Internationally known food historian William Woys Weaver presents a richly photographed gastronomical journey into the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch food traditions, with more than 100 heritage recipes and the colorful stories behind them - including Shoofly Cake, New Year's Pretzels and the original Snickerdoodles. Dutch Treats shines a much-anticipated light on the vast diversity of authentic baked goods, festive breads and pastries that we call Pennsylvania Dutch (named for the German-speaking immigrants who settled there starting in the late 1600s).

Charlotte Elizabeth Sullivan (Charlie to her friends) has come to small town Wisconsin to live. Inheriting her uncle Milt’s resort, Dutch Treat on Lake Wannabee, was an unexpected surprise. Recently divorced, Charlie Sullivan leaves Milwaukee to learn about love and life in a small town where almost everyone is related. Along the way, she discovers her uncle Milt has left her with more than the Dutch Treat. Charlie’s best friend, Oneida Native Conchata Ashwood–Nowak, plays confidante and matchmaker and shoulder to cry on as Charlie unravels the mystery surrounding her uncle’s death.

Food and history combine in this exploration of the Dutch influence on American holiday traditions. Includes more than one hundred easy-to-make holiday recipes. Delicious December mixes food and history in a celebration of Dutch and American Christmas traditions. In more than one hundred tried-and-true recipes, award-winning food historian Peter G. Rose draws on traditions that date back to the Middle Ages, as well as her own reminiscences of her native country, and suggests many ways to incorporate these true Dutch treats into American celebrations. The book not only talks about the history and recipes of St. Nicholas Day celebrations, but also about Dutch specialties for Christmas and New Year’s. Rose includes recipes for savory cookies and party treats as well as menus and recipes for the parties that might happen between the feast days. Divided into two parts, part one discusses the history of St. Nicholas, how he was brought to America and became Santa, and the other changes that have taken place here as well as in the Netherlands. The second part consists of 111 recipes that are easy to make and easy to love. Delicious December is for anyone interested in food and history, and those of Dutch descent will find many old favorites here, together with new, fresh ideas based on long traditions. ADVANCE PRAISE FOR DELICIOUS DECEMBER “Peter Rose is a national treasure, a rare writer who understands history and a very specific place, and in this book she uses that knowledge to leave me wanting nothing more than Christmas (or a holiday if you prefer, or a long, snowy afternoon) in the Hudson River Valley and beyond. This is a wonderful book!” — Molly O’Neill, author of One Big Table: A Portrait of American Cooking: 600 Recipes from the Nation’s Best Home Cooks, Farmers, Fishermen, Pit-masters, and Chefs “What a treat! Not only does Peter Rose provide us with an enjoyable history of Santa Claus but also with seasonal recipes of treats to enjoy while reading. Now, when asked about St. Nicholas, Sinter Claes, or Santa Claus I can safely refer people to a reliable source.” — Charles T. Gehring, Director, New Netherland Research Center “Delicious December is really two great books in one, revealing the little-known Dutch origins of American Christmas traditions, while also bringing into American kitchens dozens of lovely, festive Dutch recipes that few American cooks have ever heard of. Like a wonderful Christmas present, this book gives us historical insights we have long wished for—as well as delicious surprises we did not even know to ask for.” — Stephen Schmidt, food historian and author of Master Recipes: A New Approach to the Fundamentals of Good Cooking “Peter Rose knows more about Dutch life and lore than anyone I’ve ever come across, and she’s done it again! This exuberant excursion into the world of Christmas reveals the Dutch roots of many of our holiday traditions and, best of all, provides us heaps of richly tempting recipes to make everyone’s favorite season even more memorable.” — Nach Waxman, owner, Kitchen Arts & Letters, Inc. “A must-read for those interested in the origin of Santa and lovers of feel-good holiday season food.” — Rob de Vos, Consul-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to New York

This illustrated cookbook aims to unlock the traditions of classic Pennsylvania Dutch cookery as it has evolved over the past 300 years. Over 125 original recipes provide clear instructions on how to create crusty farm breads, peasant one-pot dinners, luscious Spring soups, and more.

Visitors to the Pennsylvania Dutch country in Pennsylvania are usually delighted with the unique food tradition that survives there among the hills and small, well-tended farms. Ultimately based on the rich cookery of the peasants and small townspeople of the Rhineland and Switzerland, "Dutch" cookery has expanded into the new foodstuffs and materials that America has to offer, and it is one of the gastronomic treats of the country. Dishes such as apple soup, baked bananas, Dutch liver dumplings, spaetzle and braten, walnut shad, and oyster peppers are enjoyed by almost everyone. One of the difficulties about Dutch cookery, however, is that is always has been a home cooking style within a closely knit community, and it does not go by cookbooks. Until this book appeared, the best that one could do was to try to cadge an occasional recipe from a Dutch acquaintance or a local inn. Mr. George Frederick, one-time president of the Gourmet Society of New York, was in an unmatched position to record the delights of Dutch cookery. Himself a native Pennsylvania Dutchman, with access to countless kitchens and family cooking secrets, he was also a gourmet of international stature. He has gathered together 358 recipes that show the Dutch tradition at its strongest, all dishes with the unique savor that distinguishes them from their occasional counterparts in other cooking systems. His book is so good that it in turn has been taken over by many Pennsylvania resorts as the official cookbook. To list only a few of the mouthwatering recipes that Mr. Frederick gives in clear, accurate recipes that you can prepare: Dutch spiced cucumbers, raspberry sago soup, pretzel soup, squab with dumplings Nazareth, shrimp wiggle, Dutch beer eel, sherry sauerkraut, cheese custard, currant cakes, and many fine dumplings, pancakes, and soups . All types of food are covered.

From apple pie to baklava, cannoli to gulab jamun, sweet treats have universal appeal in countries around the world. This encyclopedia provides a comprehensive look at global dessert culture. Few things represent a culture as well as food. Because sweets are universal foods, they are the perfect basis for a comparative study of the intersection of history, geography, social class, religion, politics, and other key aspects of life. With that in mind, this encyclopedia surveys nearly 100 countries, examining their characteristic sweet treats from an anthropological perspective. It offers historical context on what sweets are popular where and why and emphasizes the cross-cultural insights those sweets present. The reference opens with an overview of general trends in desserts and sweet treats. Entries organized by country and region describe cultural attributes of local desserts, how and when sweets are enjoyed, and any ingredients that are iconic. Several popular desserts are discussed within each entry including information on their history, their importance, and regional/cultural variations on preparation. An appendix of recipes provides instructions on how to make many of the dishes, whether for school projects or general entertaining.