Cookbook Review: Jan Karon's Mitford...

Title: Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader
Edited by: Martha McIntosh
hard back ISBN 0670032395
2004
Publisher: Penguin Group, NY, NY
Photos: yes
website: www.mitfordbooks.com

If you've read any of the Mitford books by Jan Karon you'll know that
food often plays an important part in the characters lives. Some fans
actually wrote Ms. Karon and told her that her books made them hungry.
This book is great for reading as well as to cook from.

I really enjoy the Mitford books and can relate to them. They are set
in North Carolina. This book has lots of southern recipes since Mitford
is a fictional town patterned after Blowing Rock, NC, where Karon
lived. Karon was born in Wilson, NC.

Liver mush, Baloney, Dukes Mayonnaise, White Lily Flour -- some of
the very familiar items I've grown up with and are explained and included
in this book for those who may not be familiar with them.

Although this book is mainly targeted to Mitford fans, if you enjoy
southern cooking or want to find out a little about the books in the
series, I think you'll also enjoy this book. Jan Karon's books tend to
pull you in and make you feel a part of the Mitford family and I think
this is also true of the Mitford cookbook. Jan even shares some of her
real family photos with us in this book. Good reading, good food, and you
feel like a part of the family.

This book is divided into chapters which are the titles of Mitford
books, with the last chapter being of Karon's Mama's recipes. Included in
the chapters are excerpts from that book, favorite recipes of the
characters, and also helpful hints.

You'll read Jan's thoughts on aprons, what several people told her
they'd want for their last meal, and you can learn how to season a black
iron skillet, among other things. You'll be treated to recipes for 150
dishes that will please almost anyone. Good down home cooking.

Included is one of Ms Karon's most requested recipes -- Esther's
Orange Marmalade Cake. She kept telling people it was a fictional cake but
they kept requesting the recipe. In 1997 Victoria Magazine invited her
to be their writer-in residence. During the year she was there she
wrote a Mitford story that was printed in the magazine and in that story
she also mentioned the now legendary cake. That story is also reprinted
in the Mitford cookbook. An editor at the magazine there said there
should be a recipe for that cake. The recipe was created by Scott Peacock,
famous chef and often linked to Ms. Edna Lewis, a wonderful southern
cookbook author. They co-authored the book The Gift of Southern Cooking.

The Mitford Cookbook has been on my wish list for some time now and
after checking it out at the library I knew I must someday include it
in my collection. That wish came true recently when I received it from Paperback Swap.

To view some recipes from the book including Esther's Orange Marmalade Cake go to the following link: http://www.cbn.com/700club/features/recipe_jan_karon.aspx
If you like what you see you may just add this book to your wish list too!

I haven't tried it yet but it does sound good and I know my husband, Harold would love it since Orange Marmalade is one of his favorites.