388 traditional recipes

Old-school sugar-cured ham dry rub: salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. A three-ingredient Southern heirloom mix for curing fresh ham the traditional way at home.

Pickled or corned beef (or venison): a traditional barrel-cure brine for beef or wild game using salt, saltpeter, and molasses. Old-fashioned homesteader method for preserving large cuts.

Old-fashioned mincemeat-style fruit preserve with prunes, dried apples, and raisins simmered with corn syrup, vinegar, and warm spices. Meatless take on traditional mincemeat for pies and tarts.

Oven-fried chicken breast with a crispy seasoned breadcrumb coating, no deep frying needed. Dipped in yogurt, flour, and egg white for a crunchy crust with less fat than traditional fried chicken.

Polish-style kishke, buckwheat groats simmered in a rich neck-bone broth with onion, garlic, carrot, and paprika, then stuffed into casings. A traditional, frugal sausage that fries up crisp and savory.

Traditional Shabbos cholent slow-cooked overnight with meat, soup bones, potatoes, barley, beans, and onions. This classic Jewish Sabbath stew simmers 18 to 24 hours for deeply rich, tender results.

Traditional Ukrainian fermented beet juice made with just beets, salt, water, and a slice of sourdough bread. Tangy, earthy, and ruby-red after one to two weeks of natural fermentation.

A traditional Irish fruit bread, Barmbrack is packed with dried fruits soaked in tea, offering a sweet, spiced flavor. Perfect for slicing, buttering, and enjoying with a cup of tea.

Traditional calf's feet jelly made from boiled calf's feet with cinnamon, lemon, white wine, and egg whites for clarification. A classic Victorian-era gelatin set in molds and served cold.

Traditional Swiss Basel Leckerli: honey-spice cookie bars with cinnamon, cloves, candied peels, kirsch, and almonds under a crackly sugar glaze. Makes 50 to 60 bars that keep for weeks.

Le Papet Vaudois is a traditional Swiss dish of leeks and potatoes braised in white wine and vegetable broth with nutmeg, finished with milk. Serve with sausage and crusty bread.

Golden apricot nog made from simmered dried apricots blended with skim milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and stiff meringue, spiked with rum or brandy. A fruity, lighter twist on traditional holiday eggnog.

Traditional fermented beet kvass, the tangy ruby-red base for authentic borscht. Just beets, water, and a slice of bread create this Old World staple in 4 to 5 days.

Fresh Bartlett pears cored, stuffed with minced Chinese dates and orange honey, then gently steamed until tender. A traditional Chinese dessert with just three ingredients that's elegant and naturally light.

Traditional dry salt cure for a 14-pound ham using rough salt, brown sugar, and saltpeter. Includes a 3-week curing process with optional smoking instructions for homemade country ham.

Gefilte fish the old-fashioned way: poached pike and white fish dumplings simmered in an onion-carrot fish stock, chilled and served with horseradish. A traditional Passover and Shabbat classic.