Bring a taste of Avonlea home for the holidays
- Staci
- Dec 5, 2017
- 2 min read
If you grew up in Canada like I did, there's a very good chance that Anne of Green Gables is a household name for you. The stories created by L.M. Montgomery are national treasures, making "kindred spirits" out of all who love them. I have good news for those of us who have ever longed to share a glass of raspberry cordial with Anne and DIana, or to share in Anne's experience of tasting homemade ice cream for the very first time: With The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook you can do just that.
This book is something truly special, starting with the cover. One could easily imagine finding this book in your grandmother's collection, with its charming design that harkens back to a simpler time -- but that's just the beginning of what makes this book a standout. The recipes inside are from several of the Anne books, including Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea and Anne of Windy Poplars. Author Kate Macdonald knows a little something about Ms. Montgomery herself: she was her grandmother!
Recipes include:
Maritime Gingerbread
Tantalizing Raspberry Tarts
Puffy Apple Dumplings
Miss Stacy's Baked Macaroni
Anne's Liniment Cake
and of course, Diana Barry's Favorite Raspberry Cordial!
There are even a few recipes in the book from the kitchen of L.M. Montgomery herself, such as Cavendish Catsup, and photos of the real-life place that served as the perfect setting for the Anne stories.
The recipe we chose to test was chosen mainly because I loved the name. I mean, really, how can you not want to try something that is called "Dave and Dora's Monkey Faces"? These tasty little morsels are full of molasses and warm spices like cinnamon, topped off with "faces" made out of raisins. Full disclosure: Neither I, nor my 10-year-old daughter (who essentially made this recipe on her own) like raisins, so we substituted dried cranberries. The result was a plate of warmly spiced morsels with the perfect hit of tart and sweet thanks to the cranberries. If you're a raisin lover, I would imagine those would be delicious, too, as written in the recipe.
In addition to the recipes, the book is sprinkled with wonderful quotes from the books, which add to the charm and appeal of the book for those who hold a special place in their hearts for the Anne stories. The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook is a wonderful addition to any Anne collection. It is full of delicious recipes, and the old-fashioned charm that has made Anne of Green Gables a beloved family institution for so many people. You won't find any new-age, molecular gastronomy recipes here. This is real, honest-to-goodness, down-home cooking at its best, peppered with that special brand of magic that is all Anne's own.
If you or any of your "kindred spirits" have fallen head over heels for a certain spirited, wordy redhead with a wild imagination, consider putting this book under the tree this holiday season.
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