The holidays and chilling temperatures are upon us, drawing us into a world of family and friends, warmth, and food. Many of us love to look at cookbooks at any time of year, but the full-on entertainment season adds a bit of sparkle to search for a new dish or a reminder of an old family favorite. The Scott County Public Library has a fabulous collection of cookbooks, from the healthy to the decadent, but the staff would like to mention some of their favorites.
Cravings: Recipes for All the Food You Want to Eat (2016) by Chrissy Teigen. Filled with fabulous recipes, life hacks, and fun, snarky stories to go along with the food, Teigen’s collections are a must-have. Roseann from the youth department recommends all of Teigen’s books and enjoys the writing as much as the ideas.
The Moosewood Restaurant Table: 250 Brand-new Recipes from the Natural Foods Restaurant that Revolutionized Eating in America. The Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks are recommended by Mary Lou from the youth department, and this is the newest one. They are amazing in their creative use of flavors that take vegetarian cooking to an entirely different level. This restaurant has been presenting gorgeous, sensuous yet healthy food for nearly fifty years and these are some of their best ideas.
Reader’s Digest Low-Fat, No-Fat Asian Cooking: 150 Simple, Delicious Recipes for a Healthier You compiled by Reader’s Digest, is another healthy but delicious selection. We may need to look closely at these recipes once we finish the holidays! Jessica from the circulation department especially recommends the Chinese Walnut Chicken on page 111.
The Elder Scrolls: The Official Cookbook by Chelsea Monroe-Cassel. Based on the award-winning Elder Scrolls game series, this cookbook will appear to take you back to a medieval, Game of Thrones sort of world with tempting recipes like Leek and Cheese Crostata. Imperial Mushroom Sauce, and Lavender and Honey Bread. The recipes are presented with a handy skill-level gauge so cooks can find recipes most suited to their culinary expertise.
Bluegrass Winners: A Cookbook. This has become a classic here in central Kentucky and Kelly from the youth department highly recommends this collection of recipes from famous horse farms throughout the region. You can replicate entire dinners, or just pick a favorite dish. Melissa from the adult services department loves the new potato casserole on page 195 for potlucks and everyday suppers.
The Best of Irish Country Cooking: By Nuala Cullen is filled with hearty fare excellent for a cold winter’s night, but with lighter and elegant fare suitable for any time. This cookbook contains gorgeous photographs of Ireland along with the delicious recipes. Jessica of the circulation department recommends Stuffed Pork Chops with Potato Apple Fritters and for dessert try the Queen of Puddings made with milk, cream, breadcrumbs, and raspberry jam.
What about special cookbooks from our Kentucky Room? Not only do we have some fine southern and Kentucky-specific cookbooks, but we also have a small collection of locally produced collections.
The Historic Kentucky Kitchen: Traditional Recipes for Today’s Cook by Dierdre Scaggs is recommended by Julia of the adult services department. You will find an intimate connection to our ancestors’ lives within these pages and enjoy the taste of their favorite dishes.
Kentucky’s Cookbook Heritage: Two Hundred Years of Southern Cuisine and Culture is interestingly enough, a book about cookbooks. Enjoy this fascinating history of our food culture, highlighting famous people along the way including Nancy Green, the original “Aunt Jemima” advertising persona, who was born in Montgomery County.
A Culinary History of Kentucky: Burgoo, Beer Cheese and Goetta by Fiona Young-Brown. Find recipes for truly traditional Kentucky fare in this collection which includes many we know and love such as beer cheese, but also lesser-known entries such as poke sallet and yes, moonshine.
If you are looking for Scott County-specific recipes, you can even find those wonderful little cookbooks produced by various churches and charities here! Often these contain true gems and the most wonderful comfort food of all, with ingredients readily available.
Among others we have Treasured Recipes: First Presbyterian Church of Georgetown, Kentucky; Scott County Senior Citizens Cookbook; Tried and Proven Recipes by Women’s Society of Christian Service and More Please: Recipes Compiled by Scott County Arts Consortium, Inc. for the Restoration of the Historic Jail Complex by the Scott County Arts Consortium, Inc. There is something special about opening a cookbook to find a recipe from a local celebrity or personal friend, and if you are looking for a good potluck dish, these are probably your best choice of inspiration.
Finally, don’t forget our digital collections! Both of our e-book platforms (Libby and Hoopla) contain hundreds of titles including more Kentucky-specific collections. These can be opened on a tablet and propped up on the counter for easy viewing without the worry of splashing ingredients on a library book.
Whether you are celebrating the holidays, looking for new ideas, or simply enjoy perusing recipes, check out our section of cookbooks, and be sure to ask our staff for their favorites! Bon Appetit!
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