End of the Road Cookbook (Traditional Favorites from the Iron Range)

Communities near the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota—at the “end of the road”—offer diverse recipes and foodways. Columnist Crystal Schlueter has compiled a hearty collection that delights the palate.

A microcosm of the rich traditions of a storied region, End of the Road Cookbook captures little-known recipes that will translate easily to tables in every locale. Potlucks across Minnesota’s northland feature a dazzling array of tantalizing dishes. Ojibwe, Slovenian, Italian, German, Irish, Croatian, Polish, Finnish, and Scandinavian flavors sit side by side, inviting guests to indulge in their favorites and swap compliments with their neighbors.

Iron Range native Crystal Schlueter collects and perfects traditional preparations, often with her own contemporary twist. While highlighting the “Five Ps” of regional cooking—Cornish pasties, Croatian pigs in a blanket, Italian porketta, Slovenian potica, and Finnish pulla—Schlueter also explores the variety of salads (loosely defined) that often appear at community gatherings, the hearty soups that satisfy, the fish and venison and wild rice dishes that are as local as it gets.

Comfort food at its finest, this collection includes menus for Boundary Waters adventuring, seasonal meals for Sunday suppers, and intriguingly named dishes like Frog Eye (Pasta) Salad, Green Beans in Whoa Sauce, Root Beer Fish Fry, and Rumbledethumps. Celebrating deep cultural roots and rich ethnic traditions, Crystal Schlueter shows that fine dining awaits at “end of the road."