Best of the Best from Michigan
From: Gwen McKee
In this updated edition of Best of the Best from Michigan Cookbook, you'll find delicious recipes such as Country Apple Coffee Cake, Upper Peninsula Pasties, Mennonite Summer Borscht, Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Chicken, and Snow Flake Cookies.
In addition to over 400 time-tested and perfected family recipes that capture the flavor of Michigan, the cookbook also contains photographs, illustrations, and historical facts and trivia that convey the uniqueness of the Great Lakes State. There's valuable information on leading tourist attractions and festivals, plus a complete listing of all the parks in the state. A section in the back lists contributing cookbooks with ordering information—perfect for cookbook collectors.
Reviews
"We love this series of cook books. They give endless ideas whats to make. This book provides tastety and not too complex recipies from the car state. We visit Michigan quite much and hear the concrete road noise under our wheels quite frequently. Hence its time to experience the food from the North. Also here there is influence from the South.
The build up of the book is as all the others for quick orientation - morning -. drinks - starters - main - dessert." --Jörg Eggers
"From this delightful cookbook I learned that Michigan produces about 75 percent of the tart cherries in the US. Another interesting fact is that many Michigan dishes have been influenced by German immigrants. That being said if you're baking a cherry pie or constructing a German Potato Salad then Best of the Best from Michigan makes for a wonderful resource.
In my experience this "Best of the Best" series works best if it draws from a variety of sources. Pleased to say that this edition draws from a large body of contributing cookbooks.
As an added bonus this book includes interesting facts about the state and quite a few famous residents of Michigan are mentioned. Best of the Best from Michigan Cookbook is definitely one of the best of this series." --The Scoot
"I loved Michigan so much and was talking about it at work found out three co-workers had same books different states, so we traded off. This Christmas when no one know what to get anyone we are going to buy more states to add to our collection. Just the fun facts of each state were a walk down memory lane.. will make a great present any time of year! Well made, pictures were wonderful, can't say enough" -- bush1974
Includes the Classic Blue Theme
About the Author
Gwen McKee is a publisher with a mission. As the co-founder (with her husband, Barney) and the editor-in-chief of Quail Ridge Press, she has dedicated the past two decades to preserving America's food heritage. Through Quail Ridge Press, Gwen has now accomplished much of this task by creating the 50-volume Best of the Best State Cookbook Series that includes over 20,000 classic recipes. Today Quail Ridge Press is one of the most successful regional publishers, and certainly one of the most thriving publishing houses owned by a woman.
Gwen's interest in preserving "real" American food came naturally. Like most native Southerners, she was influenced by a family immersed in the traditions of Southern cooking and entertaining. Over a period of many years, Gwen collected recipes that were handed down through her family for traditional holidays and reunions.
Gwen McKee's first venture in publishing came after she and Barney moved to Jackson, Mississippi, when he became Director of the University Press of Mississippi. She was approached by two ladies, Ruth Moorman and Lalla Williams, with a small 80-page manuscript called The Twelve Days of Christmas Cookbook. Risking her family's meager savings, Gwen published the book, which sold out in three weeks. She knew that she had tapped into a market seeking something different. For the next few years, she slowly expanded, publishing four additional theme cookbooks.
Four years later Barney had joined Gwen, and they now had a full-blown publishing company named after the street where they lived, Quail Ridge Drive. They also had a unique idea--a cookbook that celebrated the best recipes from all the best cookbooks in Mississippi. After extensive research throughout the state, and lots of recipe testing, Best of the Best from Mississippi Cookbook was published. Thus Gwen McKee began her quest to preserve the best recipes of America. Now, 28 years later, 48 volumes in the Best of the Best State Cookbook Series are currently in print, each featuring favorite recipes from the leading cookbooks found throughout every state in the country.
In 1997 Quail Ridge Press and Gwen reached an entirely new plateau when the QVC selected Best of the Best from Mississippi Cookbook as the winner of its "Quest for America's Best--QVC's 50 in 50 Tour" contest. The book sold out within two minutes during its first appearance, and remained a favorite that sold out many times afterward in subsequent showings. This initiated a series of QVC presentations in which over 175,000 Best of the Best cookbooks were sold over the next three years.
In 1999 Gwen McKee took another important step in reaching her goal by creating the Recipe Hall of Fame Collection. The Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook, featuring 450 winning recipes from all the Best of the Best state books, was an instant hit, selling 65,000 copies within the first few months of publication. With over 700,000 copies in print, the collection now includes Recipe Hall of Fame Dessert Cookbook, Recipe Hall of Fame Quick & Easy Cookbook, and Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook II in addition to the original Recipe Hall of Fame Cookbook.
Gwen McKee is also the editor of Beyond Grits & Gravy and Best of the Best from America Cookbook. She is the author The Little Gumbo Book and The Little New Orleans Cookbook, the latter of which has been translated into French. These two gift cookbooks were a natural progression, as Gwen was born and reared in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was educated at Louisiana State University where her major studies and interests were journalism, English, Delta Gamma and Barney.
