Many of you know that I have an obsession with cookbooks. So I was really excited to learn about The Blue Ribbon Cook Book. Keep reading to find out more about it.
The Blue Ribbon Cook Book by Jennie C. Benedict
The Blue Ribbon Cook Book has lots of vintage recipes that I haven’t found anywhere else. Keep in mind that if you like your cookbooks to have pictures, this is not one for you. Some of the recipes are complex but I like having access to them anyways. Who knows maybe one day I’ll have the courage to try them out. I absolutely love southern cooking so The Blue Ribbon Cook Book is definitely one that fits in my home.
My favorite recipes have to be the Lilly’s Benedictine, Lobster Cutlets, and the Brussels Sprouts in White Sauce. What I like the most in this book is that some of the recipes are written out instead of having the traditional layout of listing the ingredients and then the directions. It makes me feel like when I look at my grandma’s recipe cards.
You can find The Blue Ribbon Cook Book on Amazon and your favorite bookseller.
Jennie C. Benedict’s The Blue Ribbon Cook Book represents the very best in the tradition of southern regional cooking. Recipes for such classic dishes as Parker House rolls, lamb chops, corn pudding, Waldorf salad, and cheese and nut sandwiches are nestled among longtime local favorites such as apple butter, rice pudding, griddle cakes, and Benedictine, the cucumber sandwich spread which bears Benedict’s name.
Throughout the cookbook, Benedict’s delightful voice shines. Once the most famous caterer in Louisville, Benedict also operated a celebrated tearoom and soda fountain and trained with Fannie Farmer at the Boston Cooking School. Five editions of Benedict’s famous cookbook have been published, and her aim in sharing her recipes was simple; as she mentions in the preface, “I have tried to give the young housekeeper just what she needs, and for more experienced ones, the best that can be had in the culinary art.” As a creative entrepreneur, Benedict had a significant influence on the local culture and foodways. Her sweet and savory dishes were the stars of many Derby parties, and yet she placed equal emphasis on simple luncheon and dinner recipes to satisfy the needs of home cooks. While her popular dishes graced genteel tables all over the Bluegrass, Benedict’s chicken salad sandwiches, sold from a pushcart, offered Louisville children the first school lunches in the city.
About the Author
Jennie C. Benedict (1860–1928) published numerous books in her lifetime and is most famous for The Blue Ribbon Cook Book. Benedict was born in Harrods Creek, Kentucky, near Louisville.
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