The American Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook, Volume I: More Than 1,700 Crowd-Pleasing Recipes from 500 American Inns

The Maynards, who are caterers, have collected in this encyclopedic volume recipes from a dizzying number of inns and bread-and-breakfasts located throughout the United States. Brief paragraphs describe each establishment and its amenities. From a culinary viewpoint, this is, unfortunately, a rather grim recounting of every can of cream-of-mushroom soup, cream cheese-and-pimento loaf and mayonnaise-saturated creation inspired by the convenience food-crazed '60s. Some of the more insipid stomach-turners being plunked down before B & B guests include coconut coffee cake (which calls for a box of yellow cake mix, shredded coconut, crushed pineapple and a can of condensed cheddar-cheese soup) and Manhattan clam-chowder eggs (add canned, condensed Manhattan clam chowder to beaten eggs and scramble). Some serious recipes, made with real food, fare better. Muffins, fruit breads and coffee cakes receive considerable attention. Better Homes and Gardens Book Club, BOMC, Christian Herald Family Bookshelf and QPBC selections. (July)