The Mountain Laurel Cookbook contains chapters on Beverages, Breads, Desserts, Meats, Old Fashion Puddings, Pickling and Canning, and Vegetables. It has over 200 mouthwatering, easy to prepare heirloom recipes; they are the legacies of many outstanding mountain cooks. In addition there are tidbits of cooking lore and tips to make every recipe a masterpiece. Old time cooks used generous amounts of real butter, milk and eggs, and the recipes are of their generation. While modern day measurements are used, and ingredients that are readily available from grocery store shelves (for the most part), the book also describes how to cure meats and make perfect biscuits and gravy. Over the last thirty-two years, some of the best cooks in the mountains have contributed their old time recipes to The Mountain Laurel, some of which have been handed down for generations. These recipes were the staple of generations of mountain people. If you're a novice to country cooking this cookbook will make learning easy; if you're a seasoned veteran you'll find new delights and insights for your storehouse of knowledge. And tucked here and there, you will find humor. This cookbook is meant to be a joy to read as well as a treasure trove of recipes. We sincerely wish you good reading, good cooking, and the best part, a well satisfied tummy. (Note: Last night I finished the final revisions of The Mountain Laurel Cookbook. It has taken much longer to get to this point than I anticipated. Proofing a cookbook is an odd combination of fun and torture. I have never been so hungry in my life Reading all these recipes has kept me in a constant state of near starvation level hunger and my mouth has watered constantly since I began this project. This morning I have a big pot of pinto beans (page 174) slow cooking with a ham hock and my first Strawberry Songer (page 82) just came out of the oven, and the only way to describe it is ecstatic jubilation My next project will be my mom's Chocolate Pie recipe (page 85). After that, and a trip to the local Farmer's Market, I'll be canning some Squash Pickles (page 124). Charlotte and Susan always made the Chocolate Pie for me and this will be the first time I've made one by myself, but I'll bet it will be delicious. Susan always made the Squash Pickles but after reading the instructions it will not be a problem and I can't wait to get the first jar. I love those things Tonight with my pinto beans I'll be having Fried Cornbread (page 45 & 46) and a tall glass of milk and topping it off with Strawberry Songer. Tomorrow for breakfast I'm planning eggs over medium with the old style Mabry Mill Home Fries (page 146). Perhaps I'll have the Red Potato Smash (page 146) with my warmed over pinto beans for supper tomorrow... Hmmm... Bob Heafner)