Book Review: The Cracker Kitchen by Janice Owen

One of the more fabulous benefits of having a food blog is the occasional cookbook that lands on your doorstep. My postman would probably prefer I was reviewing paperback children's books or lightweight poetry chapbooks, but instead he has to deliver these escoffier tomes.

The most recent book I received is Janice Owen's The Cracker Kitchen. I love books that offer as much character and writing as recipes, and this one is all character. There's real culture behind the recipes and if you think of the mid-west and the south as "fly-over states" it's not for you. It's not for the vegetarian faint of heart either, since the recipes for frogs legs and hog jowls might freak you out. But if you grew up knowing black-eyed peas go into Texas Cavier and Hoecake's need honey, you'll dig this collection. Owens identifies cracker culture as another American fusion culture, defined by "a near pathological love for family..." That's right on. There's a utilitarian passion in these recipes. Take for example the chicken... this is a great collection, with fried chicken, chicken and dumplings, giblet gravy, chicken tenderloins, chicken perloo, and plain old chicken gravy.

Pat Conroy penned the intro and calls the book, "a love letter to celebrate poor white people and people in the South..." and it is.. and it's also a love letter to mayo, lots and lots of MAYO. I guess there are folks in my family who are crackers... they say "eye-talian" when they mean "Italian" and don't take crap off anyone. While I don't think I'll be making baked Aramadillo anytime soon, I do appreciate having a definitive recipe for Lane Cake and Buttermilk Pie, and I can't wait to make peach cobbler with buttermilk in the fruit.