~ MMGM UNITED TASTES OF AMERICA ~

~ MARVELOUS MIDDLE-GRADE

MONDAY S.T.E.A.M. FEATURE ~

--  'UNITED TASTES OF AMERICA:

AN ATLAS OF FOOD FACTS & RECIPES

FROM EVERY STATE!'  --

AUTHOR GABRIELLE LANGHOLTZ

DRAWINGS BY JENNY BOWERS

PHOTOS BY DL ACKEN

 LEARN MORE ON GOODREADS

ABOUT THE BOOK {from Goodreads}:

Cook around the country with this geographical collection of authentic recipes from each of the USA's 50 states, plus three territories, and the nation's capital.

Following the success of America: The Cookbook, author (and mother) Gabrielle Langholtz has curated 54 child-friendly recipes – one for each state, plus Washington D.C. and three U.S. territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). From Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels to Louisiana gumbo, Oklahoma fry bread to Virginia peanut soup, each recipe is made simple by a step-by-step format and a full-color photograph of the finished dish. A full-spread introduction to each state/territory features background about its culinary culture, brought to life with illustrated food facts and maps. Informative and delicious for kids and their families! Ages 7-10

MY THOUGHTS:
I had a blast reading through this oversized book! It is like an 'I Spy' of food, traditions/customs, geographic trivia, and recipes. As you may have guessed from the cover, the drawings are colorful and detailed.

Following her informative and inviting introduction, the Author launches into educating readers about everything to do with working in the kitchen beginning with front matter sections entitled, 'Cooking Tips', 'Nine Terms to Know', 'Cooking How-To's', 'Kitchen Tools' {includes outline drawings of each tool and a glossary-style description of each tool}, and a colorful map of the United States of America.

Once you turn the page to get into the 'meat' {please pardon the pun 🤭} of the text, the real fun begins!

Each state and territory is featured with a narrative about its food, history, cultural history, and community activities. For instance, Alabama is first and the author includes facts about the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. She shares that during the voting rights marches of 1965, local cooks hosted social activists such as Martin Luther King, Jr., by serving local favorites such as 'biscuits, fried chicken, turnip greens, and black-eyed peas.' (page 16)

The facing page of each section shows a color map of the state with the capital marked and labeled along with several drawings of popular foods/dishes representative of the state. On the next page is a user-friendly recipe for a dish from the state. Finally, a full-sized color photo of the prepared dish is shown.

I learned so much from this book! Here are some of my favorite facts:

• Connecticut: 'The first American cookbook was published in Hartford in 1796.' Until this time, Americans used British cookbooks. Amelia Simmons's cookbook was entitled, 'American Cookery'. (page 41)   

• Idaho:  This name comes from the Shoshone word meaning, "gem of the mountains". Idaho is known as the Gem State. (page 64)

• Arizona:  There are beans which need very little water, 'Tepary Beans', that have been grown in the Arizona desert by Native People for thousands of years. (page 25). I researched this bean further and found that it has a nutty, sweet taste rather than tasting like a bean. It is a native to the Southwestern United States and Mexico.

• Georgia:  Did you know that Tupelo honey is named for the honey made by bees who visit the flowering Tupelo trees in April and May each year? One of my favorite Van Morrison songs is 'Tupelo Honey', but who knew there was an actual  Tupelo tree from which Tupelo honey is made? (page 53)

• Alaska:  Nagoonberries. Apparently they taste like a cross between strawberries and raspberries. Another fact that I somehow missed in my quest to taste every variety of my favorite fruit in existence. These berries are known as the 'jewel of Alaskan berries'. (page 21)

The back matter includes an Index, Recipe Notes, Measurement Notes, and Note on Safety.

I could go on and on about this book's entertainment and educational value, but I think you get the picture.

Highly-recommended for classrooms, libraries, and families who like to cook and learn together.

I borrowed this book from the 'new' book non-fiction shelf in the children's section of the local public library.

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Learn about more great middle-grade reads by visiting Greg Pattridge's 'Always in the Middle' blog to find the links to other blog posts celebrating Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday!

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