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Book Review of Native American Cookbook, Modern & Traditional Recipes: Celebrating the Culture of America?s Indigenous People (Ethnic American Cookbooks)

jjares avatar reviewed on + 3292 more book reviews


This is whole-food eating in a nutshell; the recipes call for items very close to the earth (juniper berries, venison, sassafras roots). They tend to cook with hominy, beans, and different types of squashes. Vegetables are the main ingredients, with a side of meat. Their recipes call for far less sugar than mainstream American food. Even their desserts call for little sugar.

This book has no photos or nutritional information. However, prep and cooking times are listed, as well as servings. One of the reasons I want nutritional information is to see if my dietary restrictions will allow me to make the recipe. However, this book shows cooking close to the source (vegetable gardens). Little sodium or sugar is used, which is good for me.

These recipes have been adapted for modern cooks. Therefore, I see that frozen corn and canned tomato paste are used. I doubt any cook today would make their own tomato paste before adding it to a recipe. Thus, downgrading a cookbook to make the recipes more accessible for today's cooks is unrealistic. The people who berated this book must have expected to cook the recipes over an open fire on the range.