As Santa Claus travels across the U.S. on Christmas Eve, he usually picks up a few cookies and some milk along the way to snack on. But in other countries, his goodies are quite different. Santa, with the help of writer Jeff Guinn, has put together a cookbook of all the foods that he enjoys in his travels, titled Santa’s North Pole Cookbook.
Santa prefaces each recipe with a description of the dish and what makes it special at the holidays, along with his recollections of the country of origin. Lars, Santa’s North Pole chef, offers additional commentary and cooking tips. The cookbook offers an array of foods, beverages and desserts for breakfasts, dinners and parties. There are even a few recipes enjoyed by historical figures! The nations that celebrate Christmas are well represented (a majority of the recipes being from Europe and the US), making it a good international recipe collection.
Despite the cheery image of Santa on the cover, this is not a kids’ cookbook; the recipes aren’t all difficult, though, and children can assist parents with the cooking.
I bought a copy of the cookbook for myself, and look forward to putting some of the recipes together for my family. I may even bake the Banana-Walnut Christmas Bread, in case the old elf stops by my house!
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Santa’s North Pole Cookbook is available at all CCLS libraries. Ask a staff member for assistance.
Check out other international cookbooks at CCLS. Some children’s cookbooks are among the selections.
See other books by Jeff Guinn at CCLS and in PINES. Some of his writings relate to Santa Claus.
Christmas recipes abound on the web, especially on popular recipe sites like Cooks.com and All Recipes. Visit Food Network’s Twelve Days of Cookies for cookie recipes to make for Santa!