Product Description

Old World Italian cooking in San Francisco''s North Beach, original fusion cuisine in Hawaii and fiery sp ecialities from Louisiana''s Acadians. In-depth and varied, t his is American cuisine in all its diverse flavours. '

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #900975 in Books
• Published on: 1998-11-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

From Amazon.com
What is American cooking? Fried chicken and apple pie are part of it--but what about sweet and sour pork or gnocchi with basil? Saveur Cooks Authentic American, created by the editors of the like-named food magazine, includes just such recipes, true examples of our all-embracing, melting-pot cuisine. Readers interested in exploring traditional and contemporary American food--from neighborhood Italian to Hawaiian fusion, from Louisiana Arcadian to California wine country, and more--will want the book.

Organized by courses or food types, the book offers more than 150 accessible recipes, lavishly illustrated by over 400 color photos. Readers will find exemplary versions of favorite dishes, such as Carter Rochelle's Real Texas Chili, Aunt Gillie's Matzo Ball Soup, and a particularly tempting Lemon Meringue Pie from Alaska, but will also discover Warm Chanterelle and Pancetta Salad from the Napa Valley, Lamb's Neck Stew with Polenta, and chef Michael Robert's Corn Risotto. A chapter on breads offers such diverse specialties as New Mexican Corn Tortillas and Swedish Coffee Bread, a cardamom-flavored wonder. With notes on food traditions and techniques, and a final chapter devoted to that most American drink, the cocktail (recipes for drink-accompanying hors d'oeuvres are also provided), the book is a trove of good cooking American style, as well as a tribute to its enduring newness. --Arthur Boehm

From Publishers Weekly
What we think of as down-home American cuisine, for the most part, has been flavored by the immigrants who brought with them their tastes and cultures. More than 400 full-color photos in Saveur magazine's typically lush and intimate mode celebrate over 150 finished dishes, as well as the people and ingredients that made them. Sidebars and headnotes add historical context to such stalwarts as Beef Borscht, brought over by Mennonites exiled from Russia, and Roast Lamb with Potatoes, a favorite from Greece. There's also "Chow Mein," a dish based on an authentic Cantonese fried noodle cake but adopted and altered in America. Chefs and cookbook writers assert pride in domestic dishes as well, as when Marion Cunningham attempts to restore an American icon like Iceberg Wedge with Blue Cheese Dressing to a place of pride. Entr?es are as comfortable as Country Ham in Redeye Gravy and Meat Loaf; vegetables are as classic as Creamed Spinach and as familiar as French Fries. And what other place than home can be evoked by Sweet Potato Casserole topped with miniature marshmallows baked until golden? This is luxurious treatment of unassuming food.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Boston Globe
Like the magazine that inspired it, this is a gorgeous book, with color photographs on every page. There are close-ups of food, as well as depictions of the people who contributed or inspired recipes, and archival photos tracking American meals from decades ago. But looks aren't everything, especially when it comes to cookbooks. Fortunately, the recipes here are also appealing. They are accompanied by introductory notes and sidebars, information that documents the source of a particular dish, such as Chuck's three-day chowder, from a Plymouth resident, or Tutu-Man's chicken with teriyaki sauce, from a Hawaiian native. The book stresses the diversity of our nation of immigrants, and dishes with flavors from around the world make appearances, along with classics such as sweet potato casserole and barbecued ribs.