Cooking for the Seasons

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

This latest book in Jean Paré’s Special Occasion Series takes the
changing seasons as its organizing principle, and looks at ingredients
widely available during particular seasons. “Spring,” for example,
features an Easter Brunch Menu and a How-to Easter Bunny Cake;
“Fall” features a Thanksgiving Dinner Menu and a How-To Bread
Cornucopia.

Each season is organized into sections, from appetizers and breads to
salads, main dishes, and desserts. Throw in beverages, side dishes,
brunch, and seasonal attractions such as Holiday Baking (in
“Winter”) and a Watermelon Vase for family reunion picnic tables (in
“Summer”), and just about every base is covered. Cooking tips appear
regularly throughout the book (e.g., soak onions for half an hour before
chopping to reduce strong taste), and each recipe comes with a full
nutritional analysis. The book is lavishly illustrated.

The Company’s Coming series enjoys wide appeal, and the format of
this book is similar to the others. The recipes are clearly presented
and there’s lots of variety. However, there’s a reliance on
processed products, such as evaporated milk, dry vegetable soup mix,
barbecue sauce, processed-cheese spread, garlic powder, and parsley
flakes that may not appeal to some cooks. Recipes include Pumpernickel
Bread, Chorizo Chili, Chocolate Butter Tarts, Walnut and Green Leaf
Salad, Square Biscuits and Crisp Parmesan Drumsticks, Golf Course Cake,
Dutch Apple Cream Pie, and Fresh Fruit Flan with a sponge cake base.
This is hearty, unassuming fare that can be served at picnics, family
dinners, and church suppers.

The book includes a table that provides equivalent measures, tips
(there’s help for almost every occasion a cook will meet), and a
recipe index. Fans of the series will be pleased with this volume, and
other cooks may well want to try some of its seasonal delights.