A Thyme to Discover. Early American Recipes for the Modern Table, Reviewed

I don't think I have ever been as captivated by a cookbook as I was by this one. From its clever title to its charming illustrations, wonderful recipes, interesting history, and snippets of facts peppered throughout, A Thyme to Discover. Early American Recipes for the Modern Table by Tricia Cohen and Lisa Graves has a little bit of everything. It makes as appropriate addition to your coffee table as it does your kitchen counter because of its wide appeal. Children will enjoy the whimsical illustrations, adults with no interest in cooking will find the history fascinating, and the cook, well, the cook is just going to fall in love.

Everything about this book is unique and clever, even the Table of Contents, that is divided into sections of time rather than by cuisine, as shown in the picture below.

The recipes are adapted with the modern day cook in mind, and all tastes are considered. No one, from the very young to the elderly, is going to be left behind. From the 1620s to the 1650s you will find Maple and Herbs Acorn Squash; from the 1650s to the 1680s you will find Veal with Madeira Sauce; the late 60s offer Baked Virginia Ham with Bourbon Orange Glaze; 1700s to 1790s, Braised Short Ribs, Boston Brown Bread and Baked Beans. There are plenty of desserts to be had as well, think Decadent White Chocolate Rice Pudding, Applejack Crisp Pie, and Bourbon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is. To be truly authentic, you can precede your meal with a colonial cocktail -- Spruce Beer, Quince Wine, Rattle-Skull, and Flip, just to name a few.

This is a hard book to put down, once you start paging through you won't want to stop. It will also send you immediately into the kitchen to whip up something tasty.

We all know that hard to buy for person whose name we happen to draw for Secret Santa. That person who has a variety of oddball interests, few of which replicate our own, and we often find ourselves scratching our heads trying to figure out what to get him or her. This book is your answer. It is a book for foodies, history buffs, and red-blooded Americans in general. It will charm and delight both young and old, you don't have to be a cook to enjoy it, and it would be suitable for older children as well as adults, and a welcome gift for a grandparent who may remember being taught about the Mayflower, American Revolution, and the Early American Settlers who struggled to survive in the New World. You will delight your recipient with this book. 

Buy one.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.