Humboldt County Historical Society

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Taste of Humboldt

        "This cookbook," writes Gayle Karshner in her introduction, "is designed to acquaint its readers with the history and peoples of Humboldt County through the recipes from its kitchens." Included here are favorite recipes from over a dozen ethnic backgrounds, many passed down through generations. But this splendid volume is much more than a collection of great recipes. The first section of the book introduces us to Humboldt's peoples, from the Native Americans whose rich cultures thrived on the North Coast for innumerable generations, to the pioneer immigrants from many lands who began arriving in the 1850s and their descendants. A portrait of each group explains the circumstances of their arrival, the niche they filled or created for themselves, and their cultural contributions to their new home. The second section introduces us to Humboldt's communities, large and small, including some which exist only in memory, such as the company town Crannell, "a jolly place" where families lived in "small cabins with picket fences."

        Having been introduced to Humboldt's people and their communities, the reader is primed for a meal made from their recipes. Here are just a few possibilities: Native American Pumpkin Bread and Corn Chowder, Finnish Herring Salad, Yugoslavian Polenta, Swiss Leek and Chestnut Soup, Danish Red Cabbage, Portuguese Pork in Orange Sauce, Norwegian Yule Punch, and, for dessert, Mom's Lovelight Chiffon Cake and Aunt Marydith's Fudge. There are vegetable and meatless dishes, recipes for canning and preserving, a 1913 recipe from Fortuna called How to Cook a Husband, and pre-prohibition Blackberry Cordial.

        All the recipes were contributed by community members and include their names and often a short history: "This is a popular meat dish of Azorean tradition especially used at the Festival of the Holy Spirit," notes Mary C. Borges about her Alcatra recipe. Of her Molasses Sugar Cookies, Marjorie Fitzpatrick notes, "Clare McDermid served these cookies, saucer-sized, to the children who visited her and Mac's home in Redwood Park, Arcata."

        This satisfying book-the product of broad community participation-would make a perfect holiday gift for anyone who lives and eats in Humboldt.