Dish and Tell: Recipes from the Heart

Available February

$24.95

by Sarah Peterson

A collection of tasty dishes accompanied by their “tells”—the stories and family histories that heighten the flavors and enhance the sense of comfort these lovingly prepared foods bring.

Every family has certain recipes they treasure, the beloved foods that show up at potlucks, holidays, or other special occasions. Often these dishes are tied to a childhood memory or remind us of a loved one whose signature dish has brought joy to the table through the years.

Author Sarah Peterson points to Grandma Hilma’s Swedish almond rusks, Aunt Ede’s meatballs, or her mom’s chocolate chip shortbread cookies as cherished recipes she turns to over and over again when she cooks for family and friends. 

Dish and Tell: Recipes from the Heart highlights celebrated dishes from Peterson’s recipe box—and collects stories from other passionate home cooks who opened their kitchens to share their own tried-and-true recipes. Peterson takes readers along as she visits, cooks, and bakes with friends old and new to present a smorgasbord of family favorites. She serves up stories about the people behind the dishes and offers special tips and tricks from the keepers of these recipes. 

From straightforward comfort food like church egg dish or meatloaf muffins to special-occasion dazzlers like sandwich loaf or potica, this collection invites readers to embrace the opportunity to “dish and tell”—and discover why these vintage recipes deserve a spot at the table.

Sarah Peterson is a communications professional and creator of Vintage Dish and Tell, a blog about cherished family recipes. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, she blends her love of food and storytelling through both her work and her writing. Learn more at vintagedishandtell.com.

• Paperback
• 224 pages, 8 x 10
• 8 in W | 10 in H
• ISBN: 9781681342528

Advanced Praise

“Dish and Tell is a treasure trove of kitchen memories. These beloved recipes are laced with stories: Most are from scratch; many are now hard to find. Each page invites you into the kitchen of an aunt and elder, stirring, kneading, simmering. Read this and cook.” —Beth Dooley, author of The Perennial Kitchen and Minnesota’s Bounty: The Farmers Market Cookbook

“How often do we struggle to replicate beloved family dishes, only to discover that the secret to Grandma’s baked beans is lost forever? Sarah Peterson’s Dish and Tell celebrates and documents the unsung heroes of the Midwestern table so the home cook knows every dash of mustard, splash of orange juice, and yes, packet of Jell-O needed to revive those moments of sweet sensory pleasure.” —Mary K. Tennis, author of Smoke on the Waterfront: The Northern Waters Smokehaus Cookbook

“Sarah has created more than a cookbook—it’s a storybook of the Midwest, where every recipe is wrapped in a memory and every dish carries a legacy. Each page feels like sitting at a family table listening to the tender stories that bring them to life. With just as much heart as it has recipes, Dish and Tell is a celebration of food, family, and the love that lingers long after the meal is over and the dishes are done.”—Staci Mergenthal, Random Sweets blog and Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens podcast