Taste of the Midwest: 12 States, 101 Recipes, 150 Meals, 8,207 Miles and Millions of Memories

Having lived in the Midwest my whole life, I learned a lot from reading this book. The writing style is unpretentious and all varieties of cuisine are given a fair review. It was a very enjoyable and easy read.

Reviewed by Kelli Glesige for Reader Views (7/06) Midwest Living magazine's Dan Kaercher took a six week Midwest road-food tour during the summer of 2005. He visited 12 states, drove 8,207 miles and consumed an unrevealed number of calories while moving his belt a notch or two. From his travels, Dan discovered there is a captivating story to be told about food in the Midwest. Dan visited with Midwest cooks known for their distinctive cuisines (barbeque, steak and chili), and he visited signature crops (corn, soybeans & wheat; cherries, blueberries & cranberries; beef, pork & dairy products) that succeed in the area like nowhere else on earth. From these travels, "Taste of the Midwest" was born. "Taste of the Midwest" is a very nice hardbound book with lovely pictures of the travels Dan experienced. Unique spots in the different locations are highlighted and directions are given so the interested reader may seek more information, if so inclined. Within each section are some of the recipes of dishes Dan encountered along with a travel journal of each state complete with lodging, dining, featured stops and other great shops, and scheduled food events one might have interest in visiting. Information on mail order items that can be purchased from the area is also included. I guess you could say I am a bit partial to the Midwest area since I am from Indiana and live in Ohio, but I found this book to be exceptional. I enjoyed reading about areas and events I have heard about, and I loved seeing colorful pictures of the areas discussed. The maps included were helpful too, as it was easy to visually tell the path Mr. Kaercher was taking on his travels. Anyone interested in traveling the Midwest in search of the local cuisine will definitely enjoy this book. If you are interested in making the locals' recipes in your own home, you should also find this book of interest. From the secrets of the Amish Cooks in Indiana, the fruits of the North in Michigan, the Great Plains Granary of Kansas, to the garden of hometown favorites in Ohio, this book is sure to please. There are many tasty sounding recipes included in "Taste of the Midwest", and the appetizing and stylish pictures will make the cook all the more eager to give one a try. Dakota Buffalo Taco Soup from South Dakota sounds intriguing while Awesome Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies from Nebraska is something I must prepare for my cookie loving family. It was also interesting reading about the Iowa State Fair's deep-fried Snickers, Twinkies and Ho Hos--oh my! If you are a cookbook collector or someone who loves the Midwest, I recommend this book for you. It will fit nicely not only on the cookbook shelf, but in the library or on the coffee table as well.