The Supper Book

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“Supper is more a state of mind than a meal bound by rules. Above all,
it shouldn’t be prepared watching the clock and racing through all the
cooking. ... The kitchen should be a soothing place, especially after a
hectic day in the work world. Cooking supper for yourself and others can
be a welcome change of thought and tempo.”

The above excerpt is from the book’s preface, where cookbook author
extraordinaire Marion Cunningham sets down her rules for cooking.
Cunningham is best known to her fans as the person who brought the old
Fannie Farmer Cookbook into the modern age. In today’s world of naked
chefs, Nigellas that bite, and Wham-Bam! Cajun-Ham!, Cunningham is
determined to return to a kinder, gentler era when people deliberately
gathered together at the same place and time to enjoy their meals as
friends and family.

In fact, this whole cookbook seems dedicated to finding the elusive
Zen-like essence of supper by stripping away the flashy clutter of
exotic ingredients and complicated cooking techniques. All recipes are
reduced to their basics, using only ingredients that are readily
available. For example, Cunningham’s recipe for Spare Ribs requires
only three components: pork spareribs, salt, and pepper. That’s it. No
slow-simmered sauces. No three-step boiling, braising, and baking with
wet mesquite chips.

The recipes are organized according to food groups—Supper Salads,
Supper Soups, Fish and Shellfish, Chicken, Meat, Mostly Vegetables,
Supper Breads, Fringe Dishes, and Desserts. Each recipe is bracketed by
a comment or two by Cunningham on why she likes this particular dish or
where she first tasted it. She also offers suggestions for complementary
side dishes that are also found in the book. Most of the recipes are
familiar North American favorites such as shepherd’s pie, ham and bean
soup, potato salad, and buttermilk cornbread, but the occasional guest
star from a foreign land makes an appearance. The result is a collection
of more than 180 recipes designed for ease of preparation and
great-tasting results.