French Cooking in Early America

Possibly the best brief history of the foodways of early French settlers in America, French Cooking in Early America, utilizes primary source materials to explain the dietary habits and cooking techniques of Gallic immigrants. Generous endnotes detail sources of information for scholars, and actual old recipes and modernized recipes illustrate principles discussed in the text. Quotations from the time period help the reader feel connected to these early colonists. 117 pages, 21 authentic and commemorative recipes, 113 research notes. This and other books by Patricia B. Mitchell were first written for museums and their patrons. Each of her books summarizes a food history topic, using quotations and anecdotes to both entertain and inform. She carefully lists her references to make it easy for others to launch their own research. Since the 1980s Patricia Mitchell's work is a proven staple of American museum culture. Her readers love to share her ever-present sense of discovery. Her sales are approaching a million copies, and she is widely known by her web identity FoodHistory.com.