Kentucky's Cookbook Heritage

Download or read book Kentucky's Cookbook Heritage written by John van Willigen and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2014-11-12 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Southern historian combs through Kentucky cookbooks from the mid-nineteenth century through the twentieth to reveal a fascinating cultural narrative. In Kentucky's Cookbook Heritage, John van Willigen explores the Bluegrass State's cultural and culinary history, through the rich material found in regional cookbooks. He begins in 1839, with Lettice Bryan's The Kentucky Housewife, which includes pre-Civil War recipes intended for use by a household staff instead of an individual cook, along with instructions for serving the family. Van Willigen also shares the story of the original Aunt Jemima—the advertising persona of Nancy Green, born in Montgomery County, Kentucky—who was one of many African American voices in Kentucky culinary history. Kentucky's Cookbook Heritage is a journey through the history of the commonwealth, showcasing the shifting attitudes and innovations of the times. Analyzing the historical importance of a wide range of publications, from the nonprofit and charity cookbooks that flourished at the end of the twentieth century to the contemporary cookbook that emphasizes local ingredients, van Willigen provides a valuable perspective on the state's social history.