GREAT OLD-FASHIONED AMERICAN DESSERTS

by Beatrice Ojakangas ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 29, 1987

Ojakangas, a veteran food writer of more industry than flair, always does a decent job of recipe-selection and presentation. Here she has nobly resisted the temptation to retool the war horses of yesteryear along the lines of 1980's chic. It is pleasant to see good old Nesselrode pudding, apple roly-poly, lemon icebox cake, vinegar pie, sour-cream spice cake, and even lousy old cornstarch pudding and chiffon cake within the covers of one current book. Ethnic borrowings include kolaches and shoo-fly pie. Ojakangas is not a graceful writer or a knowledgeable historical researcher, and her taste is not exactly unerring--why desecrate apple-pie filling with flour, for heaven's sake, or why not pick one of the more delicate versions of floating island? But her recipes are clearly written, and the selection is really attractive. Yes, you can do better if you have a couple of the older kitchen bibles around the house; but for those with shorter memories, this is a nice introduction to deserving traditions.

Pub Date: June 29, 1987

ISBN: 0816644373

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1987

Categories: NONFICTION