25 county recipes

Pennsylvania Dutch rhubarb orange jam with fresh rhubarb, orange zest, and orange juice for citrus brightness. Four ingredients, no commercial pectin, traditional Lebanon County recipe.

Pictou County oatcakes from Nova Scotia, the classic Maritime Canadian shortbread-style oat cookie. Crisp, crumbly, brown sugar sweet, ready in 20 minutes.

A tender and juicy pork roast made seasoned to perfection with your choice of barbecue sauce.

Pennsylvania Dutch peach cake from Lebanon County with fresh peach halves baked into a tender biscuit-style base, dusted with cinnamon sugar. A summer harvest classic.

San Juan County fry bread made with flour, baking powder, salt, and water. Kneaded until elastic, hand-stretched, and fried golden. Serve with stew, honey, or jam.

Buttermilk biscuits with country milk gravy is the Southern breakfast that built a thousand mornings. Flaky, tall biscuits split open and smothered in peppery, pan-dripping gravy.

Slow-roasted country style pork shoulder rubbed with sage, ginger, and garlic for a crackling-crisp crust and fork-tender meat. This simple 5 lb pork roast recipe needs just 6 ingredients and cooks low and slow for 3 to 4 hours.

This relish is based on a prize-winning English recipe of more than a generation ago. It is less sweet than traditional chutneys; most of its sweetness comes not from sugar, but from apples, dates, and parsnips. I generally use Winesap apples but any well-flavored, crisp eating apple will do.

Country Captain is a storied Southern curried chicken stew with tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, and warm spices. A whole hen simmered tender and served over rice. Feeds 8.

Vegetarian country chili with kidney beans, canned tomatoes, and a basil-oregano-thyme spice blend. Diabetic-friendly, ready in 25 minutes, no meat needed.

Low-fat country potato patties with shredded boiled potatoes, onion, celery, green pepper, and whole wheat flour. Griddle-cooked with no added oil or butter.

French country soup with beef shank, cabbage, turnips, rutabaga, green beans, and elbow macaroni in a tomato broth seasoned with cloves. A hearty pot-au-feu style meal that simmers for hours.

Slow-baked country ham with a brown sugar, honey, dry sherry, and Dijon mustard glaze applied three times for a sticky, caramelized crust. The centerpiece for any holiday feast.

Warm brown rice breakfast cereal simmered with chopped prunes, cinnamon, and a pat of butter. Low-fat, naturally sweet, and ready to top with milk, honey, or fresh fruit.

Old-fashioned navy bean soup simmered low and slow with a meaty ham bone, onions, and bay leaf. Just 7 ingredients, feeds a crowd of 15, and freezes like a dream.

A rustic round whole wheat loaf sweetened with molasses and boosted with wheat germ, topped with oats. Simple yeast bread that fills the kitchen with the most incredible aroma.