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08/14/2007 Archived Entry: "101+ Things to Cook 'Til the Revolution"

I RECEIVED MY COPY Of 101+ Things to Cook 'Til the Revolution yesterday, courtesy of amazing on-demand publisher Lulu.com. In the same package: Joel Simon's Songs of Bad Men and Good.

I should have my review of Joel's novel tomorrow or Thursday, soon as I finish re-reading it. (Lucky me, I read it months ago in manuscript; I'm refreshing my memory, and my enjoyment, on the re-read.) But I've just got to blog quick kudos on the wonderful cookbook. The specific kudoizations are ...

First thing I noticed when 101+ Things to Cook 'Til the Revolution slid out of the box: spiral binding. Yay! All cookbooks should be spiral bound for laying flat on counters.

Then I grinned at Thunder's wonderful cover photo. Thunder, I don't know why you're not working as a pro photographer; you're that good. Damn funny, too. In addition to delicious-looking homemade bread and (no doubt) home-brewed beer, the cover shot contains: rifle cartridges (.308, I'm guessing), gold and silver coins, and -- front and center -- a delicacy much discussed, though probably very little eaten, by members of The Claire Files forums. LOL!

Inside (edited by Dare2BFree and laid out by Pagan), on good-quality, eye-friendly cream-colored paper, is one very damned good little cookbook. Though it's got its share of TCF in-jokes, really it's a versatile, all-round cookbook you could give to anybody for Christmas or a birthday present. Recipes range from exotic (Apple-Potato Soup, Bifana, and Tenderloin of Moose, Elk, or Beef Medallions with Morel Sauce) to the deliciously humble (Ginger Beer, Hard Tack, and Dad's Universally Acknowledged Greatest Cookies Ever Created). Dishes cover the range from soup to nuts (not forgetting side trips for beer and desert).

It's a great little book, and you guys who worked so hard and persistantly to create it deserve many kudos. Everybody else: If you contributed a recipe to it, buy extra copies for your friends. Even if you didn't contribute a recipe, buy extra copies for your friends. Fall cooking season will be here sooner than we like to think & the goodies in this book will make the return of the dark, cool days easier to handle.

Now, off to decide whether to try Morrigan's Chicken Creole or coloradohermit's Ham and Asparagus Quiche for dinner tomorrow.

Posted by Claire @ 03:41 PM CST
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