes were first written. You couldn't have butter for your bread before you milked the goat, churned the cream into butter, and planted harvested, winnowed, and milled your grain before you made your bread. And a good thing, too. This wonderfully curated glimpse into our food history is excellent. I am grateful for this book, because the work of translation and testing has been done. I need only the ingredients and a basic understanding to make even The Ketchup to Last Twenty Years. Except, because you will actually use it, it won't be around that long. Good stuff.
If you have watched the series, and that's how I found this book, then you will want this book. Absolutely worth the $4 for the Pease Soup recipe from Martha Washington's Cookbook alone, because, of course, Pease are just the perfect dish, for every occasion. But then, you get to the Coffee Cake.
Ugh. I must now go hunt a rabbit, because, Fried Rabbit, with Mr. Staib's Mom's Potato Salad. Serve that with some Black Forest Cake. Wait, I did. And I reccomend it. But, you're stuck with three choices. One, it is a special occasion feast, two, you fast for a week before you dine on this, or, three, the only real option- get outside and work a full ten hours chopping wood, wrangling cattle and hiking up and down the property line. That was the standard when these recipes were first written. You couldn't have butter for your bread before you milked the goat, churned the cream into butter, and planted harvested, winnowed, and milled your grain before you made your bread. And a good thing, too. This wonderfully curated glimpse into our food history is excellent. I am grateful for this book, because the work of translation and testing has been done. I need only the ingredients and a basic understanding to make even The Ketchup to Last Twenty Years. Except, because you will actually use it, it won't be around that long. Good stuff.
April 4, 2022
I have not watched the cooking series, but I was given this book as a gift. I adore reading cookbooks cover to cover, so that I feel the writer and the atmosphere intended. I was interested in maybe half the recipes, but those I did admire sounded amazing. I am a very Southern cook, so many of these recipes just didn't not capture my interest. There were quite a few recipes I would not bother with, that likewise would not tempt my palate. A few recipes used unusual/not easy to find ingredients, which deterred me. In the end, the book is polished and very professional. Half the recipes are solid enough to hold my attention and make me want to try them. Half I won't even try. I usually prefer a cookbook that tempts me more than that, but the quality of the writing, the recipe construction, and the snippets of history, made me appreciate the book.
October 13, 2019
A nice companion to the PBS TV series. Each recipe clearly states which episode it was cooked on. The recipes are easy to follow but the ingredients for some of the more traditional meals cannot be found anywhere in my town...maybe county.
But what a great cookbook to spotlight colonial cooking.
But what a great cookbook to spotlight colonial cooking.
June 20, 2019
Many interesting recipes for any occasion. Easy to follow instructions. Makes old recipes very understandable unlike many other cookbooks. The cookbook is filled with ideas that can inspire and upgrade your everyday cooking.
June 25, 2019
Focus on fancier foods than I know my ancestors were eating, and some that seem to just be a favorite but with no historical relevance indicated. All that aside some good recipes and ideas for incorporating food into history studies.
Read
June 6, 2019recipes from the time of the Founding Fathers
May 13, 2021
I learned as much about history as I did about cooking. Very informative and accessible. Great for researchers too!
October 24, 2024
Its a nice book. However some of these recipes aren't something I would really try at all. Its nice to see but not something I would eat.
I can tell these are updated versions of recipes as well.
He doesn't even mention that they didn't have baking powder back then. It didn't even get produced until the 1800s (19th century). They use pot ashe/pearl ashe but I didn't see any mention of that.
Sweet potatoes were grown by native Americans in 1700s.
Another thing, as a southern appalachian, you don't put sugar in corn bread. Pretty sure they wouldn't be making it sweet back then either, as our food hasn't changed much in the centuries.
In general, this is a book for people that were rich back then. Not much for people who were poor. Its fun to look at but a bit disappointing.
I can tell these are updated versions of recipes as well.
He doesn't even mention that they didn't have baking powder back then. It didn't even get produced until the 1800s (19th century). They use pot ashe/pearl ashe but I didn't see any mention of that.
Sweet potatoes were grown by native Americans in 1700s.
Another thing, as a southern appalachian, you don't put sugar in corn bread. Pretty sure they wouldn't be making it sweet back then either, as our food hasn't changed much in the centuries.
In general, this is a book for people that were rich back then. Not much for people who were poor. Its fun to look at but a bit disappointing.
December 4, 2019
I can't say that I'll be using many of these recipes, but there are a few I hope to test out! Regardless, it's interesting to learn what early Americans would have enjoyed eating.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews