bonus feature: book

Discovering this retro gem in the local used book shop, The Potluck Cookbook by Dolores Kostelni sates a unique passion of mind.  Cookbooks with an period flare.  The very term, potluck, is unique.  It implies the luck of a covered dish.  Will you all get together and wind up with a dozen spaghetti casseroles?  Will Edna bring her famous crab dip--you know that's the only reason she's invited?  Will Kitty bring the tuna delight?  Potlucks imply a communal meal filled with laugher, family and friends, and memories--lots of those.

The cookbook has a very conversational tone about it.  The author shares the origin of each recipe with a sentence or two after setting each chapter with a memory inducing introduction.  There's no fancy eats here just tried and true classics from the 1950s and a few that have shown up in the many potlucks I've attended over my few years at community clubs, churches, and family occasions.  No, I will never serve salmon pate' or beef and macaroni casserole.  Are you kidding?!  Lord knows, I've had to eat them both as a kid.

As I see it, The Potluck Cookbook is an ideal gift for a new wife or homemaker.  It's a well-organized, approachable, recipe book that will never overwhelm.  It's a fun look into kitchen history and downright entertaining for everyone else.  The retro-inspired illustrations enhance the sometimes cringe-inducing recipes.  Does tuna really need to be in a casserole, I ask you?!  Still, the index in the back will help you find the real gems herein.