Nancy Morton

This is a charming bit of nostalgia. You'll enjoy the folks dressed up 70's style in the photographs as much as the recipes. Fondue pots haven't changed that much, and where I live there are two fondue pot-based restaurants. Who would have thought?!! If you love kitsch, love the 70's, then this book is a must-have.

I'm not very impressed with the offerings. The recipes offer a lot of tomato, but precious little for spices. Some things may be a good base recipe, but herbs and spices are needed, as most of the spice is simply salt and pepper. There are a few colored photos, but they are also uninspiring. There is a section on Western-style cooking which runs from Texas sheet cake to sopaipillas to chilies rellenos to barbecued shortribs. There are other sections for regional cooking.

One of those books on my shelves that belongs to someone else in the household so I can't get rid of it. *sigh* We just never use it. Just not that useful and not much that separates a blender as a tool from a food processor to justify a separate cookbook on the subject. And, despite the light use of this hardcover book, the pages are falling apart.

I used some recipes out of this for my daughter's girl scout troop to try, but I don't find it particularly useful as a resource.