Kirstens Cookbook

i had this book as a child and it got lost years ago. i remember that the first thing that i ever cooked was the potato soup recipe in this book. when it came in the mail, the first thing i did was turn to that recipe. i went to the store, bought the ingredients, and made it for supper that night for my parents. it was just as good as we remembered! all the recipes are great and kid friendly. it also has interesting facts and stories.

The American Girl series of historical novels, written for girls (and boys) ages 9-12, contain six novels about each of the seven girls. EAch of the novels represents one aspect of each girl's life. Separate from the stories are the related books, including cookbooks and craft books. The specific period of American history is both educational and entertaining. "Kirsten's Cookbook: A Peek at Dining in the Past with Meals You Can Cook Today" is one of these books. Kirsten and her family are immigrants from Sweden, who relocated in Minnesota in 1854. The terribly hard life of these people made me thoroughly happy I live here and now. One reason life on this farm was difficult concerned food and its growth and preparation for eating. With no supermarkets or local convenience stores, families grew or gathered, hunted and killed everything they ate. As you read through this "cookbook," you will learn about the pioneer kitchen, the tableware, and tips for cooking these items today. The standard breakfast for Swedes was substantial because of the hard work required to establish and keep a home. It included Pork Sausage Patties, hard-boiled eggs, Swedish Rice Porridge (oatmeal), rye bread, home-made butter, and ginger cookies. The pork came from the pig raised and killed on the farm, eggs from their own chickens, and butter from their own cow. Here's the dinner menu: ham, Swedish potatoes (fried with onions), cabbage and apple salad, fruit soup, and almond rusks (a kind of coffee cake). Little side notes are interspersed throughout the "cookbook." Examples include Mortar and Pestle, Lard, Baking Soda, Churning Butter, Bread Ovens, and so on--the practical aspects of immigrant pioneer life. The last section of each girl's cookbook is Favorite Foods. The Swedish experience includes Potato Soup, Swedish Meatballs, Fresh Applesauce, Swedish Pancakes, St. Lucia Buns, and Pepparkakor Cookies with such flavorful ingredients as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and maple syrup. Finally, are you ready for a party after all the work? American Girl editors have a Swedish pioneer party planned for you.

This delightful cookbook is part of the American Girls Pastimes series, and focuses on the sort of recipes that would have been used during the time of Kirsten Larson, 1854. The book begins with some historical notes on pioneer kitchens and eating, and includes a short prayer in Swedish (which my eleven-year-old daughter is trying to memorize). Then the book launches into the recipes. First comes breakfast with homemade sausage patties, hard-boiled eggs (and how to serve), Swedish rice porridge, round rye bread (all hand made), homemade butter, and ginger cookies. Next comes dinner with baked ham slice, Swedish potatoes (better than scalloped potatoes!), cabbage and apple salad, fruit soup, and Swedish almond rusks. Then comes favorite foods, which includes potato soup, Swedish meatballs, fresh applesause, Swedish pancakes, St. Lucia buns, and Pepparkakor cookies (ginger cookies, a traditional Christmas treat, but good anytime). The final chapter is on planning a pioneer party.This is a very good recipe book. The recipes in here are all easily within the ability of a youngster who is guided by an adult with even moderate experience in the kitchen; no special tools are need. My daughter already made the Swedish pancakes (yum!), and is planning a Swedish meal (at which she'll recite the prayer). I can't wait.This is a very nice book, an excellent recipe book, and an excellent addition to your Kirsten library.

The recipes are wonderful, and the history is easy to take in. I learned quite a bit from this book without any suffering. There are lots of pictures, including photos. This is my kind of cookbook! I intend to buy the other cookbooks in this series.