The Blue Ribbon Cookbook: Recipes, stories and tips from prizewinning country show cooks
by Liz Harfull
Publisher: Wakefield Press, Country: AU
ISBN: 9781862547926, Year: 2008
Link to publisher’s page or site
This review is the personal opinion of the reviewer.

Overview

The “Blue Ribbon” of this title is the traditional blue ribbon awarded to winning entries in country shows and specifically the various cookery sections (Classes) of the Horticultural and Agricultural Shows throughout South Australia. From cover to cover this is an attractive book, with well laid out pages, clear and easy to read text and nice sharp images to delight the eye and stimulate the taste buds. The prize winning cooks are women, men and children of all ages and mostly from towns and farming communities close to particular show venues. The recipes range from the humble tomato sauce, various preserves, jams and jellies, through baked goods from biscuits to sponge cakes and a State Competition winning entry of a rich dark fruit cake.

Full review

Liz Harfull is described as “author, freelance journalist, photographer, consultant and keen amateur cook”. She is also an experienced show entrant herself and her intention in writing this book is to celebrate the thousands of show entrants, past and present, and to encourage others to enter cooking Classes in their local shows to keep the traditions alive. She is obviously passionate about country shows and their importance to country communities as showcases for farming and domestic activities.

The cover art subtly reflects the theme of the book, inviting the reader to look more closely, then open the book and start reading. A blue, satin ribbon page marker is a nice additional touch. The Blue Ribbon Cookbook is a compact hard back, just a little longer than it is wide (20×23.5cm) with 171 pages.

There are Contents pages at the front listing the individual show venues with the name of the featured recipe, and there is a simple alphabetical Index of recipes at the back.

The book is a showcase for individual cooks, all of whom have won the blue ribbon in a particular cooking Class at one or more shows. Most are multiple blue ribbon winners.

Each entry has a brief biography and photograph of the featured cook, the recipe and a picture of the finished item, usually covering two facing pages. There are also two side bars for each recipe: one has “Tips from the Cook”, usually focusing on the recipe and making, and another that has “Tips from the Judges”. These are tips on show cooking, presentation, what the judges look for and what will cause an entry to be rejected; all of it invaluable information for anyone who may decide to enter a particular show Class.

The tips from the various Judges are compiled in a single page at the back for easy reference.

Over all, there are forty nine country show venues covered, each featuring one successful cook and a recipe for their prize winning entry, four entries from the Royal Adelaide Show and one State Competition entry.

The recipes are mostly home cooking standard recipes that present a challenge to any cook, but with the addition of some traditional German goodies such as German Yeast Cake (Kuchen), and Rote Grütze, traditionally made in this region with the Australian twist of late picked shiraz, mataro or grenache grapes.

The recipes are set out clearly and, reading through them, there are no obvious omissions or errors in the ingredients list or instructions. Furthermore, the author states that each recipe has been tested prior to publication (by family and friends) and for me, that alone stands as a recommendation for the book.

There are, however, a few minor spelling errors in the last few entries; errors of the sort that are not picked up by electronic checking routines.

In addition to the recipe pages, other pages have pictures of old advertisements, show schedules and photographs of show venues in past centuries, and brief histories of the different show venues. Many of the country shows date back to early settlement and the photographs from the different eras are intriguing glimpses of the past and social and dress changes that have occurred. The old advertisements are fun to read too.

While the focus of the book is show cooking and the preparation and presentation of entries, other cooks who are not interested in showing will also gain a lot from reading it. The tips from the individual cooks about the preparation and baking of the recipes they use are not the usual tips found in cookery books and are invaluable because they are specific to an individual recipe.

A book that stands alone, this is one I would recommend to all cooks who like to read their cookery books and enjoy cooking from recipes that offer some challenge.

Main rating: 5. Highly recommended
Visual appeal: Attractive
Suitability as a gift: Quite nice
This is an original review for The Gastronomer’s Bookshelf.
Rate this review
OkayQuite helpfulVery helpful/interesting (none)
-
Loading ... Loading ...
VN:F [1.8.6_1065]
Rate this book
Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)


More reviews and announcements that might be interesting:


The BookDepository

 

Post a Comment

Please only use the comments for additional information, useful links, or discussion of aspects of the book.

Your email is never shared. Required fields are marked *

*
*
  • Subscribe by email

New release: Great Beers

cover

Great Beers features more than 700 beers from 350 breweries worldwide, hand-picked by a team of local experts. Brewery details, histories, recommendations, and tasting notes make this an essential book for beer lovers everywhere.

[read more...]

New release: Microgreens

cover

Microgreens is a practical guide to growing arugula and other popular mini-greens that offer a multitude of colors, textures and flavors, as well as concentrated active compounds. The book also includes 15 easy recipes that make the most of microgreens.

[read more...]

New release: The Commonsense Kitchen

cover

The Commonsense Kitchen is a book from Deep Springs, an organic farm, school and working cattle ranch in the high desert of the Sierra Nevada. This general cookbook has more than 500 recipes for delicious, honest staples and sassy regional specialties.

[read more...]

New release: Hix

cover

Hix Oyster & Chop House features 100 mouth-watering recipes for dishes that appear on the menu of the famous British restaurant. Oysters are a speciality and the book includes a guide to native oysters, producers in the British Isles, and tips for preparing.

[read more...]

Visit our Buying Books page to find out how to support this site

New release: The Art and Craft of Coffee

cover

The Art and Craft of Coffee is a backstage pass into the world of small-batch coffee roasting, bean selection, grinding, and artisan-quality brewing. Kevin Sinnott, the coffee world’s most ardent consumer advocate, educates, inspires, and caffeinates the reader in this comprehensive, full-color instructional guide.

[read more...]

New release: Cat Cora’s Classics with a Twist

cover

On the wildly popular show Iron Chef America, Cat Cora uses her instincts to transform random ingredients into exciting creations on a moment’s notice. In this book, she turns her eye to some of our most popular dishes to make them faster, fresher, and lighter.

[read more...]

New release: It Tastes Better

cover

In It Tastes Better, Kylie Kwong has created over 100 recipes inspired by fresh, seasonal and sustainably produced food. Embarking on a journey around Australia to meet the people behind sustainable produce, she learns about the care they take to produce food that tastes better.

[read more...]

New release: Fiesta at Rick’s

cover

Whether you’re hosting a casual get-together with friends or throwing an outdoor shindig, no one can teach you the art of fiesta like Rick Bayless. With 150 recipes, Bayless offers you the key to unforgettable parties that will have guests clamoring for repeat invitations.

[read more...]

Click for all book news

website uptimeNEWSITE