Children’s Atlas

Kids Book Review – United Tastes of America by Gabrielle Langholtz

UNITED TASTES OF AMERICA:
AN ATLAS OF FOOD FACTS
& RECIPES FROM EVERY STATE!
Written by Gabrielle Langholtz
Drawings by Jenny Bowers
Photos by DL Acken
(Phaidon; $29.95, Ages 7-10)

United Tastes of America bk cvr

 

Take a road trip with the United Tastes of America: An Atlas of Food Facts & Recipes from Every State! by Gabrielle Langholtz, a gorgeous cookbook for ages seven and up. Regional recipes are listed in alphabetical order by state (Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Washington, DC, are included). Each location begins with two pages of fun facts surrounded by vibrant art; a full-color photo and clearly explained recipe follows. Because we had freshly picked blueberries, we tried Maine’s Blueberry Muffins recipe. It was delicious, and a good base recipe for swapping in other kinds of fruit.

 

United Tastes of America int spread pgs 144-145
United Tastes of America, An Atlas of Food Facts & Recipes from Every State! by Gabrielle Langholtz, Phaidon; Eating in New York, drawings by Jenny Bowers (pages 144-145)

 

United Tastes of America interior photo pgs 146-147
United Tastes of America, An Atlas of Food Facts & Recipes from Every State! by Gabrielle Langholtz, Phaidon; New York: Quick-Pickled Cucumbers, drawing by Jenny Bowers, photo by DL Acken (pages 146-147)

 

It’s fun to look up the dish from your state—California is Cobb Salad—or explore new places. I really liked the US Virgin Islands entries featuring information about Dumb Bread, Jerk Chicken, Rødgrød, Fungi (not a fungi!), and Goat Water (a hearty stew made of goat meat, pawpaw, bread fruit, and Scotch bonnet peppers). The diversity of our country is wonderful: Green Jell-O Salad (Utah), Oven-Fried Chicken (Kentucky), Norwegian Meatballs (South Dakota), Jambalaya (Louisiana), Chicken Bánh Mì (DC). While expanding your culinary skills, you’ll also learn something about that region’s history, geography, and people.

 

United Tastes of America interior spread pgs 192-193
United Tastes of America, An Atlas of Food Facts & Recipes from Every State! by Gabrielle Langholtz, Phaidon; Eating in Texas, drawings by Jenny Bowers (pages 192-193)

 

United Tastes of America interior photo pgs 194-195
United Tastes of America, An Atlas of Food Facts & Recipes from Every State! by Gabrielle Langholtz, Phaidon; Texas: Potato, Egg and Bacon Breakfast, drawing by Jenny Bowers, photo by DL Acken (pages 194-195)

 

The recipes are indexed by level of difficulty as well as in a standard index where you can search for ingredient (potato), cooking term (braising), or meal category (desserts, snacks). This handsome book would be an ideal gift for your foodie relatives and friends who live in other countries, or a lovely addition to your cookbook collection.

I agree with author Gabrielle Langholtz that, “Food is one of the best ways to learn about a place—its harvests, its history, and its people.” Langholtz was the award-winning editor of Edible Manhattan and Edible Brooklyn, the head of special projects and publicity at the NYC Greenmarket, and authored The New Greenmarket Cookbook (2014), and Phaidon’s America: The Cookbook (2017). She lives in Pennsylvania (state recipe, Soft Pretzels). Take this book on tour with you the next time you travel!

Jenny Bowers
DL Acken

 

 

Love cookbooks? Find another one reviewed here.

Share this:

The 50 States Fun Fact Blog Extravaganza!

The 50 States:
Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps!
Written by Gabrielle Balkan
Illustrated by Sol Linero
(Wide Eyed Editions; $30.00; Ages 7-10)

 

 THE 50 STATES FUN FACT BLOG EXTRAVAGANZA

50-States_CVRUpon reading The 50 States, a lavishly-illustrated collection of fact-filled maps, children will be inspired by the inventiveness, beauty and diversity of the United States. There are thousands of wondrous locations to be explored, hundreds of historical moments to discover, and The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps! also includes information on hundreds of people who helped make America what it is today. In addition, there’s a helpful guide to the state flags and presidents of the USA.

And we’ve got New York!!

WELCOME TO THE EMPIRE STATE New York was America’s capital before it was a nation, and still a British colony. After the Americans won their independence, George Washington—the first president—was sworn in on the steps of New York City’s Federal Hall. With a population of more than 8 million, New York City is the largest city by far in the country. In fact, “the City that Never Sleeps” has more people than 40 of the U.S.’s 50 states! This mighty metropolis is one of the only places where the price of a slice of pizza and the cost of a single ride on the subway have been equal for over 50 years! One visit is all it takes to fall in love with this historic, culture-filled state—from the jaw-dropping awesomeness of Niagara Falls or the rugged beauty of the Adirondacks to the cheesecake, hot dogs, and clam chowder of the Big Apple.

50 States_New York copy
Interior artwork from The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps! by Gabrielle Balkan with illustrations by Sol Linero, Wide Eyed Editions ©2015.

Here are some of my favorite facts about New York:

– DEREK JETER b.1974 Jeter’s 20-year baseball career with the New York Yankees included five World Series championships.

– JIMMY FALLON b.1974 Brooklyn-bred Fallon starred in Saturday Night Live and now hosts The Tonight Show.

– JULY 8, 1779: General George Washington moves his Revolutionary War headquarters to West Point, which later becomes the United States Military Academy.

– JULY 19–20, 1848: Votes for women! The first suffrage convention is held in Seneca Falls.

– MAY 24, 1883: The Brooklyn Bridge opens and 21 elephants cross to test its strength!

– AUGUST 15–18, 1969: 400,000 people come together in the name of peace at the Woodstock festival.

– New York is big on apples: it grows the most of any state after Washington.

– Dress up like comedian Lucille Ball and act out scenes from her hit show at the Desilu Studios in Jamestown.

– STATUE OF LIBERTY – This huge sculpture was completed in 1886. Representing freedom, it has become an icon of New York and the U.S. as a whole.

–  SUBWAY NYC has 722 miles of subway track!

– THE FINGER LAKES are made up of 11 long, thin lakes.

– SYRACUSE experiences the highest average snowfall of any American city.

– IROQUOIS ATHLETICS – An early form of lacrosse was played by the Iroquois nations.

Find out more by picking up a copy at your local independent bookstore today.

Share this:
Back To Top
%d bloggers like this: