Nothing More Comforting

"Mustard on your hotdog? Of course. But did you know that Pliny the Elder, the 1st century AD Roman writer, reported that mustard could be used to cure hysterical swooning females? This is just one of the intriguing facts presented by Dorothy Duncan in her examination of the history of the foods which appear regularly on our tables... Several recipes are given in each chapter. Many are old time favourites: baked beans, butter tarts, and chile sauce; others are the less common sugar plums, cherry soup, and beet chutney. Regional recipes such as prairie saskatoon pie, and Newfoundland fish and brewis, as well as cabbage rolls, egg fu yong, and snitz pie, give a geographical and cultural breadth to the collection. This is a fine book to dip into, or to read cover to cover at one sitting. A word of caution: if you are not in the habit of having a night-time snack, don't read those recipes in bed! -- Jeanine Avigdor * York Pioneer and Historical Society Update * "This cookbook focuses on unique Canadian foods and traditional recipes, with chapters on Canadian favorites like maple syrup, Saskatoon berries and rhubarb. Author Dorothy Duncan adds food facts to give a historical context to the recipes." -- Susan Munroe * 'Top 5 Canadian Cookbooks' Canada Online * "Nothing More Comforting, hot off the press from... culinary historian Dorothy Duncan, is a collection of her best Country Fare columns originally featured in Century Home magazine. Each chapter of this compact 5 x 7" book focuses on a particular food or ingredient and includes updated recipes for traditional favourites. From Preserve the Pie Plant (rhubarb) to Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater and Pear Essentials, chapters are laced with stories of our Canadian heritage and graced with the writer's humour." -- Gillian Tsintziras * Women's Culinary Network News * "[Nothing More Comforting] features charming, scholarly mini essays and historical recipes." -- Susan Sampson * Toronto Star * "The greatest value of the book is the basic recipes, which repeatedly make something of nothing. If groceries are low or the pocketbook light, you can turn to Duncan and the economy of the Confederation-era homestead for simple and delicious answers." * St. John Telegraph-Journal *

Dorothy Duncan's experience in the heritage field includes Executive Director of The Ontario Historical Society and Museums Advisor for the Province of Ontario. Her accomplishments include the restoration of heritage homes including Mackenzie House in Toronto and Macdonald House in Winnipeg. She is a Fellow of the Canadian Museums Association, the Association for the Study of Food and Society, and a member of Cuisine Canada. Dorothy is an international lecturer on Canada's culinary history.