Reviews

The Old World Kitchen: The Rich Tradition of European Peasant Cooking by Elisabeth Luard

beentsy's review against another edition

5.0

This book is just stunning. So much amazing in one place. I may have to purchase the hardcopy edition in addition to my ebook.

fairywine's review against another edition

3.0

The Old World Kitchen is a lot of fun if you're looking to explore a wide range of European cuisines without going through the trouble of getting individual cookbooks. There's a lot of variety to be had here, organized by dish type and supported by a well laid out index. With this many recipes, there's definitely something for everyone!

If I have to ding The Old World Kitchen for anything, it's that it's somewhat dated and I find some of the measuring amounts specified confusing and inconsistent. Some people have also pointed out inaccuracies in the research, which is also a problem for something purporting to be "authentic".

Still, overall this is a fun cookbook if not a mind blowing one. Maybe my rating will go up as I have a chance to try more recipes, but for now I'll say a solid three stars.

elinwoods's review against another edition

informative

4.0

johannah's review

5.0

This cookbook is fun - it dips you into the kitchens of regular European families of days gone by, entwining stories and recipes. The recipes use simple ingredients to create dishes bigger than what they are made of. Pease porridge - put dried peas in a bag and put it in a pot where pork is boiling in water, remove the peas, mash the peas, and steam the result until it sets. The book includes recipes for cold beer soup, haggis, and syllabub. It also has a chapter called "Beef, Reindeer, and Grilled Meats".