“The Emily Dickinson Cookbook – Recipes from Emily’s Table Alongside the Poems that Inspire Them”
By: Aryln Osborne

Cooking Renews Our Bodies, As Poetry Restores Our Souls—Emily Dickinson’s Cookbook Does Both Simultaneously!

From intriguing research uncovered by Author and classically trained Chef, Aryln Osborne, it's now revealed that Victorian America’s prolific poetess from Amherst, Mass., Emily Dickinson, was both an accomplished writer and an award-winning baker.

Dickinson’s enigmatic verses are rich with metaphors, and mysterious, often ambiguous figures of speech, that frequently cloak deeper meanings.

Author and researcher, Osborne so eloquently notes in this treasure of a “Cookbook” that is so much more than a recipe book, that Dickinson frequently used metaphors denoting food, hunger, starvation, and thirst as imagery for her unrequited physical desires, longings and insatiable emotional yearnings. Even in William Luce’s play about the life of Dickinson, “The Belle of Amherst,” he also noted that “…she had been hungry all the years.”

It's easy to see how these food symbols became so prominent in Dickinson’s writing because her family home was situated on verdant land surrounded by lush orchards. From Osborne’s narrative we also learn that the wide varieties of fruits and vegetables available, along with the beauty of the changing seasons, all inspired Emily’s writings and her cooking.

One of my favorite breakfasts, is also one of Emily's, creamy breakfast “Strawberry Oatmeal.” The following poem is adjacent to the recipe included in the book.

“Forbidden fruit a flavor has
That lawful orchards mocks;
How luscious lies the pea within
The pod that Duty locks!”

Emily’s recipes for favorite breakfasts, afternoon teas, hearty meals, soups, breads, and sweets are all covered. We also learn that she was an especially fine bread maker, and won an award for her ‘Rye and Indian Loaf’ recipe.

This beautifully illustrated book contains historical information about Dickinson and her family; copies of her handwritten recipes; recipes formatted for the modern cook; poems or letters that influenced the listed recipes; and references on each of the recipes and writings.

This historical reference cookbook is available in both hardback and eBook editions thanks to the extensive research, analysis and lovely compilation by Aryln Osborne. For all Emily Dickinson fans, it's a must have.
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The Book Maven’s Journal—Reviews for Word Connoisseurs

REVIEWER: J.Hunt
STAR RATING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Emily Dickinson Cookbook – Recipes from Emily’s Table Alongside the Poems that Inspire Them” Author: Aryln Osborne Genre: Non-Fiction | Cooking | Poetry | Historical Publication Date: January 2022 Publisher: The Harvard Common Press, an imprint of The Quarto Publishing Group

With Sincerest Appreciation to NetGalley, Author Aryln Osborne, and The Harvard Common Press, an imprint of The Quarto Publishing Group, for Providing this Advance Reader’s Copy for Review.

Winter is always the season that I read a number of cookbooks and I was thrilled to receive an ARC of The Emily Dickinson Cookbook by Arlyn Osborne to help satisfy that winter cookbook craving.
This cookbook is a great concept and I really loved the blending of this poetically centered book. It is just a fantastic blend of literature, cooking and baking as well as the enchanting handwritten pieces throughout the book from Emily Dickinson.

This book would make a great gift and I plan to purchase a hard copy to add to my cookbook collection and share on a blog post in the future.

THE EMILY DICKINSON COOKBOOK is just the delight I had hoped it would be. I learned much more than I already knew of the poet, including the fact she cooked as well as she wrote.

I have the sense this book was a labor of love for author, Arlyn Osborne. Short at just 112 pages, this more-than-a-recipe book still manages to include a wealth of information, recipes, and photos. Each recipe comes with a brief look into Emily’s life, and her poetry that connects to the dish.

Here are a few recipes you’ll find . . . Spicy Skillet Hash, Sticky Backed Peaches, Jasmine Tea Biscuits, Cherry Scones, Winter Garden Vegetable Soup, Irish Stew, Mushroom Pox Pie, Pan-Fried Cod Cakes, Graham Bread, Little Dinner Rolls, Federal Cake, Cream Puffs, and more.

Beautiful color photos accentuate the book and serve to bring this story of Emily Dickinson together in a sensory journey that will leave you feeling sated, yet wanting more.

