OLD FARM COUNTRY COOKBOOK REVIEW

​There is nothing I enjoy more than an interesting cookbook, except a cookbook that's also a memoir. Interwoven personal anecdotes and recipes bring so much meaning to food, and to me, that's what it is all about. 

​Such is the case with The Old Farm Country Cookbook by Jerry Apps & Susan Apps-Bodilly, which was published in 2017 by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. The book is a charming blend of recipes and memories, with history at its heart. Jerry Apps reflects on his childhood growing up in a Wisconsin farmhouse during the Depression and World War II era. Fortunately, Eleanor, his mother, left behind a small wooden box chock full of recipes in her own handwriting, details of the family meals she cooked over a woodstove.  He used this box, and the memories it evoked, as the springboard for the book. Apps wrote the book with his daughter, Susan—an author and retired teacher—and with the help of his wife, Ruth, a professional home economist who tested many of the recipes. 

I discovered this book while doing research for the novel I am currently writing, which takes place on a Wisconsin farm much like the one in which Apps lived. A second timeline in my book focuses on 1943 and World War II events, and so this book was doubly helpful in depicting life on a farm during that time. I’m so glad I found this book because it was a pure joy to read. I literally swept through it in a matter of days (like a suspense novel-I am a bit of a history nerd!). I found it so compelling; the simpler times, the honest food, and the memories of a bygone era. 
 
There were some really interesting facts I learned from reading his book. For instance, I found out about the Watkins man, a traveling salesman who stopped at the farmhouse  once a month to sell goods, from liniment to vanilla. Another favorite story was the depiction of box socials, where women would pack a lunch for two in a box, decorate the box, and then it would be auctioned off to the men for a fundraiser. After winning the box, the man would discover which woman had prepared the meal and share it with her. 
 
Food is definitely at the heart of this book, and the recipes did not disappoint. There were at least twenty I want to make at some time in the future. What the recipes have in common is that they are all fairly simple. They don’t use a lot of ingredients, and the ingredients are common. They are also unique to the era. During the war, sugar was not readily available so many recipes use other sweeteners like honey or molasses. 

​My favorite recipe was the Victory Cake, a yellow cake made in an 8 by 8 pan with raisins inside and walnuts on top. The only difficult part of the recipe was separating the eggs and whipping the egg whites to be folded in later. Otherwise, it was quite simple and delicious. The mixture of lemon zest and allspice was so unique, I kept wanting more of it after every bite. We dolloped ours with some Cool Whip, but it was so moist, it didn’t need it. 

​Another recipe I tried was the Bean Salad. It a mixture of canned beans—kidney, chickpeas, green beans—mixed with other fresh ingredients and a pickled marinade. It tasted better each day until it was gone and was a great side dish to sandwiches, burgers, and more. I imagine it would travel well for a picnic. It had a sweet and salty tang and was very vibrant in color. I couldn’t find the canned yellow green beans mentioned in the recipe at any store in my area (do they sell them anymore?), so I swapped in a can of corn for the color and crunch. 

​I also made Filled Oatmeal (Date) Bars that were out of this world. In the future, I plan to make other dishes, like the Rutabaga Beef Oven Stew and Eleanor’s Molasses Cookies.  I also thought the recipes for making your own horseradish and your own cottage cheese sounded fun to try. 
 
This book was a true delight. It put a smile on my face and warmed my heart. If you enjoy history, farmhouse living, nostalgic tales and good old-fashioned food, this is the book for you too. 
 
Find out more about the book and purchase it from the Wisconsin Historical Society Website
 
Learn more about Susan Apps-Bodily and Jerry Apps