The first of these is A Taste of Heaven: A Guide to Food and Drink Made by Nuns and Monks (my review is here). Author Madeleine Scherb gives an overview of locations in the U.S. and Europe and accompanies it with recipes. The greatest treasure in the book from my point of view is that Scherb doesn't look at these places simply as purveyors of excellent food and drink. She is careful to consider each place as a whole, for not only what they can offer our bodies but also our souls. Necessarily this includes Catholicism as that is the basis for the religious life in these places. However, Scherb does an excellent job of providing each person with food for thought no matter their religious leanings.
It was a review book but someone on my Christmas list has got one coming ... and I bought that with my own hard earned dollars.
The second is The Pioneer Woman Cooks. All anyone need do if they want to get an idea of recipes and how they are presented in the book is go to this spot on her blog. We're talking about basic, down home food presented step-by-step with a humorous patter included. What sets this cookbook apart is that it also takes us into Ree Drummond's world as the wife of a cattle rancher and mother of several rambunctious youngsters. Her gorgeous photography sets the scene with wild mustangs, cattle (of course), the ranch itself, and those who work it. You can get a feel for those here. Or, if you don't believe me then just mosey over to The Anchoress's place where she's been doing more than reading from this book ... she's been wowing her family at dinner time.
I bought my own copy of this book and, as with the book above, also have it in mind for Christmas gifts.
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