As any book store or flea market peddler can tell you, it's sure tough as the dickens to dump old cookbooks unless you happen to come across a chubboid homebody gal or flitzy homo wanting to try a new turn with the old quiche recipe. But this 'un's different, a cook book dedicated to none other than the eating habits that were to be found on the all time boffo tee-vee series THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. Considering how the denizens of Mayberry seemed to be either chomping down pepperelli pizza or ordering goodies at the diner every chance they could get it's a wonder they weren't all as rotundus as Otis Campbell, but considering the mouth-watering delights this book comes up with you couldn't say that the citizenry weren't trying.
To be honest about it, most of the recipes found in this book have nada to do with the show other'n incorporating some sorta character or locale in its name. Still you could imagine something along the lines of "Checkpoint Chicken Pan Pie" or "Golden Door Baked Macaroni and Cheese" emanating from the kitchen of Aunt Bee or even her bitchy nemesis Clara Edwards. And naturally if you want to spend Tuesday night with your significant other of the opposite sex watching the doctor shows there's a good recipe for cashew fudge just like the kind Thelma Lou woulda made. And I'm positive that the concoction mentioned as "Barney's Hot Plate Chili" tastes just as good as the stuff the deputy was cooking up at the time Mrs. Mendelbright tossed him out on his ear.
So even if the editors hadda stretch this book out with cute sounding concoctions that I doubt would've ever come out of Mayberry, you kinda get the idea that even Johnny Paul Jason wouldn't've turned down a bowl of Judd's Broccoli Cheese Soup that's how good this grub can get!
And as we all know, the best recipies are the ones which have goo and other remnants of a hotcha cooking session splattered all over them, so if that's any indication of greatness you'll just wanna try to make a batch of "Juanita's Ginger Cookies," or maybe even "Howie Pruitt's Supreme Chocolate Chip Cookies" since some of the gunk got plopped on the opposite side of the page as well.
Just so this book doesn't seem like a total coasting on one good idea various cast member and folk associated with the show submitted some of their own special recipes. Of course I gotta say that the compilers were stretching it a bit by calling noted actor James Best, who played guitar slinging jailbird Jim Lindsey in a couple of early episodes a cast member, but he even submitted an entry for this compilation. Funny, considering Best's portrayal as a pretty mean mofugger in the moom pitcher ROLLING THUNDER I woulda assumed he'd'a contributed a recipe for ground baloney sandwiches! But sick jokes aside, if you wanna try "Rafe's Red River Catfish Fry" (submitted by Rafe Hollister, or in this case actor Jack Prince), "Doug's Great White Beans" (via Doug Dillard!), "Miss Crump's Gold Star Gazpacho" (via Anita Coursaut) or even "Thelma Lou's Oyster Stew" feel free to know that your fave actors like to whoop it up in the kitchen just as much as the rest of us. And hey, if you can find a hoot owl you just might wanna try some neet offerings courtesy none other than Briscoe and Charlene Darling (page 136)!
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