Super Bowl Week: A Book of Appetizers, Cookbook of the Day

by Marisa McClellan, Posted Jan 28th 2008 @ 5:00PM

Since it's the dips and appetizers day of our Super Bowl Week, I thought it would be fitting to feature a cookbook chock full of recipes for appetizers. I headed to my cookbook stash, knowing that I had at least one appetizer cookbook in my stacks. What I came up with is the little book yousee pictured here, A Book of Appetizers. Printed in 1958, this perfectly square volume was written by Helen Evans Brown (she wrote several cookbooks with James Beard).

It contains 145 recipes for appetizers and each is paired with a drink suggestion. Some of the recipes are kitschy and dated, while others are appealingly current. After the jump I've included recipe #144, Spicy Stuffed Onion Rings, which would make a great Super Bowl nibble (although they might unnecessarily tether you to the stove). She pairs these rings with a Columbian Cooler, which is a blend of Jamaican rum and Creme de Menthe. Personally, I think a good lager might be a better pairing.

144. Spicy Stuffed Onion Rings
from A Book of Appetizers by Helen Evans Brown

Everyone goes for French fried onions, but when they're puffed and spicy besides, you'd better plan on twice as many as you think you'll need. Slice sweet onions--Italian, Spanish or Bermuda--1/4 inch thick and divide into rings. Cover with milk and soak overnight. In the morning, drain, dip in seasoned flour, again dip in milk and again in the flour. (For each cup of flour add 1 teaspoon of salt, some freshly ground pepper, and 2 teaspoons of curry or chili powder). Fry the onions in deep fat at 375 degrees until very lightly browned. Drain on paper. just before serving with cocktails, fry again in fat at 400 degrees until brown and puffy.

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Filed Under: Cookbook Spotlight, Super Bowl XLII, Books
Tags: A Book of Appetizers, Helen Evens Brown, James Beard, Super Bowl Week, Super Bowl XLII, SuperBowlWeek