Comments: This book highlights one of the great scourges of our time – the extinction of favorite recipes. Not a day goes by that Ochef does not receive one or more sad emails from someone wanting to recreate Great Aunt's this or Grandma's that. Saddest is a child or grandchild wanting to make a favorite dish for dad or granddad after mom or grandma has (to use Julia Child's term) slipped off the raft.

This book is a worthy drop in the bucket – for every recipe "saved" in this book there are at least a thousand – or 10,000 – that could be or should be. The book includes Welsh Rarebit, Green Goddess Dressing, French Onion Dip, Parker House Rolls, Crispy Fried Chicken, and, added to this new paperback edition, Rice Pudding.

One could take issue with the eclectic mix of recipes – from Pakistan, Lebanon, Korea, elsewhere in the Middle East, Russia, Germany, the Southwest – but, of course, everyone has favorite family recipes. The fried chicken seasoned with Sazón Spanish-style coriander and annatto seasoning blend and a hint of lemonade Kool-Aid strikes us as modern-day fusion cooking rather than an heirloom recipe. And the cod that cooks in the New England Fish Chowder for 30 minutes after coming to a boil, rather than added in the last 5 minutes, as we would do, also makes us wonder.

But it brings up a central issue – we're all accustomed to different dishes, and moms, dads, grandparents, and great aunts should be compiling and sharing at least some of the recipes that younger generations have come to love. You may think they're not worthy (the recipes, not the younger generations), but take our word for it (or the word of our ever-expanding inbox), they will be missed!