German cooks express their artistry in many ways. Betty Wason

{HISTORY}

Here it is! A romp around Germany in cuisine and culture courtesy of Betty Wason, one of our most favorite traveling cookbook writers here in the Vintage Kitchen. The Art of German Cooking debuted in 1967, and like all of Betty's other books, combines her wonderful history-laden storytelling with authentic recipes from all the different regions of Germany. 

Exploring all the famous foods and drink famous to the country, Betty shares recipes gathered from both home and professional kitchens for classic authentic dishes like potato dumplings, sauerbraten, pork chops, sausages cooked in beer, sauerkraut, all sorts of hearty stews and a plethora of desserts, pastries and baked goods. Mixed in are Betty's of-the-moment observations about the habits of the German culture and how they enjoy their food.  

Interesting recipes include Berlin Castle Punch, Caraway Crisps, Pancake Soup, Rhineland Style Sauerbraten, Saurkrat Cooked in Wine, Cold POtato Salad, German Coleslaw, Black Forest Cherries Flambe, Apple Strudel, Bee Sting Cake, and Christmas Yeast Bread of Dresden. For the adventurous cook, there is also a host of exotic recipes, including dishes prepared with tongue, eel, rabbit, pig's knuckles, and calf's brains.

Learn more about Betty and her incredible journalism career over on the blog here. 

Photo of Betty courtesy of The Daily Item, January 1962.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- 1967 First Edition (unstated)

- 256 pages

- Includes color photographs of foods and the different regions where they are found in Germany

- Each recipe includes the German name and the English translation, so you can learn a little of the language while you cook

{CONDITION}

Betty's cookbooks always seem to attract the most enthusiastic cooks, which means every one of hers that we have encountered so far bears some signs of kitchen joy in spots, stains, and smudges. This one bears a few of those in certain chapters along with a notation written in pen about vinegar in the salad section. Please see photos. None of these cooking escapades has created a recipe that is unreadable or distracting from the information that Betty is sharing, so rest assured, feel free and confident to make a mess. Betty would have it no other way.

The exterior spine also contains sun fading and a tattered crease on the bottom edge. Otherwise, the pages are bright, the spine is tight and all pages are intact.  

{SIZE}

Measures 5.5" inches (width) x 8.5" inches (length) x 1" inch (thickness) and weighs just under 1 lb.