Comments on: Book Review: The Country Kitchen by Della T. Lutes

By: theo

theo — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:26:01 +0000

Hi Marianne, I loved reading your beautiful comment. It sounds as if you grew up poor in the financial sense but wealthy with everything else. My father side was extremely poor but he always said the food was real, scratch, homemade and people today with all their money don’t have any idea of what they’re missing. Thanks again and I would love to hear from you as to a few of your favorite recipes from this wonderful book. We’ll give them a try and try not to mess them up too badly. Best, Leo

By: Marianne Dunnell

Marianne Dunnell — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:26:38 +0000

9/8/11 My 1936 copy of The Country Kitchen belonged to my grandmother and then my Mother and now me. I am 67 now and my daughter and grand daughter after her will inherit this wonderful cookbook when I’m gone . I have read andreread this threasure so many imes and followed the recipes over and over again as my Mother and her Mother before her did. I too, grew up poor and my Mother baked cookies in an old cast iron stove with legs that was in horrible condition but as a child I did not know I was poor. I remember that my Mother made my childhood like magic and know now how she struggled and yet her cooking was like Della Lutes remembered along with the feelings of warmth and the heavenly smells of honey nuggets chocolate chip cookies baking. The Country Kitchen is my island of comfort that I escape to often and then I go cook something. It is the oldest book I own and the most loved.Marianne

By: Carol

Carol — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 14:19:16 +0000

Della Lutes is my great grandmother and I have copies of almost everything she has written! I also hold the copyright to several of her books, including The Country Kitchen… I am always delighted to f ind other people who are discovering her… have always thought it would be fun to compile a cookbook using her recipes, updated for “modern” cooking methods… You might be interested to know The Country Kitchen won the National Book Award for “Most Original Book” in 1936, the same year Margaret Mitchell won “Best Novel” for Gone With the Wind…

By: Rosalie Faull

Rosalie Faull — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 09:14:46 +0000

I was lent this book (1943 edition) by an American friend recently. She said it had belonged to her mother in Winsconsin and had been a treasured possession since her mother’s earliest housekeeping days. I totally agree, it is a gem. I love the measuring-by-eye method of cooking used and the degree of self-sufficiency they had in those days. Thank you for your excellent review. Rosalie F

By: Susan

Susan — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:14:49 +0000

Theo–It was very nice to read your review of The Country Kitchen. My copy is from 1937 and given to me by my grandmother, Lyndal, in 1970 which she has received from her mother, Elizabeth, who was a school friend of Della T Lutes. I remember loving it when I read it at that time, even taking the time to make copies of all the recipes since they sounded so good. You make excellent comments: The book is very timely now as we are increasing our awareness of where foods are from, how foods made and a little more respect for the persons that grow and prepare our foods. Susan L