Community Cookbooks Preserve the Country Kitchen

Community cookbooks preserve the country kitchen of the past. There are thousands and thousands of titles. These books have been issued by churches, schools, civic groups, various auxiliaries, families, and in support of any number of charitable causes. 

Featured Book as Found on Amazon

 
These little recipe books vary in quality from slap-dash to thoughtfully informative. In almost any cooking magazine, at least in years past, could be found ads from publishing firms anxious to provide “your group” with a cookbook that could be sold as a fund-raiser. Some groups went to lengths to prepare a unique product, others simply took what the publisher provided and slapped their name to it.

   The hunt is for those offering genuine local recipes as well as commentary. They turn up at five to ten dollars each on eBay, sometimes cheaper in batches. I imagine they may be found on Amazon and other book sites as well. Many of these books are treasures. They are folklore, heirlooms, personal and social memoirs.

   Also, they are “the source of some of the best recipes ever penned,” according to The Southern Living Community Cookbook – to which might be added, “and some of the worst.” Or as the author states: “Some recipes are infamous for their awfulness.” We assume she edited those out, leaving us 200 or so winners. 

   As the title suggests, the focus is on regional southern dishes.

   The Southern Living book was published in 2014, primary credit going to food writer Sheri Castle but reflecting the work of an army of writers, editors, researchers and other food or publishing experts. It remains in print at about $20 hardcover. I didn’t find it clearly stated but I suppose these recipes to some extent are from community cookbooks.

  Recipes are often accompanied by a chatty introduction or sidebar. For example, a saying quoted adjacent a recipe for burgoo: “If it walked or flew, it goes in Burgoo.” 

   I have to confess, despite long familiarity with southern cooking, I had never heard of Awendaw. It is “ a very old Southern dish” originating with Native Americans in the South Carolina area. 

   Somehow I doubt the Native Americans had the ingredients called for in the modern version – like, smoked Gouda cheese. Awendaw is said to be a very popular side dish. (There is a town, Awendaw SC, known for crabbing. Interestingly, it was founded by folks who left Salem, Massachusetts, after the witch trials). 

   Here is a similar Awendaw recipe.

   Though many recipes are traditional – “Mom’s” this or “Grandma’s” that -- there are exceptions, such as Sauteed Greens and Winter Squash with Olive Oil Fried Eggs, just to pick one at random.

   My attention was drawn to Pot Likker Soup, having long ago read about famed Louisiana politician Huey Long and his fondness for “pot likker.” The term refers to the broth left after cooking greens, a substance thought by some devotees to contain mystical qualities. Here is a recipe for the soup.  

  And of course Gumbo z’herbes, a hearty dish that may contain up to nine different kinds of greens, caught my eye. There are vegetarian versions but the usual, such as this one, feature various meats.