The Book Lover's Cookbook

Wake up to a perfect breakfast with Mrs. Dalby's Buttermilk Scones, courtesy of James Herriot's All Things Bright and Beautifuland Ichabod's Slapjacks, as featured in Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. There's homey comfort food like Connie May's Tomato Pie, created with and inspired by Connie May Fowler(Remembering Blue); Thanksgiving Spinach Casserole (Elizabeth Berg's Open House); and Amish Chicken and Dumplings (Jodi Picoult'sPlain Truth) . . . Sample salads, breads, and such soul-warming soups as Nearly-a-Meal Potato Soup (Terry Kay's Shadow Song); Mr. Casaubon's Chicken Noodle Soup (George Eliot's Middlemarch); and Mrs. Leibowitz's Lentil-Vegetable Soup (Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes) . . . After relishing appetizers and entrees, there's a dazzling array of desserts, including Carrot Pudding (Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol); Effie Belle's Coconut Cake (Olive Ann Burns's Cold Sassy Tree); and the kids will love C.S. Lewis's Turkish Delight from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Sprinkled throughout with marvelous anecdotes about writers and writing, The Book Lover's Cookbookis a culinary and literary delight, a browser's cornucopia of reading pleasure, and a true inspiration in the kitchen.

Shaunda Kennedy Wengerenjoys creative cooking and writing children's stories and articles. She is currently working on a novel. Her work has been published in Babybug, Ladybug, Wonder Years, American Careers, South Valley Living, and Short-Short Stories for Reading Aloud(The Education Center, 2000). She is an active member of the League of Utah Writers and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She regards her monthly book club meeting as one life's essential ingredients.

Janet Kay Jensenis published in Healing Ministry journaland The Magic of Stories. She has received numerous awards for essays, poetry, and short stories, including three ByLine Magazinehonorable mentions. A speech-language pathologist, she holds degrees from Utah State University and Northwestern University. She is writing a novel, teaches poetry classes to jail inmates, and is a literacy tutor. Married and the mother of three sons, she is a consultant at Utah State University.

TASTY RECIPES AND THE BOOKS THAT INSPIRED THEM

Jo's Best Omelette . . . Little Womenby Louisa May Alcott

No Dieter's Delight Chicken Neapolitan . . . Thinnerby Stephen King

Extra-Special Rhubarb Pie . . . The Persian Pickle Clubby Sandra Dallas

Grand Feast Crab Meat Casserole . . . At Home in Mitfordby Jan Karon

Persian Cucumber and Yogurt . . . House of Sand and Fogby Andre Dubus III

Tamales . . . Like Water for Chocolateby Laura Esquivel

Bev's No-Fuss Crab Cakes . . . Unnatural Exposureby Patricia Cornwell

Macaroni and Cheese . . . The Accidental Touristby Anne Tyler

Veteran Split Pea Soup . . . The Red Badge of Courageby Stephen Crane

Alternative Carrot-Raisin-Pineapple Salad . . . Midwivesby Chris Bohjalian

Summer's Day Cucumber-Tomato Sandwiches . . .

Women in Loveby D. H. Lawrence

Refreshing Black Cows . . . The Book of Ruthby Jane Hamilton

Dump Punch . . . Pride and Prejudiceby Jane Austen

Not Violet, But Blueberry Pie

. . . Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryby Roald Dahl

Innocent Sweet Bread . . . The Bluest Eyeby Toni Morrison

Daddy's Rich Chocolate Cake . . . Fatherhoodby Bill Cosby

. . . and many other delectable dishes for the literary palate!

From the Hardcover edition.