I know of 5 cookbooks at present that in my opinion stand out for the quantity and quality of their Volga German recipes. Here are the titles along with publishers. Das Schmeckt Goot (Published by the Catholic parish of St. Peter, Kansas; I do not know whether it is still in print.) -- Although this cookbook only has a German foods section, the recipes are authentic, as one would get in a Catholic VG household in western Kansas. Das Essen Unserer Leute (contact the Sunflower Chapter of AHSGR) -- Irene Dortland of Walker, Kansas, asked cooks from all the Catholic VG towns in Ellis County, Kansas, to donate recipes for this cookbook, which was published, in observance of the 100th anniversary of the VGs' arrival in the county. It is arranged by town. Some of the instructions in the recipes are sketchy and there are a few recipes that are not really Volga German. But overall, it is a valuable reference. Kueche Kochen (contact the AHSGR home office in Lincoln, Neb.) -- A valuable reference, since this cookbook was compiled when AHSGR was in its youth, with recipes from VG cooks throughout the USA, but especially Colorado. The contributor of each recipe is identified by the colony where she or her parents immigrated from, predominantly Lutheran or Reformed. Sei Unser Gast (contact the North Star Chapter, AHSGR) -- I am prejudiced about this cookbook, because I contributed or collected the Volga German recipes in it as we as edited. Two things I don't like is that one must search each chapter for the VG recipes and the names of the contributors are not included (but their home colonies are, when known). The recipes are authentic to the best of my knowledge. I am confident of that because they are based on personal experience (I grew up eating the stuff and learning to make it) and because I wrote them down after I interviewed Volga German cooks from Ellis County or as my mother and I prepared them to get proper measurements. I would have liked to have worked with more cooks from the Lutheran and Reformed VG colonies, though, and these are probably underrepresented. Value Meals on the Volga -- I only recently obtained this cookbook, which reflects one VG family's cooking traditions. The recipes are authentic. There are undoubtedly many cookbooks with small sections of VG recipes in them and one often runs across a VG recipe in chapters devoted to various kinds of foods. There are many cookbooks, too, that deal with the cooking traditions of the Germans from South Russia, the Ukraine, Bessarabia, and Volhynia as well as the GR Mennonites. ---------------------------------------- > Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 19:46:13 -0500 > From: dr03@txstate.edu > To: amb0457@cox.net; lrbrantner@yahoo.com; ger-volga@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [GV] Cookbooks > > One of the best is _Sei unser Gast_ put out by the Minneapolis chapter of AHSGR. I have found none finer. > > Dona > > ________________________________ > > From: ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com on behalf of Anna Bartkowski > Sent: Sat 8/11/2007 6:19 PM > To: 'Lauren Brantner'; ger-volga@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [GV] Cookbooks > > > > The North Dakota site lists cookbooks and cookbook reviews in addition to > recipes. The site features color photos of cookbook cover. Here's the > link. > > http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/grhc/order/cookbooks/cookbooklist.html > > Of course, my favorite is > Value Meals on the Volga: Sharing our Heritage with New Generations, > because it details my family's GR recipes. My maternal grandparents were > Lutherans from the village of Reinwald. My paternal grandparents were > Catholics from Mariental. Thanks to Allison Thompson of the Sheboygan Press > for her review. > > Anna Dalhaimer Bartkowski > > -----Original Message----- > From: ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:ger-volga-bounces@rootsweb.com] > On Behalf Of Lauren Brantner > Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2007 3:01 PM > To: ger-volga@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [GV] Cookbooks > > There is a cookbook Kuche Kochen published by AHSGR that remains today a > best seller in our Chapter book sales. I believe it was compiled in the > 1970's by a lot of cooks who are no longer with us. Check at AHSGR and > you'll find it and at least one other recently published. I also recommend > the North Star Chapter cookbook Sie Unser Gast Sam commented on in his note > earlier. It is also a good seller in our Chapter. I have always wished that > I could find some of the other cookbooks - I know some were published in > Kansas, Nebraska and other locations, but I never had an opportunity to > purchase one. Those on the list who know of others that are still on sale, > please let us know what they are and where to get them. Some church > cookbooks are good - but they are rarely just GR recipes. > > Lauren Brantner >