A Wonderful Little Gem
Rating:
5 / 5
Usually, I consider reading a cookbook somewhat like reading the telephone book. But not "Good Things to Eat". "Rufus" conveys his joy of cooking in a natural, matter-of-fact manner, lean of descriptive narration, lending eloquence to the food itself. Many of the dishes in his book seem quite exotic to us now - Salmi of Game, Orange Fool, Snippodoodles, Spawn and Milk, Pineapple Marshmallows ("This is a good confection for Thanksgiving.") - but the way Rufus puts them together makes them seem eminently doable.D. J. Frienz should be commended for making "Good Things to Eat" more than just a list of recipes by way he has interspersed Rufus's writings with illustrations, placing in context Rufus Estes's service as a star Pullman attendant and chef during the Gilded Age, when dining in a private railroad car was considered the height of luxury. Rufus's was a state-of-the-art American cuisine, good enough for presidents and plutocrats, and to have this formidable gentleman of a bygone era commune with me through a medium we both love - good things to eat - is a special privilege. Hey, I'm getting hungry just writing this!
A Wonderful Little Gem
Rating:
5 / 5
Usually, I consider reading a cookbook somewhat like reading the telephone book. But not "Good Things to Eat". "Rufus" conveys his joy of cooking in a natural, matter-of-fact manner, lean of descriptive narration, lending eloquence to the food itself. Many of the dishes in his book seem quite exotic to us now - Salmi of Game, Orange Fool, Snippodoodles, Spawn and Milk, Pineapple Marshmallows ("This is a good confection for Thanksgiving.") - but the way Rufus puts them together makes them seem eminently doable.D. J. Frienz should be commended for making "Good Things to Eat" more than just a list of recipes by way he has interspersed Rufus's writings with illustrations, placing in context Rufus Estes's service as a star Pullman attendant and chef during the Gilded Age, when dining in a private railroad car was considered the height of luxury. Rufus's was a state-of-the-art American cuisine, good enough for presidents and plutocrats, and to have this formidable gentleman of a bygone era commune with me through a medium we both love - good things to eat - is a special privilege. Hey, I'm getting hungry just writing this!
A Wonderful Little Gem
Rating:
5 / 5
Usually, I consider reading a cookbook somewhat like reading the telephone book. But not "Good Things to Eat". "Rufus" conveys his joy of cooking in a natural, matter-of-fact manner, lean of descriptive narration, lending eloquence to the food itself. Many of the dishes in his book seem quite exotic to us now - Salmi of Game, Orange Fool, Snippodoodles, Spawn and Milk, Pineapple Marshmallows ("This is a good confection for Thanksgiving.") - but the way Rufus puts them together makes them seem eminently doable.D. J. Frienz should be commended for making "Good Things to Eat" more than just a list of recipes by way he has interspersed Rufus's writings with illustrations, placing in context Rufus Estes's service as a star Pullman attendant and chef during the Gilded Age, when dining in a private railroad car was considered the height of luxury. Rufus's was a state-of-the-art American cuisine, good enough for presidents and plutocrats, and to have this formidable gentleman of a bygone era commune with me through a medium we both love - good things to eat - is a special privilege. Hey, I'm getting hungry just writing this!
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