cover image The Penny Whistle Lunch Box Book

The Penny Whistle Lunch Box Book

Meredith Brokaw. Grove/Atlantic, $9.94 (96pp) ISBN 978-1-55584-287-1

With its whimsical line drawings and an unusual 11 8 format, this gourmet cookbook is undoubtedly cute, but parents who have made one too many peanut butter and jellies for their children's lunches may not find a lifeline here. Anyone willing to pack a thermos of egg-drop soup, containers of strawberries and cream or nut bread made from scratch (recipes included here) probably isn't even looking for help. The rest of us want wholesome brown-bag meals that hold up after five hours at room temperature. A chicken salad recipe that calls for homemade mayonnaise, for example, discounts the perishable nature of this ingredient. The authors ( The Penny Whistle Party Planner ) are also unduly fond of preparing hot foods, such as piroshki or toasted cheese sandwiches, and wrapping them in foil in a vain attempt to retain their heat. Although the introduction invokes USDA dietary guidelines and a few recipes (e.g., for homemade potato chips) nod at nutrition, fat and salt are major players in many dishes (barbecued spareribs marinated in soy sauce, peanut butter and bacon sandwiches). (Aug.)