American Home Cooking: Over 300 Spirited Recipes Celebrating Our Rich Traditions of Home Cooking

The husband-and-wife team of James Beard award-winning authors (The Border Cookbook; Smoke and Spice) offer 400 recipes celebrating four centuries of American home cooking. The Jamisons carefully distinguish home cooking--""simple, hearty, seasonal fare... prepared for and enjoyed by family and friends""--from convenience foods (like tuna noodle casseroles and pizzas) and elaborate haute restaurant-style preparations. Seventeen chapters explore the diversity of the American table, including breakfast fare (flapjacks, grits, hash), sandwiches, appetizers, soup, game, garden vegetables, preserves, baked goods and beverages (from mint juleps to sassafras tea). Emphasizing fresh ingredients and straightforward techniques, recipes feature an assortment of regional classics, from New England Clam Chowder and Swiss Steak to Fried Green Tomatoes and Hoppin' John, as well as local specialties like eastern Virginia's Tidewater Peanut Soup, the Florida Keys' Old Sour Seafood Salad and New Mexico's Chimay Carne Adovada, a chile-infused pork preparation. Culinary trivia (e.g., turtle soup was once a favorite among American home cooks) and technique tips lend nuance and context to America's rich culinary tapestry. The Jamisons authoritatively articulate the pastiche of multicultural influences that characterize American regional cuisine, enabling readers to rediscover national (and regional) culinary treasures. (Oct.)