Wine Country Cookbooks

Filed in archive Books (and Mags) for Cooks on November 14, 2007

Last week a friend gave me some old cookbooks that her aunt and uncle had sent to her from the States. She browsed through them and passed them on to me, thinking I might find some useful recipes inside. She also knows how starved we are for books around here!

Talk about a blast from the past!
The books are entitled Gourmet Wine Country Cooking: The Easy Way and Favorite Recipes of California Winemakers. Both are updated 1980's editions of 1960's cookbooks. It was amazing to see how food trends and recipes have changed since then!
(if either of these are favorites of yours, I apologize in advance)




My favorite recipe (and I mean that in a very sarcastic way) in Gourmet Wine Country Cooking is Chicken Curry In A Hurry. Check out this recipe!
2 (5-oz.) cans boned chicken
1 (10½-oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup California Sauterne (sic) or other white table wine
3 cups hot steamed rice

Cut chicken into pieces. In skillet combine chicken with soup, curry powder and wine. Heat gently until well blended and hot. Serve over hot steamed rice. Offer a choice of condiments to sprinkle over curry, such as coconut, orange sections, chutney, chopped salted peanuts or crisp, crumbled bacon. Condiments may be in small bowls on one tray or in compartments of one large plate.

Yikes!

This "recipe" for Quick Rosé-Cheese sauce comes from Favorite Recipes of California Winemakers.

This is a fast, easy sauce to serve over a hot, cooked vegetable, such as asparagus, broccoli or cauliflower.
1/2 pound process American cheese
1/2 cup California rosé
3 or 4 drops Tabasco sauce

Cut cheese into chunks; place all ingredients in top of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water. Heat, stirring now and then, until blended and smooth.
about 1 1/3 cups

shudder

Yes, the books do have some redeeming qualities. Favorite Recipes..., which has sold over 900,000 copies, has a nice looking recipe for Chicken in the Pot and...well, I looked, but couldn't really find another.
But I love them for their kitschiness!