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Kinfolks and Custard Pie: Recollections and Recipes from an East Tennessean
Kinfolks and Custard Pie is a collection of recipes with stories about the people the author connects to those recipes. It is a look at how things were done in rural East Tennessee in the years in the late 1930's to the late 1940's. The book explores the role of food in the lives of the author and his family. The recipes are arranged according to the seasons. This reflects the life style of the time.
222 pages, Paperback
First published July 16, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 1, 2019
This book is a delightful blend of memories of growing up on a farm in East Tennessee close to extended family who worked hard but found many ways to celebrate life accompanied by time-honored local cuisine. Not being a native Tennessean, I learned a lot about the culture as well as the food.
The book is divided logically into the four seasons with the text following the activities on the farm along with the seasonal availability of food. Augmenting the recipes, are the author's rich and detailed recollections of rural life in a large family (he was the oldest of eight children). When his mother became ill, he was needed to help out with the cooking which he took to readily and enjoyed, particularly as it relieved him of other more arduous chores on the farm.
While the family didn't have much money, there was much love and laughter as well as good eating all year round. I particularly liked the description of Mr. Lambert's grandmothers who were both strong, independent women who held firm opinions on every subject. In recalling the arrival of TVA power, the author writes, "I grew up thinking that electricity was useful only to provide a small light and to make the radio work, perhaps because my grandmother believed that it was her personal obligation to pay the Knoxville Utilities Board no more than the minimum amount that was necessary to hook on."
Of course, the majority of the book is dedicated to a discussion of the regional food and the recipes that have been handed down through the generations. I have enjoyed many of the dishes in some variation, but there are others, like creamed cabbage, I never heard of. All of the recipes sounded tempting, particularly as Mr. Lambert provides all the directions and special tips one would need to make them successfully.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to revisit a simpler time, learn about East Tennessee culture, and read about regional dishes to create and enjoy with their own families.
The book is divided logically into the four seasons with the text following the activities on the farm along with the seasonal availability of food. Augmenting the recipes, are the author's rich and detailed recollections of rural life in a large family (he was the oldest of eight children). When his mother became ill, he was needed to help out with the cooking which he took to readily and enjoyed, particularly as it relieved him of other more arduous chores on the farm.
While the family didn't have much money, there was much love and laughter as well as good eating all year round. I particularly liked the description of Mr. Lambert's grandmothers who were both strong, independent women who held firm opinions on every subject. In recalling the arrival of TVA power, the author writes, "I grew up thinking that electricity was useful only to provide a small light and to make the radio work, perhaps because my grandmother believed that it was her personal obligation to pay the Knoxville Utilities Board no more than the minimum amount that was necessary to hook on."
Of course, the majority of the book is dedicated to a discussion of the regional food and the recipes that have been handed down through the generations. I have enjoyed many of the dishes in some variation, but there are others, like creamed cabbage, I never heard of. All of the recipes sounded tempting, particularly as Mr. Lambert provides all the directions and special tips one would need to make them successfully.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to revisit a simpler time, learn about East Tennessee culture, and read about regional dishes to create and enjoy with their own families.
July 11, 2019
Kinfolks and Custard Pie by Walter Lambert was particularly delicious (no pun intended) because as a relocated New Yorker it gave me a flavor of what it was like to grow up in this beautiful region. Reading the book felt like Walter was standing over my shoulder, telling stories. I loved how he grouped ingredients together according to season making it feel like I was meandering through his own summer/fall/winter/spring days with beloved family and friends. One of my favorite anecdotes was about the lady of the house sending her husband off to buy some desired food item, but with that southern woman's flair for getting her way with charming insistence! A real treat for a relocated Yankee who loves the South!
February 18, 2019
Chef Walter took me back to my early years with recipes I hadn't thought about since I was a child. Some I actually have missed so now I have those again. The stories and recipes went together well and it was fun to be reminded of a simpler time. Looking forward to reading another cookbook! Highly recommend for any southern cook, or any other type of cook.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews