Links and Reviews

Here's what people are saying about Tinky Weisblat
and The Pudding Hollow Cookbook!

From a review by Jeff Cummins in the Maplewood-South Orange (New Jersey) News Record, 4 November 2004:

The bottom line is that Weisblat knows just how to convey home and family to anyone, regardless of whether they live in Elizabeth, Clark, Maplewood, Peoria, Ill., or Los Angeles.

Her book, more than anything else, evokes thoughts that transcend things like time, place on earth, age, or even station in life. Weisblat brings us home, to a place of comfort, warmth and love, things that we all need.

From a cookbook round up by Robert Rastelli in the Star Ledger, 15 September 2004:

This is one cute book with some wonderful drawings and paintings, as well as friendly food with a friendly touch.... With illustrations by the late Massachusetts painter Judith Russell, this little book can make a wonderful gift or become a source of peace in anyone's kitchen, especially those in need of a break from today's breakneck pace.

From a review by Marylou Morano in the Westfield Leader, 28 October 2004:

"The Pudding Hollow Cookbook" is a wonderful addition to any cook's library.... When you've turned the last page, you'll feel as though you have an entire new set of friends and neighbors.

From Claire Hopley's "Table Talk" in the Amherst Bulletin, July 2, 2004:

"The Pudding Hollow Cookbook," just published by the Merry Lion Press of Hawley, must be one of the prettiest cookbooks ever.

With a folk painting of Hawley's 18th-century pudding contest on its cover, more paintings of farms and animals and foods inside, and amusing little line drawings throughout, it suggests that all's right with the world. So, too, do the recipes, especially for local residents, because they celebrate the foods and festivals of our area.

From a Booklist (May 15, 2004) preview of The Pudding Hollow Cookbook, by Stephanie Zvirin:

The straightforward, almost casual instructions will be easy to follow, and Weisblat's generous chapter introductions give a strong sense of a close-knit community whose members continue to be drawn together by a love of good food.

A recent profile in the Greenfield Recorder ("She Does It All," by Virginia Ray, Thursday, April 29, 2004) calls Tinky Weisblat...

"West county's best known Renaissance woman" and predicts that this "pint-sized powerhouse" will soon "take the publishing world by storm."

From Food History News, Editor's Notebook, June 15, 2004:

The Pudding Hollow Cookbook has some charming and delicious local recipes in it. Beyond that though, this is one of those cook books we like to read. Tinky paints in recipes and head notes a portrait of her town of Hawley, and the neighboring communities, and the good people who filled them without being sticky-sweetly sentimental either.

Bookstores love the cookbook, too! Here's what Jennifer Malinowski of Schuler Books & Music in Okemos Michigan wrote:

"The Pudding Hollow Cookbook" reads like a love letter to Tinky Weisblat's town. Filled with delicious sounding recipes from family and community members, the book commemorates the history of the Pudding Hollow region. As an added bonus, the illustrations are beautiful and colorful, and their inclusion is a fitting tribute to the local folk artist, Judith Russell, who tragically passed away years ago. This is one cookbook that appeals on a variety of levels and to a variety of senses!

Librarian Bambi Miller of Charlemont organized this tribute to Tinky, Judy, and the Pudding Hollow Cookbook in the window of Avery's General Store. Thank you, Bambi!

SOME USEFUL LINKS:

Here are a few links for fans of The Pudding Hollow Cookbook, recommended by author Tinky "Dakota" Weisblat:

The Culinary Arts School web site is graciously listing our pudding contest! Learn how to become a great chef; get information on Culinary Arts degrees and programs by visiting its web site, www.culinary-arts-school.com

Readers looking for a further taste of Pudding Hollow may want to visit web sites related to chapters of the book. "A Culinary Tour of Shelburne Falls" takes a look at a village one local merchant calls a 19th-century town in 21st-century America. Visit Shelburne Falls for yourself in person or at its web site, www.shelburnefalls.com.

"An Early Summer Farm and Garden Tour" wanders through a number of thriving West County farms and gardens; it is based on a tour sponsored every year by artist Judith Russell's favorite charity, the Franklin Land Trust. To learn more about this organization, which works to preserve the land and rural character of West County, visit its web site at www.franklinlandtrust.org.

"Maple Time: The Fifth Season" focuses on the year's earliest agricultural product near Pudding Hollow, maple syrup. The Massachusetts Maple Producers Association shares information about maple trees and maple syruping, lists sugar houses, and even offers a number of recipes at its web site, www.massmaple.org.

Finally, "Listening and Eating with Mohawk Trail Concerts" explores the culinary side of a local concert series that has brought music to an acoustically perfect church in Charlemont, Massachusetts, for more than three decades. More information may be found at MTC's web site, www.mohawktrailconcerts.org.

An ingredient note: All baking recipes in The Pudding Hollow Cookbook were tested using King Arthur Flour. King Arthur, located in Norwich, Vermont, is an employee-owned company that produces nourishing, chemical free flours. Look for King Arthur Flour in your local supermarket or order from the company's online baker's catalogue at www.kingarthurflour.com.

A web site note: If you like the look of this site, you might like to investigate the skills of Steve the Fabulous Web Guy. His home page is www.idealonweb.com