Part of Elm Creek Quilts, book 13
First published 2008
Anna Del Maso arrives at Elm Creek Manor to serve as head chef for the quilting retreat center. She has dreamed of being a chef since seventh grade, and now her twin loves of cooking and quilting converge in this new role. Anna wants to honor the manor's culinary traditions dating back to 1858 while creating fresh dishes for modern guests. The kitchen hasn't been updated since the 1940s, creating a stark contrast with the retreat's excellent quilting facilities. Anna and Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson face a daunting challenge: they must completely renovate the kitchen before the new camp season begins. As they tear down the old kitchen, Sylvia shares memories of the manor's food traditions. Anna discovers that every holiday menu prepared by generations of Bergstroms tells a story, just like the Welcome Banquets and Farewell Breakfasts that define the camp experience. Through recipes and reminiscences, Anna learns how food creates the bonds that make Elm Creek Manor truly feel like home.
Genres: family-life, historical-fiction, cooking, 21st-century, food, food-writing, culinary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, passion-project
Setting: Elm Creek Manor
Period: 1858, 1940s
224 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster