| Jeanie Jensen is pictured at home in her kitchen on Tavaputs Ranch where she continues to use recipes for her guests from the cookbook, “Dude Food.” |
Dude Food by Jeannette Wilcox is one of 66 distinguished Utah cookbooks selected to contribute a sampling of their most popular recipes to Best of the Best from Utah Cookbook: Selected Recipes from Utah’s Favorite Cookbooks, the 40th volume in the acclaimed Best of the Best from Utah Cookbook series from Quail Ridge Press. Dude Food was submitted by Jeanie Jensen, who along with her mother Jeannette Wilcox, relied on the recipes for many years on the Tavaputs Guest Ranch in eastern Carbon and Emery County.
Editors Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley began their search for Utah cookbooks two years ago. “It’s a long process,” said Moseley. “Becoming aware of all the leading cookbooks in a particular state takes a lot of digging.”
The editors gathered favorite recipes from well-known cookbooks by noteworthy authors, chefs, restaurants, junior leagues and other civic organizations, as well as delightful little cookbooks that rarely gain recognition beyond their own communities.
Next came the task of wading through the vast number of contributed recipes. “We reviewed so many delicious recipes that it was difficult to decide on the more than 300 to be included,” said McKee. “From warming Spicy Southwestern Chowder, and refreshingly cool Indian Paint Brush Salad to favorites like Grandma’s Candied Apple Dumplings, or Puffed Up Pizza Casserole, this book has something for everyone.”
Beyond the delicious fare within these pages, you’ll also find fascinating photographs, illustrations and facts about Utah (Did you know that the largest quarry of Jurassic Period dinosaur bones ever discovered was found in Utah? Or that the notorious outlaw Butch Cassidy called Utah home?) that provide you with an intimate view of all the states have to offer.
A feature particularly popular with cookbook collectors is the “Catalog of Contributing Cookbooks” section. This section contains a complete listing of contributing cookbooks along with a description and ordering information for each.