At Home, at Sea: Recipes from the Maine Windjammer J.&E. Riggin

by Anne Mahle

Book Overview

A simple time. A simpler life. And simply wonderful food. The recipes and stories in At Home, At Sea recreate life on a Maine Windjammer: a week in a different world, a different century, with... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0974970603
• ISBN13: 9780974970608
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: Baggywrinkle Press
• Length: 236 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Spectacular Cookbook that is a Tribute to Cooking and Inspires Delishious Memories of Maine

This was a happy surprise in my Christmas stocking this year, after my mother ran into the author at Barnes and Noble. I'm so glad she snagged me a copy, since I'm not quite sure what I'd do without this cookbook in my home. This is one of those cookbooks that you don't know if you should put in your kitchen with the rest of the cookbooks, or out on the coffee table so that everybody can enjoy it. This book features wonderfully sophisticated home-cooking style recipes, breathtaking photos from the J & E Riggin, the Maine Windjammer that's currently cared for by the author and her husband, and oodles of stories about the Windjammer, their voyages, their history, and the ideas behind these recipes. This cookbook has the feel of a family journal or photo album, which is really a great feeling that is lost with a lot of cookbooks. So often these days when you buy a cookbook, it feels like the recipes featured in it are made once or twice in a test kitchen before getting a rubber-stamped approval to be shown in their mass-produced cookbook. But you don't feel that with this book. You know that these recipes were made dozens, maybe hundreds of times to hundreds of hungry people before being collected and featured in a cookbook that feels like should be a personal family cookbook, not something you can just pick up at a bookstore. I love that feel. There are a ton of recipes in this book, not different versions of the same ol' meals that you can find in any cookbook. Unique recipes, ones that I've never seen on paper other than from my mother's handwritten recipe cards. Recipes like German Apple Pancakes, Roasted Mushrooms and Artichoke Sauce, Nectarine-Blueberry Bread, Ginger Shortbread, Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pork Pot Pie, Lemon Lobster with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Wassail Bowl Punch... I could go on and on. Amazing. And this recipe book is a "from scratch" book, which I think is such a blessing, because there is nothing more frustrating than buying a cookbook with 100 different ways to prepare a can of "cream of chicken" soup and a can of refrigerator biscuits. This is a cookbook for cooks, and those of us who wish we were. We need more cookbooks out there like this. There is next to nothing wrong with this cookbook. The only observations I have made is that sometimes I need a little more description on the making of a recipe (for example, a notation the dough will be runny, lumpy, etc) as there have been a recipes that I made where the consistency or appearance wasn't quite what I expected. Also, it is obvious that some of these recipes were reduced from a recipe that made more servings for more people, so some of the seasonings and ingredients have to be tweaked for a more intimate setting. No big deal, just something to keep in mind. I love this cookbook. My favorite recipes thus far include the German Apple Pancakes, Pork Pot Pie, Rita's Double Toffee Delight, and the Wassail Punch. Even as we speak

Great Cookbook

I was really glad to receive this cookbook as a gift as I have found it great fun to use. I think the layout of the cookbook was very well done as well as the color of the pages. . not something you see very often in a cookbook. The pictures are really beautiful and catch the feeling of the sea. I enjoy the margin notes in each section as well as, for example, in the Meat Section, Anne's description of the dinner menus she serves on board or under Yeast Breads her suggestions on proofing, flour vs water, etc. I found these very helpful. My one suggestion would be that if you weren't familiar with yeast breads, you wouldn't know how hot the "warm water" should be. Possibly if a temp. was added indicating that the "warm water" should be 105/110 it might be helpful. Also, after you make muffins some indication on whether they should be left in the pan or taken out. I loved the Blueberry Lemon Bread and so did some of my friends and especially Dana's Maple-Dill Dressing . .yum-o! I like to be able to make quick and good meals and this tops my list.

Hillbilly dreams

Born and raised in the Ozarks between the Missouri and Arkansas rivers; we didn't think we would find anything in this ocean cookbook that would excite us. Just goes to prove that hillbillys are sometimes (but not often) wrong. For instance last week the cookbook was used to prepare some great "tailgate" dishes; our guests were impressed. But we had to tell the truth, its Annie's book. Two guests used our computer to log on and order the book. Along with barbque the book's dishes appear in a hillbilly's dreams.

Great Cook Book

This is one of the prettiest and most colorful cookbooks I have ever seen. On top of this, the recipes are wonderful, easy to prepare and different. The personal observations of the author add interest to the book. I recently had the pleasure of sailing with Captain Anne and the crew of the J. & E. Riggin and can attest to the fact that her cooking skills are outstanding. This book is well worth the money.

Fun and tasty!

I am one of those gen-x cooks who can make the basics for dinner and dessert. But, ever since I started using this cookbook, I have not only been preparing good wholesome dishes for my daughter and I, but have found myself trying new things. I am not known as the cook in my family, but having tried out a few recipes at family get-togethers, my family now wonders what I will be making next (and did she really make that?). I can follow a recipe as long as it is easy to make, and with this book it's not only easy, it's fun. I love reading the overall story of Anne, her husband Jon and children, Chloe and Ella. It adds a very personal touch to something that I used to think of as "a book of food to make". Not only are the recipes great, the photos in this book are so fantastic-giving you a real sense of being in Maine on a windjammer. It truly makes me want to go sailing again. I especially enjoyed the section called 'A Week at Sea'. How much better could life get-spending a whole week relaxing with the wind in your hair, taking part of hundred year old traditions, and eating some of the most delectable food you have ever tasted?! I don't think it can. Having sailed on the J & E Riggin myself, I can say with absoluteness that the mouth-watering cuisine that folks can have onboard, they can also have at home with this book. Anyone that either buys a copy or receives one as a gift will from that point on consider this their favorite cookbook- I sure know I do!