I love this cookbook! I love literary cookbooks, but have found that they tend to have very few recipes or the recipes that are included are just not any good and are forced for the sake of the theme. This cookbook was great because it had a ton of recipes and most of them look really good. They've also accomplished the more difficult task of keeping to the Emily Dickinson theme. Overall this was a really well put together cookbook

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have a tremendous love for literary inspired cookbooks, so I was so excited to dive into this one! 🙌🏻 The book is divided into the following chapters..<b>BREAKFAST AND BRUNCHES, TEA TIME AT THE DICKINSON’S, FROM THE STOCKPOT, POETIC SUPPERS, EMILY’S BEST BREADS, and CAKES, PIES, AND
OTHER SWEET THINGS.</b> Each chapter has several easy to follow recipes. Along with a little information about Emily and/or the Dickison family. The book is also visually appealing with a lovely fancy font, illustrations, and photos accompanying several of the recipes. Spicy Skillet Hash was a favorite of my husbands, while I loved the Jasmine Tea Biscuits. Next up on my list to try is the Brown Bread! 🍞

A definite must buy for anyone that loves books and cooking!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Absolutely beautiful book of 19th century fares. This book is a feeling. If you are looking for recipes Emily Dickinson might have prepared or enjoyed and you want to put some together for friends and family in a themed dinner, this is the perfect book. If you consider yourself a literary and culinary avid fan of Dickinson's wanting to connect with her through her own recipes, this book is closer to fiction and might disappoint. A handful of the recipes, mainly the desserts, are actual recipes of hers but even those have been adapted to modern day tastes and techniques. Most of the recipes are an imagined recreation of Dickinson's time conjured through her poems, letters, biography, and photographs. There are enough recipes that are either vegetarian or can easily be amended that way. I see this book as a good fit for someone who loves to cook, loves the 19th century, loves poetry, and only vaguely knows of Emily Dickinson.

Love, love, LOVE this book!!! Already tried two recipes and cannot wait to try the others! Absolutely buying a physical copy of this book!!! Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy!

I love author or period cookbooks because it gives you a look into that time period and what those potential characters were eating. It is a cute book but very old fashioned (not in a good way)

I get what they were trying to do but it almost looks cartoonish. The recipes are easy enough to follow but the font is very small and the pictures are scattered.

The Emily Dickinson Cookbook includes recipes and poetry that inspired the finished dishes. It is a lesser known fact that Emily loved baking for her family and friends, even entering dishes in the country fair on occasion. The cookbook is divided into sections, which I list below with some of the standouts.

Breakfast and Brunches: Sheet Pan Sausage Breakfast; Glazed Crullers; Baked Berry Pecan French Toast

Tea Time at the Dickinsons: Cherry Scones; Rice Cakes

From the Stockpot: Winter Garden Vegetable Soup; Brothy Chicken Soup; Irish Stew

Poetic Suppers: Lemon Herb Chicken; Mushroom Pot Pie

Emily's Best Breads: Maggie's Irish Soda Bread; Corn Cakes; Gingerbread; Brown Bread

Cakes, Pies and other Sweet: Mrs. Dickinson's Custard Pie; Coconut Cake; Chocolate Caramels; Chocolate Mousse

The cookbook itself is brightly colored and inspiring, including great photographs and story about the Dickinsons. Bringing the acclaimed poetess to life, The Emily Dickinson Cookbook includes details about her personal existence that might not be common knowledge.

The only issue I had with the cookbook was that the author updated the recipes to more modern cooking practices and ingredients. Substitutions with shortcut ingredients like frozen hash brown potatoes were not needed, weakening what was a very strong cookbook with a good set of recipes. Overall, I really enjoyed this look at food through Emily Dickinson's eyes and would recommend this cookbook

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Emily Dickinson Cookbook by NetGalley and the publisher, Harvard Common Press. The decision to read and review this cookbook was entirely my own.

This book is just straight up beautiful to look at. I love how it's designed to look like a scrapbook, with little pieces of history peppered throughout. I learned a lot about Emily Dickinson through these additions, and had no idea she was such a great baker and cook. I didn't get the chance to cook the recipes, but I am looking forward to it. I have made a very similar raspberry jam recipe and it was delicious, so I'm sure this one will be lovely as well. Overall, I recommend this for history buffs and people looking for traditional recipes.

What a wonderful book! I like Emily Dickinson so much 🤍, so when I saw this book on NetGalley I requested immediately, and I was so lucky to receive a digital copy 😊.

The book contains 50 recipes and it's divided into 6 chapters:

1. Breakfast and brunches
2. Tea time at the Dickinsons
3. From the Stockport
4. Poetic Suppers
5. Emily's best breads
6. Cakes, pies, and other sweet things

I love how every recipe is accompanied by a poem by Emily Dickinson and a brief explanation of recipe's background. Some of these are adapted from Emily's own recipes, others are intrepretations of food mentioned in her letters, and there are also some which are inspired by Emily's poems.

Today I made "Pumkin Corn Chowder" (which is already vegetarian, so I just replaced milk for soy milk) and "Apple Puncakes" (also vegetarian, I just didn't add an egg and replaced butter for vegan butter). These two recipes turned out great! I added some vegan whipped cream and nuts on top of the pancakes 😋.

I totally recommend this book, especially if you like poetry and/or are a fan of Emily Dickinson.
I think that the hardback edition must be fantastic. Both editions (digital and hardback) are already published since January 11th, 2022.

Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group - Harvard Common Press and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Well, it’s only January, but I know what everyone in my life is getting as a holiday gift next year! This book is perfection! But, let’s start at the beginning… I loved the cover, I love the title, love the idea, but then I opened it up and saw “spiced chicken wings” and recoiled. Emily Dickinson and wings? I roughly turned the pages and stop short. The accompanying poem and Explanation are spot on, and… I bought into it. It just gets better from there. The recipes run the gamut from simple to complex, casual snacks to formal meals, breads to pastries. Each is accompanied by a poem, excerpt, or tidbit about life in the 19th century. The only thing better would be Dickinson herself showing up to make it for me!
Bottom line: food+literature (2 of my favorite things)=when does the next installment come out?
You’ll have to take a look at the book to see for yourself - and find your favorite!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

First of all, I am a sucker for all things cookbooks. I am also a sucker for all things Emily Dickinson. This cookbook is simply put: lovely. The cover is beautiful; the font and layout of the book is divine; and the recipes are so much fun to make! I went right to work making apple pancakes, which were delicious. It is getting colder here in the Northeast and I am looking forward to trying some of the soup/stew recipes, especially the Irish Stew which looks delicious. I can't wait to work my way through this cookbook!

I absolutely adored this book. The stories, facts and yummy recipes made it a true winner! You won’t be disappointed.

I'm one of those people that reads cookbooks for fun. Yes, I also cook from them but they are delightful entertainment even when I'm not in the kitchen. I'm also a literary sort by nature and love the classics. Imagine my delight when I found The Emily Dickinson cookbook!

The pages of this cookbook are sweet and airy, light and gentle, filled with recipes of course, but there's more. Emily's poetry is deftly paired with harmonizing recipes. The author also provides thoughts and interpretations, as well as anecdotes about Emily's life.

The assortment of recipes is eclectic and charming. There's Honey Lemonade, Sticky Baked Peaches, Pumpkin Corn Chowder, and Jasmine Tea Biscuits, to list just a few. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all well-represented, and of course suitable recipes for teas and desserts are plentiful.

If ever a cookbook made a good excuse to curl up in a pillow nest with a cup of tea, this would be the one. I'm hoping it sparks a trend of literary cookbooks!

My thanks to author Arlyn Osborne, Quarto Publishing Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Like many, I became engrossed with Dickinson over the past year and loved seeing her cooking journey with Maggie on screen. This is a great companion for the TV series and I highly recommend to anyone who is fan of her work and of the show. A poem accompanies each recipe and acts as the inspiration as well as some include pictures of the original recipe or poem from Dickinson herself. The book is beautifully illustrated and the photography really shows the appeal and beauty of the recipes. In addition the recipes are approachable and not overly complicated. I can’t wait to try some of them, including the strawberry oatmeal, mushroom pot pie, and any of the breads.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press to the chance to review this cookbook.

Not only is this cookbook gorgeous but it feels like poetry come to life.
If you’re a fan of Emily Dickinson this is a must have for you. And if you’re not this is also a great addition for the recipes themselves.
Osborne does an amazing job incorporating Dickinson’s lyrical poetry with the recipes it’s truly a work of art. The design and structure of the book is so lovely, the colors the beautiful photography just stunning. The recipes themselves are easy to follow and there’s a wide range it has something for everyone!
I can’t wait to get my physical copy in the mail! I’ll be trying the out for sure.

enjoyed seeing the photos of Emily’s family home and her handwritten notes included. Some recipes in this book are creations of Emily’s but adapted to be slightly more modern, while others are interpretations of food based on her poems.

I love that each recipe has a poem and tells a story about a particular part of her life. It helped me learn a bit more about her through food and cooking. I had no idea she loved to cook so much and that she was a competitive baker!

Every recipe has metric measurements in addition to imperial so that made everything much easier! My only “negative” would be the lack of recipes that I was interested in making-but mostly because I’m a semi picky eater. All the recipes are simple (ingredient wise at least). I think the most complicated, cooking wise, is one of the breads or the donuts!

Overall a simple, delicious cookbook with some fun history and poetry throughout. Highly recommend for any fans of Emily Dickinson (or the show Dickinson) or if you enjoy easy but tasty cooking!

I love a fun and quirky cookbook and especially if it is somewhat literary as my two loves are reading and cooking. Put the two together and I am in heaven.

I love not just the recipes by the interesting facts about Emily Dickinson and how her life to point did revolve around the kitchen and food. But I do love the recipes as they are easy to follow and seem easy to make and they sound very tasty. YUM!

The pictures are great too and that is what keeps making me hungry for more and I am off to the kitchen to get stuck into a few of the recipes. Beautiful book, great recipes and some fun and interesting information which makes it all so real.

Highly recommend this one!

As an Emily Dickinson fan I was so excited to learn about her love of food. I love the throwback feel of this cookbooks. It has some of Emily's writing and some recipes in her handwriting which I loved. I love the mix of old documents of Emily's mixed with some more current photos that feel like they could have been taken in Dickinsons time.

Some of my favorite recipes include the Spicy Skillet Hash and the whole Tea Time section. I love how the connect each recipe to Dickinson.

Overall any Dickinson fan has to pick this up.

*Copy from NetGalley given for honest review.