Product Description

Here are more than 200 delicious seasonal recipes from the upper Midwest -- from the lakes, the forest, and farmlands, as well as from the small towns and cities of Minnesota, Wisconsin in, Iowa, Michigan, and North Dakota.

The wonderful variety of dishes tells the story of the Scandinavian, German, East European, Scottish, and Welsh farmers who first settled here, cultivating the rich farmlands and developing the milling industry and the dairy cooperatives. At threshing time, barn raisings, and hog killings, robust dishes satisfied the appetite, and miners and loggers (from Finland to Slovenia) relished the hearty foods of boardinghouses and cook shacks.

Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson have brought together all the strands of this colorful Northern Heartland history by giving us the foods that tell the story. They have tempered the recipes for today's appetites and developed new creations that make the most of the indigenous produce -- the kinds of fresh and flavorful dishes that devotees of Lucia's popular restaurant in Minneapolis have been enjoying since it first opened in 1985.

Here is a sampling:
-- From their Milling and Baking chapter -- Finnish Cardamom Coffee Bread, Lussekatter Buns, Swedish Limpa Rye, German Oven Pancake
-- From The Communal Pot -- Roasted Vegetable Strudel, Thresher's Beef Stew, Sarma (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls), and Pasties (a delectable version of what is known as "the boardinghouse meal under a crust")
-- From North Woods and Prairies -- Holiday Roast Wild Turkey, Grouse with Cranberry-Sage Butter, Woodcock with Wild Mushrooms
-- From Deep Lakes and Swift Streams -- Baked Walleye with Asparagus and Fiddlehead Ferns, Pan-Fried Trout with Smoky Bacon and Hazelnuts, Spring Crappies with Morels
-- From Backyard Gardens and Sacred Paddies -- Summer Tomato, Potato, and Eggplant Bake, winter Gratin of Pumpkin and Leeks, Wild Rice Pilaf with Dried Cherries and Walnuts

In this part of America where people are separated by long distances, hospitality means good food. And Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson share the bounty by showing us how to prepare all the good things that make this region so special.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #582759 in Books
• Published on: 1994-10-25
• Released on: 1994-10-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

Customer Reviews

Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland
I came across this cookbook while browsing the bookshelf of my local public library. Being from Wisconsin, I enjoyed reading the recipes and the stories between! It was a wonderful book, so much so, that I was willing to pay a "late fee" in returning it! We tried several recipes, and loved them! It immediately went to the top of my "Books to buy" list! I am very disappointed to find that it is out of print. Until it is available again, I will be borrowing it from the library frequently!

Midwestern Food with Style
I have purchased this book for not only myself, but for family members and friends as well. I would describe the work as Alice Waters meets the Midwest. The results are a book you could practically devour! The book emphasizes freshness and local produce as the key to producing outstanding food.

I am also part of the diaspora of Midwesterners on the West Coast, and this book helped reconnect me with those roots. The historical anecdotes about food ways of the past sparked a spirited discussion with my grandparents about their favorite "old-fashioned" foods and our family food traditions.

The recipes are clear and concise with great results. I have tried the Sugar cookies, corn pudding, Radish and Cucumber salad, Roasted Vegetable Strudel (YUM!)and the Chicken Sautee with Seasonal Variations (Summer).

Thanks Lucia!

Great collection of recipes that grandma probably cooked
I no longer live in the Midwest, but my sister gave me this book so that I would never forget my roots in the heartland.

I think I love the "Come for Coffee" and "Pride of the Heartland" sections best. The lebkuchen recipe tastes exactly like my mother's. And I love the gingered fruit crisp recipe, with all of its variations.

As for the savory dishes, they are also tasty. The country sauerkraut would make a kraut lover out of anyone. I've made several of the soups, which were all very satisfying. My Thanksgiving guests always love the wild rice, cranberry, walnut and vegetable salad.

This book also has many asides which comment on the culture which created Midwestern cooking: thrifty farmers' wives, potlucks at the church, and agricultural fairs. In all it speaks to the values of the heartland: frugality, community, generosity, and excellence.