Dining at the Lineman's Shack

by John Weston

Book Overview

Mountain lion barbacoa. Margarita's yam souffl . Pastel de Choclo, a.k.a. Rodeo Pie. And for dessert, perhaps, Miss Ruby Cupcakes. These are but a few of the gustatory memories of John Weston that waft us on a poignant journey into the past in the company of a gifted writer and unabashed bon vivant.

The place is Skull Valley in central Arizona, the time the 1930s. Taking food as his theme, Weston paints an instructive and often...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816522839
• ISBN13: 9780816522835
• Release Date: April 2003
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press
• Length: 210 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A Loving Tribute

The cookbook as memoir probably began in 1959, when Alice B. Toklas' collection of recipes included one where she suggested serving, at a DAR Meeting, hashish fudge as a snack. John Weston's memoir, Dining at the Lineman's Shack doesn't serve up such confections, but it's a lovely book, and there are some fascinating recipes as well.The book is essentially, a loving tribute to his mother, Eloine, who raised Weston and his siblings in a remote shack desert during the Great Depression. Like Steinbeck's Joad family, Weston brilliantly captures life in Skull Valley, AZ. Eloine had the remarkable knack of transforming whatever foodstuffs were available into culinary delights. Among the most surprising menu items Weston delights in describing are Calves' Brains and Scrambled Eggs, Rabbit Jerky. Eloine could disguise the more questionable fare as creatively as possible, making it exceedingly edible. Weston serves up the actual recipes for Mountain lion Barbacoa. Margarita's Yam Soufflé. Pastel de Choclo (Rodeo Pie) and Miss Ruby's Cupcakes. One hopes that Eloine's cooking pleased her diners in the manner that Toklas' delighted the robust Picasso and intimidated Hemingway.Reared in the South and trained in the preparation of Southern cooking, following the death of her husband, a miner referred to, simply as "the dad," Eloine moved her family to Prescott, AZ and embraced Southwestern cuisine, including a love for chile peppers. Weston even includes authentic recipes for salsa and chile sauce. The loss of his father deeply affected him, and for a time, Weston fantasized his father's return, hoping their relationship would grow and change. Of course, this was never to be.From chapter to chapter, Weston makes constant connections and strongly focuses on the presentation of his memories, much as a fine restaurant will focus on the presentation of a featured dish, as it's served to a leading customer. A fan of Opera, Weston would escape his Arizona childhood, rearing a family, teaching and writing. (His novel, Hail, Hero! was filmed in 1969, serving as Michael Douglas' film debut.)Toklas lived in Paris with her "longtime companion," Gertrude Stein for 29 years, and her recipes are heavy with cream and butter. I've had little success with her recipes. Eloine's recipes are more accessible. Weston has settled with his longtime companion, Jim, in Palm Desert, CA. A genuine taste treat, Dining at the Lineman's Shack should be a prime addition to your summer reading list.Reviewed by Steven LaVigne in White Crane Journal

Virtually transports the reader through time and space

Dining At The Lineman's Shack by academician and novelist John Weston is a memoir of 1930's Arizona, about growing up in a lineman's shack, coping with the difficulties of rural family life, enduring tough times with the comfort of a mother who can cook miraculously well with next to nothing for ingredients. A compellingly personal story, and one which is vividly descriptive to such an extent that it virtually transports the reader through time and space, Dining At The Lineman's Shack is exceptionally well written and very highly recommended reading.

Meals of Great Enjoyment

I've just finished a week of savouring "Dining..." bit by bit, bite by bite, many unexpected meals of great enjoyment. The work is compelling from the cover to the end, which of course begs a sequel. It is so like a novel, yet better than a novel with its many surprising branchings and final lingerings - the true stuff of life. And so erudite. And so generous withi its scattered recipes for life. I feel richer having the book handy, both for its range of insights and its range of yummies. I know of no other memoir that yields this particular mix of pleasure.

Meals of Great Enjoyment

I have just finished a week of savouring "Dining..." bit by bit, bite by bite, many unexpected meals of great enjoyment. The work is compelling from the cover to the end, which of course begs a sequel. It is so like a novel, yet better than a novel with its many surprising branchings and final lingerings, the true stuff of life. And so erudite. And so generous with its scattered recipes for life. I feel richer having the book hand, both for its range of insights and its range of yummies. I know of no other memoir that yields this particular mix of pleasure.

WONDERFUL!

Richly and wonderfully crafted, this book was one I could not put down. A beautifully written memoir of life lived through the depression in Skull Valley, Arizona, and the bonds that hold family and community together.