Matt Braun's Western Cooking

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Although Braun, an author of westerns, seeks to conjure up ``the fabled West of the frontier era,'' the results are uneven in the images and in the dishes served. Most of the recipes are designed for modern cooks but a few, notably the six-shooter (boiled) coffee, will be attempted only by the intrepid. The robust, meat-intensive collection liberally invokes chuck-wagon cooks and ``old-West cowhands'' with such dishes as bear steak, squirrel casserole and venison in the form of steak, roast and stew. Less rugged are langoustine soup, orange pork chops flavored with sherry and dry onion-soup mix and a ``bacon 'n' cheese pie'' that would be called quiche anywhere else. Although ``cowboys, for the most part, thought vegetables were for sissies,'' Braun does allow items like ``ol' fashion'' skillet corn, Red River green beans and creamed onions. Mexican influence appears in burritos de puerco, flautas de pollo and enchiladas de carne, while Native American input is evident in squaw bread and pemmican. A limited selection of fish dishes includes baked stuffed trout and fried catfish. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Oct.)

Midwest Book Review

"Matt Braun's Western Cooking features more than 100 savory recipes drawn from the hearty flavors, traditions and lore of Western cooking. From "Braised Short Ribs", "Chuck-Wagon Beans", and "Roast Quail" to "Venison Stew", "Stuffed Acorn Squash", and "Hotshot Barbecue Sauce" anyone can cook up an authentic Western treat in their kitchen. Mexican and Indian cookery are important components and so such favorites as "Tostadas de Frijoles", "Enchiladas de Carne", "Tamale Pie", Buffalo Meat", "Jerky", "Squaw Bread", and many others await within the pages of Matt Braun's Western Cooking. These delicious and easy-to-make recipes cover all aspects of the Western meal, from cast-iron cookery to jalapeno peppers. With these authentic recipes the dining room table becomes reminiscent of the chuck wagon, and a lot of hungry appetites will be enthusiastically satisfied."—Midwest Book Review

Idaho Press Tribune

"You won''t have to ring the dinner bell twice when you prepare some of the tried and true recipes in this book. And as an added bonus, Braun enhances many of the recipes with the colorful history of the dish, He also traces the development of the Westerners'' cuisine and the different cultures that contributed to it."—Marie D. Gaylean, Idaho Press Tribune

— Marie D. Gaylean

Idaho Press Tribune

"You won't have to ring the dinner bell twice when you prepare some of the tried and true recipes in this book. And as an added bonus, Braun enhances many of the recipes with the colorful history of the dish, He also traces the development of the Westerners' cuisine and the different cultures that contributed to it."—Marie D. Gaylean, Idaho Press Tribune