A Review of the
The Richard M. Keane Foundation's
Illustrated, Memorial Cookbook:
Flags of Wethersfield

 

A Keane Foundation Logo

A Review of The Richard M. Keane Foundation's Illustrated, Memorial Cookbook: Flags of Wethersfield   Wethersfield, Ct-- May 3, 2002*--   An accepting, generous, neighborly slice of life is served up in the Keane Foundation's recently released cookbook, officially titled: "Flags of Wethersfield, - Favorite Recipes from the Friends and Family of Richard M. Keane". These 600+ recipes were not juried, judged or judiciously tested before they were accepted for inclusion in this first printing of 1000. They probably did not have to be. With nearly all of the recipes attributed by name to the contributor, his or her judgment and reputation were offered up to public critique. We can only assume that everyone submitted their favorite, best received, and well tested formulae for gustatory satisfaction: tasty food. Published as a fundraiser to help propel the foundation toward its goal of erecting a intergenerational sports center in Wethersfield, Flags of Wethersfield, will certainly sell out. Though most who cook well and often will already have a small library of cookbooks, another with a special perspective will be hard to resist, especially when it is seasoned with the spice of Wethersfield, community spirit and volunteerism. Following an appreciative introduction by Judy (Mrs. Richard M.) Keane, the Foundation dedicates this volume to its namesake Richard M. Keane, one of the victims of the 9/11/2001 destruction of the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York City. Therein, Keane's enthusiasm for cooking was listed among other of his positive attributes. The seven chapters are each preceded with an unattributed photo illustration of US flags displayed on as many home in Wethersfield, taken during the last quarter of 2001. Chapters include: Appetizers & Beverages; Soups & Salads; Vegetables & Side Dishes; Main dishes; Breads & Rolls; Desserts; Cookies and Candy; and, This & That. Each section displays a random assortment of culinary creativity. Appetizers & Beverages includes recipes for Mock Khema (Armenian appetizer), assorted salsas, pepperoni breads, spinach balls, a variety of dips and even Swedish meatballs for diabetics. Soups & Salads presents an eclectic array of not only salads but also dressings, from orange basil vinaigrette dressing to bok choy salad and even "frog eye" salad (with yag frog eyes). Soups ranged from Ribollita Soup to Corn and Sausage Chowder. Vegetables & Side Dishes offers such diverse selections as Sauteed Green Beans With Shallots, Rosemary & Hazelnuts; Ball Park Baked Beans; Funghi Portobello; and even Wethersfield Onion Shortbread (not for the cardiac patient); and Fire and Ice Tomatoes (not for those with GERD). Main Dishes constitute the largest section of the cookbook by the number of pages spanned. Though not idenfied as such, this section was generally organized with groupings by similar main food types. Beef dishes led the way followed by pork-centered dishes and then lamb and veal selections. It continued with chicken, turkey, fish, shell-fish dishes and progressed through pastas to egg-based dishes and ended with Super French Toast with Apples. Breads & Rolls, not satisfied with a variety of quick and just a few yeast breads and rolls (including Irish Soda Breads, zucchini bread and Portuguese Sweet Bread), pushed the boundary with a variety of coffee cakes, sour cream (coffee) cakes, and (again) the onion shortcake. This latter mentioned would have been more welcome in the desserts section which followed. Desserts included an international array of pies, fail-safe pie crusts, cheese cakes, the ubiquitous carrot cakes, alcohol laden cakes, Belgian waffles and Baklavas. Cookies & Candy proffered biscotti, chocolate & nut based cookies, meringues, moon cookies, and bars & balls. Also found here are brownies & fudges, a detailed and tempting rugelach and, for the really sweet toothed, "Great Gandmother Mangiafico's Gigilani." This & That finds a home for those entries supposedly hard to place otherwise. The pesto is found here as is the strawberry salsa. Spicy walnuts and dill pickles are relegated here. Well placed is the children's play dough recipe. The book itself is hard-covered and is flexible plastic bound to allow it to lie absolutely flat during use or display. The heavy stock paper provides an adequate counterbalance to the binding. The cover is adorned with an autumnal photo of a Wethersfield home proudly displaying Old Glory, post-9/11. The back cover is sealed with the Tina Lynch designed logo of the Keane Foundation. An efficiently produced volume, no illustrations or graphics depicting preparation techniques or the final creations are provided. This gives the volume a no nonsense, Yankee / heartland quality. Some 254 pages contain the submitted recipes and are followed by an "index of recipes" which is really seven sectional indices for each division of the book. Unfortunately, the indices are based on the titles of the recipes as submitted, rather than arranged in a more logical manner, type of food item, followed by qualifying descriptors. Hence, a salad made of potatoes in a manner typical of Bolivia as prepared by Mama is listed in the Soup & Salads section alphabetically as "Mama's Bolivian Potato Salad," instead of Salad, Potato, Bolivian, (Mama's). Since it is safe to assume that within their own sphere of friends, certain people become known for a particular dish, an index of contributors would have been a nice touch. The Flags of Wethersfield is published and copyrighted by the Morris Press Cookbooks, Kearney, Nebraska (www.morriscookbooks.com). For those who have become collectors of 9/11 - related memorabilia, it will become a must-have edition. For others, it will join other memorable texts of and about the evolving town of Wethersfield. Still for others, it will become a trove of formerly secreted recipes, now available to all. With a mere 1000 copies produced, other printings would seem necessary, likely and welcomed.   ~ ~ ~ The cookbooks are currently available in and around Wethersfield [now at...]. (but, when originally posted, at: Pelton's Pharmacy, 657 Silas Deane, (860) 257-8000, menu choice: 0 The Hairport, Weth. Shopping Center, 1079 Silas Deane, (860) 529-2589 Dr.Ken's Foot Health Services, 1177 Silas Deane, (860) 529-6845, menu choice: 4   The Richard M. Keane Foundation - online >>>   - W.N -