I Hear America Cooking

In her second study of American cuisine, Fussell (Masters of American Cookery explores the culinary traditions of six sections of the country: the Southwest desert, the Louisiana delta, the Carolinas, the New England coast, the Great Lakes of the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest. She distills information gathered from historical cookbooks and conversations with cooks across the country into recipes reflecting regional usage but tinged with her own preferences. Most recipes are characterized by straightforward techniques and readily available ingredients; a few, perhaps intended more for reading than for cooking, call for unusual or regional items such as dove or geoduck clams. Supporting text ranges from musings on cornpone to a history of early Milwaukee beer brewing, and often makes entertaining reading, although Fussell's tendency to wax poetic can be trying. Photos not seen by PW. BOMC/Cooking & Crafts Club main selection; BOMC alternate. (November)