'Just Naturally Sweet' Cookbook Review
-Christianna Peña
Customer Service at Bascom Maple Farms
It is pretty surprising how many people are not aware that they can cook with sweeteners other than sugar. In this little old-fashioned cookbook, Patricia B. Mitchell not only presents four different natural options for sweeteners, (honey, molasses, sorghum, maple syrup) but explains their nutritional benefits over both refined sugar and artificial sweeteners.
I initially picked up this book to skim through it and get an idea of what types of recipes it contained, but as I started reading, I was impressed with the amount of history, anecdotes and information she included about each sweetener. In fact, her section “Of History and Honey” piqued my curiosity to research more about various types of honeybees, which in turn led me down the path of learning of the influence Africanized bees have had on honeybee colonies since they were inadvertently released in the 1950s, as well as a more in-depth understanding of honeybee anatomy.
As far as the actual recipes are concerned, many are vintage recipes which have been handed down through many generations. The instructions are often in the old style, with less detailed directions than recipes often include today. Not only are one of the four natural sweeteners used in each recipe, but whole wheat flour, oat bran, wheat bran, and similar ingredients are frequently utilized as well. Therefore, many of the recipes seem like they would be more hearty and dense, rather than light and airy.
The recipes I tested from this cookbook certainly met my expectations of being both hearty and dense. The whole grains and natural sweetener also contributed to a wonderful wholesome flavor. If you are familiar with using older recipes, are up for trying something more natural and hearty, or just want to enjoy the history, anecdotes, and tips she provides, this is a lovely little cookbook to learn from.