October Thrifty Week #2 ~ #1 Greek AND American Cooking

The Complete Book of Greek Cooking, published in 2006.  Over 160 recipes with color step by step photos of the preparation involved in making each dish.. The introductory chapters touch on the history of Greece, food  and culture - including foreign influences, and a summary of feast days and festivals.  There is also a short geography lesson on the culinary differences between the Greek mainland and the Greek islands.

A large chapter explores the mainstays of the Greek kitchen: olive and olive oils, fruit - including figs, vegetables (a salad is generally served with every meal), herbs and spices, fish and seafood (octopus is heavily featured in many recipes) and of course drinks (Ouzo and Retsina).

The recipes include appetizers, soup, fish, entrees (lots of lamb!), vegetarian meals, sides and salads, plus desserts.

As American As Apple Pie, published in 1990. Twenty of the best loved American dishes are highlighted with 12 variations for each recipe. Most of the recipes were collected from home cooks across the country with a few professional cooks/restaurants thrown in for good measure.  The  subjects explored include Apple Pie, BBQ Sauces, Bread Pudding, Brownies, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Cookies, Potato Salad, Stews and Pot Roast.  There are many food related quotes scattered throughout the pages.