Faith Based Cookbooks

Many Culinary Traditions are found in:

Kitchens of the Faithful

Foods in various ways constitute an important part of the life of many faith communities. For some, certain types of foods are emphasized while others are excluded. Creation, consumption and handling of acceptable foods can be tied to the calendar and to the time of day and week. Certain foods and even entire meals are shared to mark special commemorations or celebrations within most faith bodies. A Christian church or family may gather for breakfast to mark the end of Lent and the beginning of the Easter season, observant Jews share a Passover Seder, Quakers a Simple Meal as a reminder of the importance of charity, while Muslims share an Eid al-Fitr or Breaking the Fast Feast to mark the end of Ramadan. And across almost all Faith traditions the preparation of foods, in particular those significant within that body, are taught and recorded. Simple or more elaborate recipe lists are shared, and cookbooks are created and frequently sold for charitable purposes. This is often done by a group within that body, or by knowledgeable individuals who are a part of that community.

These provide a remarkable window onto the cuisine and traditions of each faith body.

Two titles can serve as something of an introduction to this cookbook genre. The first is sample volume created by the publishing house which produces cookbooks for many churches, especially in the American Midwest. The second is a gathering of recipes from a number of faith traditions in the U.S. and Canada, under the rubric "Church Suppers" - which also includes a number of recipes for making food in the larger quantities suitable for feeding a crowd.

Heavenly Delights : 100th anniversary cookbook : a collection of recipes [Sample], by Grace Bible Church. Kearney, NE. Morris Press Cookbooks, [2011]. 89 pages : illustrations (some color). (F) TX715 .H438 2011.
Contents: Appetizers & beverages -- Soups & salads -- Vegetables & side dishes -- Main dishes -- Beads & rolls -- Desserts -- Cookies & Candy -- This & that
Morris Press is the largest cookbook publisher in the country, according to its web site, with a specialty of producing church cookbooks. This is a "Sample" volume, fully mocked up, with a "pastor's introduction" which includes "church history," a name attached to each recipe, and even supporting advertisements for "local" businesses. But there is no one "Grace Bible Church," and the rest is gathered together and no doubt based on actual church cookbooks. Only the word "Sample" on the corner of the front cover is a literal statement.
Church Suppers: 722 favorite recipes from our church communities, by Barbara Greenman. New York : Black Dog & Leventhal, 2005. 384 pages : illustrations. (F) TX738 .G844 2005.
Contents: Introduction -- Appetizers -- Soups -- Salads -- Breads and baked goods -- Seafood -- Poultry -- Meat -- One-dish meals -- Vegetables -- Cakes, pies, and puddings -- Cookies and candy -- Beverages -- Contributors -- Table of equivalents.
"Full of local flavor and rounded out with line drawings and anecdotes about the contributing churches." Catalog record.