Book Reviews & Giveaway: The Domestic Art

Dreams have a sequence.  Beginning – middle – and you usually wake up before the end. Visions present dreams that do have an ending.  Usually a good ending if you are good at creating visions!

Pattie Schocker Wright’s vision demands hard work:  to take care of her husband and five children (with a 6th on the way) as they SHOULD be taken care of.  Pattie, among many other talents, puts the bacon on the table.  She says, “We have to eat to live, so we should make it one of the great pleasures of life.”  Pattie collects and publishes recipes, after trying every single one to find the best of each kind.  Her “The Domestic Art” cookbooks, Volumes I, II and III are the most beautiful and alluring cookbooks I have ever read
Pattie continues.  “Architect Frank Lloyd Wright said, ‘Dining is and always was a great artistic opportunity.  Yet all too often we elaborate on menus for guests and skimp on our own families’ everyday dining rituals.’  These wise words always inspire me to give my very best to those nearest and dearest to me.”

“All of my relatives cook,” says Pattie.  “My brother is a chef in Arizona.  Dad, Mom, and all my siblings cook.  And they cook with wholesome, fresh ingredients.  And they cook well!”

Warm and charming, Pattie has inherited the cooking genes.  Pattie and her Dad, Bob Schocker, assembled her vegi-corn salsa (“The Domestic Art”, Vol. I, pg. 12) from the first volume of her three volume cookbook series, “The Domestic Art, a Collection of Fine Recipes”. I watched.  Not only delicious, the salsa carries an exquisite aroma and arrays a feast of colors for the eyes.  Simple, elegant, EASY.  And delicious.  “One’s kitchen can become a place in which to confirm your love of life,” says Pattie.

Now as you all know, Broad Z ALWAYS does the cookbook reviews.  Being single, I eat naturally and choose wholesome foods, but I am not a creative cook.  Bland is my middle name.  Pattie’s cookbooks delighted me and had me entranced.  Eclectic, from crock pot recipes, to family heirloom recipes, to elegant dining (pg. 1 Vol. 1:  “Brie with Walnut Topping” ranks along with Julia Child – (“Rumaki” pg. 4 Vol. 1 is irresistible) AND (pg. 57 Vol. 1: “Grandma’s Dill Bread” ranks right up there with any artisan bread I have tasted – only better).

Pattie’s cookbook set adorns my kitchen, beautifying and offering fab meals.  Pattie’s warmth and heart are noted in her recipes – family anecdotes – one liners – abide.  And I’m not the only one who thinks so.   When friends kept calling her for recipes Pattie decided to print a small collection.  The printer she went to demanded 500 copies to print.  So Pattie collaborated with incredible artist Sadie Joy Muhlstein whose art creates a 3 volume set as beautiful as the recipes are good.  Orders kept pouring in, through word of mouth.  At this point, Pattie has had 7 re-printings, with several thousands of cookbook sets sold.  Pattie sells her books at Secret Haven in Fruit Heights, Utah and from her home.  After presenting a demo on Channel 4’s “Good Things Utah,” the cooking editor sent her a list of publishers.  “This cookbook is amazing she wrote.  Publish it.”  Pattie’s local fame zoomed.  “But I don’t have time to publish,” says Pattie.  “I’m too busy trying out new and different recipes.  I just love cooking!”

Smart, beautiful, talented, and one of the nicest people I have ever met, Pattie has the Martha Stewart touch without the attitude.  If you want to fill your kitchen with some of the most divine and easiest dishes I have ever made, make sure you don’t miss out on “The Domestic Art” series.  The quality of these cookbooks creates a treasure in my home.  The elegant binding, the luscious art, the presentation as well as the wonderful collage of recipes that bloom will make them an heirloom to hand down to your kids and grandchildren.

For the first time in years, I’m having a dinner party.  Broad Z’s lending me The Mansion and The Butler.  Wanna come?  Just bring a dish – use a recipe from Pattie’s cookbooks!

Thanks Pattie!  Great job.

<< Patti & Family

The Domestic Arts Vols. 1, 2 & 3 can be purchased directly from Patti’s website http://domesticartcookbooks.com/

Ratings are based on a 5-star scale
Overall: 5

Review by Broad “A” – Ava

We’ve got a couple of INCREDIBLE recipes from The for you to try:


Cranberry Pork Roast

3 lb. Boneless Pork Loin Roast, trimmed
1 (16 oz.) can Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce
1/4 C. Steak Sauce (Lea & Perrin’s)
1 T. Brown Sugar
1 t. Prepared Mustard
2 T. Water
2 T. Cornstartch

Brown the roast on all sides then place in a slow cooker coated with cooking spray.  Combine cranberry sauce, steak sauce, brown sugar, and mustard; pour over roast.  Cook on high setting 4-5 hours.  Remove roast from sauce; cover and keep warm.  Combine water and cornstartch, stirring with a whisk until smooth.  Stir into slow cooker.  Pour mixture into a glass dish dish and microwave for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute.  Slice roast and serve with cranberry gravy on the side.


Note:  This is a super simple dinner that everyone raves about.

Miso-Glazed Salmon

1/4 C. Brown Sugar, packed
2 T. Soy Sauce
2 T. Hot Water
2 T. Miso (soybean paste)
4 (6-oz.) Salmon Fillets
1 T. Fresh Chives, chopped

Pre-heat broiler.  Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, water, and miso with a whisk.  Arrange salmon in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Spoon half of miso mixture evenly over fish.  Broil 10 minutes, basting twice with remaining miso mixture, until fish flakes eaisly.  Sprinkle with chives before serving.

Note:  This is so easy, yet looks and tastes wonderful.

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