Author: Cherie Kimmons

Publisher: Five Star Publications

ISBN: 480-940-8182


Click Here To Purchase Potluck Survival Guide: Care & Feeding of the Athletic Supporter

Potluck dinners – how many have you been to over the years? If you’re like me, it’s been dozens upon dozens – literally. And each time, I’d bring one of my three standard dishes because they were easy to make, healthy and fed lots of people.

Always on the lookout for a recipe to add to my pot-luck offerings, I ventured into the Potluck Survival Guide. I’m glad I did. The recipes provide simple, step-by-step directions and are creative, well-indexed and creatively address the need to make meals for large groups of people be they family gatherings, sporting events, church pot-lucks, group picnics, scouting/guiding events etc. The author’s “calculating quantities” section at the back of the book is a particular welcome addition and one that isn’t often mentioned in cookbooks.

In today’s health-conscious North American society, the question “Are the recipes healthy and diet conscious?” (uppermost in people’s minds these days) is asked – and answered – by the author herself: “Yes and no.” How I wish she had simply answered “yes” and adapted all of her recipes accordingly. However, while Kimmons’ recipes are not all healthy, she is sensitive to this concern and addresses it in her preface and in various recipe “Notes” so the option is there.

This Italian-Cajun French author comes from a long line of cooks who had an affinity for spices and experimentation. Not surprisingly, her recipes are flavourful and adaptable: healthy variations, light options, low fat ingredients, vegetarian possibilities along with suggestions for making a standard recipe more kid-friendly (resist adding green olives) or more adult-inclined (anyone for blue cheese?)

Kimmons’ “master recipes” are excellent for the beginning cook who doesn’t know how to create basics such as mashed potatoes, boiled chicken for soup/stew, deviled eggs, meatloaf, pasta, frittatas and basic salad-making. Her ‘feeding athletes’ tips and menus provide helpful information (pre-game and post-game food) and her buffet/food bar guidelines ease food planning for such situations.

While the content of the book is excellent, two things frustrated me: its format and its sub-title. A large book (especially by cookbook standards – this is 8 ½” by 11”), it’s unwieldy in the kitchen. A smaller, spiral-bound book would have made for much easier reading – and use. And, had the author gone with a “less is more” title as she has so skillfully done with the recipes contained in the book, the book would have a much wider audience appeal. The subtitle limits potential buyers who quickly scan bookstore shelves looking for a unique cookbook.

If you’re looking for a cookbook for large groups of people, ignore the sub-title of this book, buy one of those clear plastic book stands and enjoy the book as those you feed will enjoy the food you prepare using one of Kimmons’ recipes.

Click Here To Purchase Potluck Survival Guide: Care & Feeding of the Athletic Supporter