The Armed Forces Recipe Service is a large collection of high-volume, standardized food service recipes developed by the United States Department of Defense and used by military chefs, institutional and catering operations. All of the recipes have been developed, tested and standardized for product quality, consistency and yield. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines were among the many considerations in both the selection and development of the recipes. Many of the recipes have been modified to reduce fat, salt and calories. For new and experienced cooks, consistent use of standardized recipes is essential for quality and economy. Broken into two volumes due to its size, the Armed Forces Recipe Service contains over 1,600 tested recipes calibrated to feed 100 people and easily adjusted up or down to adjust portion size depending on the number of people being fed. The recipes contain a basic nutritional analysis as well, detailing calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, cholesterol, sodium and calcium. Both volumes of The Armed Forces Recipe Service must be purchased to have the manual in its entirety. This volume, Volume I of II, holds the following sections: General Information, Appetizers, Beverages, Breads and Sweet Doughs, Cereals and Pasta Products, Cheese and Eggs, Cakes and Frostings, Cookies, Pastries and Pies, Puddings and Other Desserts, and Desserts (Sauces and Toppings).

This compendium of US Army cooking manuals features recipes, camp cooking tips, and more from the Revolutionary War to WWI. This collection of excerpts from US Army cooking manuals illustrates how America fed its troops from the late eighteenth century to the early twentieth, offering a glimpse of what daily life was like for those preparing and consuming the rations. With an introduction explaining the historical background, this is a fascinating and fun exploration of American army cooking, with a dash of inspiration for feeding your own army! Beginning with a manual from 1775, you will learn how the Continental Congress kept its Patriot forces fed. A manual from 1896 prepares Army cooks for any eventuality—whether in the garrison, in the field, or on the march—with instructions on everything from butchery and preserving meat to organizing food service and cleaning utensils. Along with classic American fare such as chowder, hash, and pancakes, it also includes recipes for Crimean kebabs, Turkish pilau, and tamales. In contrast, a 1916 manual offers a detailed consideration of nutrition and what must be one of the first calorie counters. Instructions are given on how to assemble a field range in a trench or on a train. Among the more unusual recipes are head cheese—meat stew made from scraps—and pickled pigsfeet. Later manuals produced during WWI include baking recipes for breads and cakes, as well as how to cook dehydrated products. “Culinary and military historians will equally find this a valuable resource.” —Booklist

Godey's Lady's Book, perhaps the most popular magazine for women in nineteenth-century America, had a national circulation of 150,000 during the 1860s. The recipes (spelled ""receipts"") it published were often submitted by women from both the North and the South, and they reveal the wide variety of regional cooking that characterized American culture. There is a remarkable diversity in the recipes, thanks to the largely rural readership of Godey's Lady's Book and to the immigrant influence on the country in the 1860s. Fish and game were readily available in rural America, and the number of seafood recipes testifies to the abundance of the coastal waters and rivers. The country cook was a frugal cook, particularly during wartime, so there are a great many recipes for leftovers and seasonal produce. In addition to a wide sampling of recipes that can be used today, Civil War Recipes includes information on Union and Confederate army rations, cooking on both homefronts, and substitutions used during the war by southern cooks.