The Potluck Club Cookbook ~ Tracy's Take

It is an exciting day in my world, when I am offered a new cookbook. One that teams with a great novel can only mean I am in for a real treat. I loved the inclusion of comments from the authors about each recipe. I feel like I have delved a little into Shepherd and Everson family traditions!

I eagerly tried two of the recipes from ‘The Potluck Club Cookbook’. First came the Chicken Cacciatore from page 56. This fabulously simple recipe belies the depth of rich flavour delivered by the end product. My refrigerator and pantry perpetually contain the ingredients for this Chicken Cacciatore, making the experience that much more enjoyable. The recipe’s serving suggestion calls for spaghetti or rice as an accompaniment. I can also attest to the fact that it teams perfectly with soft polenta as well. According to my family, this one is a keeper.

Next I decided that something sweet should come next. Grandmother Miller’s Teacakes on page 46 tempted my fancy this time. I was intrigued when I discovered the directions cutting out cookies. My image of a teacake is more…cakey. The result was more of a softly vanilla flavoured cookie that has a slightly cakey texture, rather than a crisp cookie. Everyone in our home has eagerly devoured every last crumb and asked if we can make those again. Always a sure sign of success!

One of the things that intrigued me most about this book also caused me the most challenge. This book is inherently American, for obvious reasons! As an Australian, I was captivated by what is enjoyed by a vast number of typically American homes. I thoroughly enjoyed this insight. The challenge came when trying to determine what a stick of butter might weigh and what was meant by tomato sauce or whipped topping. Thankfully, the internet is a vast ocean of information and all my questions were answered without too much effort.

The road testing of recipes won’t end here! I have plans afoot to continue my American cooking lessons with a little Southern Ambrosia and Sloppy Joes.

Available September 2009 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Guest reviewer:~ My friend Tracy from Beyond My Picket Fence

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