By humongous I really mean extremely packed with recipes, more than most cookbooks I know (though there are certainly some with even more recipes). This has interesting and helpful recipes such as Raisin-Cider Sauce (suggested for over French Toast, heaven; or over ham)...homemade chocolate syrups (various versions)...a peanut-y frosting without butter or similar...and a spice pastry for pie, which sounds like a great idea but which I've not encountered. As you can tell, there are a lot of desserts! but as the book itself points out, desserts can be a healthy as well as marvelous course of a meal.
The book closes with a chapter on pickles and other preserved foods. Their bread-and-butter pickles call for cassia buds, something I've never found in grocery shops...
Overall I'm valuing this book not only for the fun illustrations for which I bought it, but for its broad range of recipes. However, those illustrations, I found, could be disturbingly honest -- it's about "American peoples," after all -- they picture the horrid fact of slavery in our past...and also are much more open than I usually see about cruelties to animals such as calves and other cattle. Makes me consider more vegetarian meals...
I see someone else is selling a copy on Etsy today of this cookbook: https://www.etsy.com/listing/231445522/american-peoples-cookbook-vintage-1956 . Here's another drawing from this book that reminds me of a lovely party I attended the other day that came complete with fantastic musicians! I so love living in our new area!
