History Enriches Recipes

By Andrea Hunter Halgrimson

The Forum, Fargo, North Dakota, December 15, 2007

Andrea Hunter Halgrimson was born in Fargo at St. Luke's Hospital in 1940. She lives in the same north Fargo neighborhood where her parents, grandmothers, grandfather and great grandmother also lived. She served as The Forum's librarian from 1972 until her retirement in 2004. She still writes a food and cooking that has run off and on since 1987. In 2003 she started writing a local history column, "As I recall." She is a graduate of Fargo Central High School (1958) and North Dakota State University (1984).

Recipes dont have to be the only ingredient in good cookbook. Cookbooks can also tell stories. Ive been rearranging my collection and have reacquainted myself with a few of my favorites.

I especially favor those with a little history thrown in the mix.

Dakota Gold, NDLA Celebrates 100 Years, published last year by the North Dakota Library Association, is jam-packed with recipes from librarians around the state. It is also filled with history not only of the association but of North Dakota over the last 100 years.

The meatless recipes on pages 166 and 167 give you an idea of the eclectic mix in the book: Stuffed Eggplant, Braised Kale, Red Lentil Loaf and Stuffed Peppers all from Christine Kujawa at the Bismarck Public Library.