What’s cooking in the cookbooks?

 

Food, glorious food...would you believe these dishes are fridge magnets? Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

As a self-proclaimed foodie, it goes without saying that I like to cook. I own a set of cookbooks that I consult whenever I’m in the mood to concoct something delicious. One of these books is Betty Crocker’s Annual Recipes 2004, which helpfully provides per-serving nutritional information, and another is Southern Living’s Slow-Cooker Cookbook, which I check whenever I want to create meals that will last for several days.

I also enjoy leafing through cookbooks that provide some historical tidbits or insights into different cultures. One of my relatives owns a small, beautifully illustrated Greek cookbook with mouthwatering recipes for dishes such as moussaka and baklava (mmm!) but it also relays bits of Greek culture. At Easter, for example, there is a game called “tsougrisma” which is played with red eggs; whoever cracks the opponent’s egg first will have good luck that year. I also have a cookbook of recipes from a historical resort in the Shenandoah Valley that dates back to the 1870s; mixed in with the recipes are small stories and photos of the different cottages and the old hotel on the site.

The Web has helped in my culinary efforts, too, since there are tons of websites devoted to cooking. One great site I like is cooks.com and another is allrecipes.com. And through the blogging world, I’ve found more recipes that I’m longing to try. My blogger friend Jaclyn has a wonderful blog, Covered In Flour, where she features luscious recipes alongside posts about her love of books, crafts, decorating and travel. I drool just looking at the photographs she uses.

Shopping for these cookbook recipes is fun, too. My hometown has a great farmer’s market with veggies, fruit, flowers, artisan ice cream, meats, sauces and baked goods, as well as live music and a craft fair. I love to go and browse among the stalls, but I find myself over-sampling the baked goods. Help! Gym to the rescue!

And now I’m getting hungry. Time for a snack!