The Cowboy Country Cookbook

Patricia A. Myers is a historian at the Historic Sites and Archives
Service, Alberta Community Development, and the author of Sky Riders: An
Illustrated History of Aviation in Alberta, 1906–1945.

Readers of this jaunty little cookbook follow the trail of the cowboy,
from the American southwest up to the Canadian plains.

A short introduction relates how cattle came to the New World,
identifies the Spanish antecedents of the cowboy, and explains the
westward and northward expansion of the ranching industry. The recipes
are arranged primarily by region: the southwest, the great plains and
the northern ranges, and the Canadian west. Each section has a brief
introduction that explains some of the characteristics of the region’s
cooking. A final section highlights cowboy-country special occasions.

Most of the recipes come from ranching families, restaurants, or others
connected with the cowboy life. Many are accompanied by a short anecdote
about the dish and the family contributing it. These are no-nonsense
recipes by cooks with a history of feeding hungry people. Ground beef,
canned corn, tomatoes, and kidney beans are combined to make thick,
hearty Wrangler Soup. Other recipes include Crumb Cake, Chicken Green
Chili, English Brown Stew, and Sock Coffee.

The Cowboy Country Cookbook offers a charming picture of both the
flavors and history of ranch life.