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Book Review of A Guide to Modern AMerican Cooking

A Guide to Modern AMerican Cooking
kateford avatar reviewed on + 13 more book reviews


Well, this cookbook, A Guide to Modern American Cooking, is 1) not a guide 2) not modern and 3) most definitely not American.

The late Chef Pol Martin of Canada has put together what I suppose he views as "American Cuisine." He's wrong in most every way he could be wrong, starting with very odd chapter categories, but that doesn't mean there are not some worthwhile recipes here, with colorful photographs.

The chapters are presented in the following order:

Kebab it!
Pasta
Budget Cooking
Outdoor Cooking
Grilled Fish
Salad
Appetizers
Desserts
Microwave

As you can see, not the traditional American Style of appetizers, breakfast, lunch, entrees, baked goods, grains, etc. Within those chapters, many non-traditional recipes with non-traditional ingredients are presented.

Here are some examples of "Modern American Recipes"

Lamb Kebobs
Layered Coquilles
Passion Fruit Kebabs
Plums with Jubilee Sauce
Anchovy Egg Noodles
Nicoise Bluefish
Boiled Beef
Cottage Cheese Sundaes (yep, use cottage cheese in place of ice cream)
Double Fish Kebabs
Cheese Topped Haddock
Fried Smelts
Curried Grouper
Fruit Cake
Mango Salad

Etc. Not very American, but interesting nevertheless. If you have a taste for more Canadian and British cuisine, you may find this an interesting cookbook. Ingredients are presented in both US measurements (volume) and Metric (weight). You won't find macaroni and cheese, pot roast, fried chicken and the like. You will find dozens of kebabs and salads and other "outdoorsy fare" best suited for entertaining.