HINGHAM, MA: Country Fare

The South Shore town of Hingham, Massachusetts, maintains its early village charm and entices visitors with its historic greens and scenic harbor. Landing in Bar Cove, the earliest settlers brought inspiration for their new home from its English namesake, and the young village prospered and grew into an influential coastal community. Discover the Old Ship Meetinghouse, the oldest continually in operation; the story of President Abraham Lincoln's ancestor, who facilitated the British surrender at Yorktown; and the teeming coastal waters that have drawn generations of fishermen. Ted Clarke, one of Boston's most prolific authors of local history, deftly chronicles four hundred years of Hingham's unique past.

The established neighborhoods of Hingham make up a seashore community that has retained much of its historic charm. The Old Derby Academy, Old Ordinary Tavern, and the Old Ship Meetinghouse church are all local treasures. Atrip down Main Street affords extraordinary views of fine Victorian homes and Colonial farmhouses. Hingham was also home to the U.S. armed forces buildup during World Wars I and II. This Colonial settlement truly remains a celebrated all-American town.

Countries all over the world have their own kind of"rustic" food -- simple, thrifty, hearty, unpretentious, and full of flavor. Earthy and tantalizing, rustic is the kind of food that memories are made of, passed down through generations of grandmothers and aunts to daughters and sons. In The Rustic Table, IACP Award-winning author Constance Snow re-creates flavors from more than twenty-five different countries with more than 200 recipes for starters, sides, entrées, and desserts. For breakfast, try West African Spice Doughnuts, Vietnamese "Happy Pancakes, " or Swiss Fruit and Mixed-Grain Porridge. Lunch and dinner possibilities include light entrées like Asian-Style Noodle Salad with Spicy Sesame Dressing and French Vegetable Soup with Basil and Garlic, as well as hearty dishes such as Korean Grilled Beef, Native American Planked Salmon, and Greek Lamb and Bulgur Meatballs with Cucumber Yogurt Dip. And there's no dessert like a truly rustic one: Creole Praline Bread Pudding with Warm Whiskey Sauce, Thai Sticky Coconut Rice with Mango and Mint, or Shaker Lemon Pie. The Rustic Table is a real taste of really easy rustic food. This is a cookbook for home cooks who enjoy using ingredients as close to nature as possible and who want to prepare food with ingredients that are easy to find and recipes that involve just a few quick steps.

Countries all over the world have their own kind of"rustic" food -- simple, thrifty, hearty, unpretentious, and full of flavor. Earthy and tantalizing, rustic is the kind of food that memories are made of, passed down through generations of grandmothers and aunts to daughters and sons. In The Rustic Table, IACP Award-winning author Constance Snow re-creates flavors from more than twenty-five different countries with more than 200 recipes for starters, sides, entrées, and desserts. For breakfast, try West African Spice Doughnuts, Vietnamese "Happy Pancakes, " or Swiss Fruit and Mixed-Grain Porridge. Lunch and dinner possibilities include light entrées like Asian-Style Noodle Salad with Spicy Sesame Dressing and French Vegetable Soup with Basil and Garlic, as well as hearty dishes such as Korean Grilled Beef, Native American Planked Salmon, and Greek Lamb and Bulgur Meatballs with Cucumber Yogurt Dip. And there's no dessert like a truly rustic one: Creole Praline Bread Pudding with Warm Whiskey Sauce, Thai Sticky Coconut Rice with Mango and Mint, or Shaker Lemon Pie. The Rustic Table is a real taste of really easy rustic food. This is a cookbook for home cooks who enjoy using ingredients as close to nature as possible and who want to prepare food with ingredients that are easy to find and recipes that involve just a few quick steps.