Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland - Hardcover

Dooley, Beth; Watson, Lucia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0679411755 ISBN 13: 9780679411758

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, 1994

Synopsis

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.

About this title

From the Back Cover

"Lucia Watson and Beth Dooley have written a cookbook with warmth and style which reflects with great depth the culture of the Northern Heartland. Read this book and you will get a glimpse into the past as well as into the future of a unique heritage."

-- Charlie Trotter, chef and owner of Charlie Trotter's restaurant, Chicago

"The lore alone, not to mention good food, makes Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland worth having. Entries on 'noodled' goose, sowing loaves, rommegrot stirred with pine branches, and so many others bring to life the intriguing culinary heritage of a part of the country so often and so lamentably overlooked."

-- Lynne Rossetto Kasper, author of The Splendid Table

About the Author

Lucia Watson was born in Minneapolis. She received her undergraduate degree in French from the University of Minnesota. Lucia is a well-known chef and restaurateur who owns one of Minneapolis's top restaurants, Lucia's. She has studied with Madeleine Kamman at the School for American Chefs, has run a successful catering business, and teaches cooking throughout the Twin Cities area. Her family has deep roots in Minnesota and both her grandmothers were outstanding cooks -- heartland cooks -- who passed down their talent, their passion for cooking, and their recipes to Lucia, who uses them in her own cooking.

Beth Dooley was born in New Jersey. She received her undergraduate degree from St. Lawrence University and a master's degree in writing from the University of New Hampshire. Beth is an experienced cook and food writer. A transplanted Easterner, she has lived in Minneapolis for fifteen years, writing for several of the major food companies located in the Midwest and for local and national magazines. Her books include It's the Berries and Peppers Hot and Sweet, both published by Garden Way. She is married and has three children. Lucia and Beth have coauthored articles for several magazines, including Fine Cooking.

With more than 80 photographs and illustration

Edition details

• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0679411755
• ISBN 13: 9780679411758
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 416