From the Hearth, Volume One
By Karen M. Stevens 

     The From The Hearth cookbook is a collection of traditional European recipes passed down to the author, Karen Stevens, from her mother, aunts, grandmothers, and family friends. This first volume is comprised of hearty, savory dishes.

     This cookbook is spirally bound, formatted for easy use in the kitchen, and divided into six sections: Chicken, Fish and Seafood, Meats, Pasta, Salad and Vegetables, and Soups and Sides. Each recipe is laid out simply, with clear instructions and for-your-information nutritional analysis. There is even a section per recipe to make cooking notes and recipe changes. The book also has a brief glossary of terms, a list of substitutions, and a list of weights and equivalent measures.

     The recipes here range from standard American fare (Salisbury Steak with Onions and Mushroom Gravy), to well-known Western European dishes (Chicken Cacciatore and Sauerbraten), to the temptingly exotic (Chicken Fra Diavlo-Spicy Chicken in Tomato Sauce or Glumky- Stuffed cabbage). As varied as these recipes are, they all serve to evoke a sense of family, friends, and home. For many of the recipes, the author gives credit to her sources. This furthers the sense of family connection the reader feels through this warm, organic recipe collection.