Kathy J. (KathyJ) reviewed Durgin-Park Cookbook : Classic Yankee Cooking in the Shadow of Faneuil Hall (Roadfood Cookbook) on + 60 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This is a very interesting cookbook, not only does it give 150 or so
recipes, but it also gives you an inside look at the restaurant
itself. Throughout the book are interspersed short little articles.
Some about the history of the restaurant 4 owners-3 families since
1827. Some about it's historical location - "stands in the shadow of
the Faneuil Hall" where Samuel Adams and other Boston patriots met
and "fanned the flames of revolution". It's also close to the
Freedom Trail a historic walking tour of sixteen sites that tell
how the United States began. Other articles describe the portion
size (large!) and why your waitress may be a bit curt. One thing
they have that you don't usually see on-site of a restaurant is an in-
house laundry for their tablecloths. The restaurant descriptions make
you want to go to Boston just to experience Durgin-Park.
Everything served at the restaurant is made from scratch daily. The
current chef (as of 2002), Tommy Ryan, still buys "swinging beef" and
cuts his own steaks and chops. They also grind their own hamburger.
The strawberries are always fresh no matter the cost, even in the
middle of winter for their Strawberry Shortcake Pudding.
This cookbook is filled with the traditional East Coast Yankee fare
including Boston Brown Bread, Rice Pudding, Indian Pudding, Coffee
Jell-O (conceived by a previous frugal owner), Boston Cream Pie,
Yankee Pot Roast, Lobster Newburg, and Macaroni and Cheese.
Each recipe gives the number of servings. Prior to each recipe is a
short paragraph about the dish, some I have to wonder if the
restaurant actually serves as they give three recipes for Baked Bean
Soup. I found the recipes overall to be easy to follow at least
they sound like they would be. One obvious mistake I found was in the
Fish Cake recipe among other ingredients, it calls for 2 pounds of
fresh cod and 2 pounds of fresh Pollock, but yet they say the recipe
only makes 2-3 oz fish cakes.
recipes, but it also gives you an inside look at the restaurant
itself. Throughout the book are interspersed short little articles.
Some about the history of the restaurant 4 owners-3 families since
1827. Some about it's historical location - "stands in the shadow of
the Faneuil Hall" where Samuel Adams and other Boston patriots met
and "fanned the flames of revolution". It's also close to the
Freedom Trail a historic walking tour of sixteen sites that tell
how the United States began. Other articles describe the portion
size (large!) and why your waitress may be a bit curt. One thing
they have that you don't usually see on-site of a restaurant is an in-
house laundry for their tablecloths. The restaurant descriptions make
you want to go to Boston just to experience Durgin-Park.
Everything served at the restaurant is made from scratch daily. The
current chef (as of 2002), Tommy Ryan, still buys "swinging beef" and
cuts his own steaks and chops. They also grind their own hamburger.
The strawberries are always fresh no matter the cost, even in the
middle of winter for their Strawberry Shortcake Pudding.
This cookbook is filled with the traditional East Coast Yankee fare
including Boston Brown Bread, Rice Pudding, Indian Pudding, Coffee
Jell-O (conceived by a previous frugal owner), Boston Cream Pie,
Yankee Pot Roast, Lobster Newburg, and Macaroni and Cheese.
Each recipe gives the number of servings. Prior to each recipe is a
short paragraph about the dish, some I have to wonder if the
restaurant actually serves as they give three recipes for Baked Bean
Soup. I found the recipes overall to be easy to follow at least
they sound like they would be. One obvious mistake I found was in the
Fish Cake recipe among other ingredients, it calls for 2 pounds of
fresh cod and 2 pounds of fresh Pollock, but yet they say the recipe
only makes 2-3 oz fish cakes.
