Book Birthdays celebrate one year of a book’s life in social media posts, reviews, and more. This month we’re saying Happy First Book Birthday to Galloping Gourmet (Bison Books, 2023) by Steve Friesen.
About the Book:
Galloping Gourmet explores an unfamiliar side of a familiar character in American history, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody. In this entertaining narrative Steve Friesen explores the evolving role of eating and drinking in Buffalo Bill’s life (1846–1917). Friesen starts with Buffalo Bill’s culinary roots on the American Plains, eating simple foods such as cornbread, fried “yellow-legged” chicken, and hardtack. Buffalo Bill discovered gourmet dining while leading buffalo-hunting expeditions and scouting. As his fame increased, so did his desire and opportunities for fine dining: his early show business career allowed him to dine at some of the best restaurants in the country.
Friesen examines the creation of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show in 1883, in which Cody introduced his diverse cast of employees to dining that equaled America’s best restaurants. One newspaper reporter observed that “Colonel Cody displays no more care about anything than the proper feeding of horse and man.” Cody opened the first Mexican restaurant east of the Mississippi and introduced American foodways to Europe. Equally comfortable eating around a campfire on the plains or at Delmonico’s in New York City, he also dined with leading celebrities of his day. In the final section Friesen addresses the controversies surrounding Cody’s drinking, his death, and his ongoing culinary legacy. Galloping Gourmet includes an appendix of more than thirty annotated period recipes.
Awards:
2024 Will Rogers Medallion Silver Winner in Western Biographies/Memoirs
2024 Colorado Book Award Finalist in History
Reviews:
“The research in Galloping Gourmet is impressive, but even more impressive is that Galloping Gourmet is just fun to read.”—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post
“Steve Friesen has just released his latest book about his favorite Western hero, Galloping Gourmet, and without any doubt from this historian, I can guarantee it is one of the most innovative and creative looks at the great showman ever published.”—Stuart Rosebrook, True West
“A discussion of Cody’s enjoyment and influence on the era’s dining is a niche subject but worthwhile. The concept of a ‘Culinary Biography’ is fascinating, and Friesen has done it well.”—Dr. Alyce Webb, The Chronicles of Oklahoma
“The book offers an intriguing look at the historical figure of Buffalo Bill Cody through the lens of food and drink, presenting a perspective that is as informative as it is appetizing.”—Matthew Kerns, Matthew’s Substack
On X:
New from @UnivNebPress/@BisonBooksUNP:
— Nathan Ellstrand (@nellstra) December 14, 2023
Galloping Gourmet: Eating and Drinking with Buffalo Bill by Steve Friesenhttps://t.co/h4U0aK14uL pic.twitter.com/gem2rEHoqA
Steve Friesen @UnivNebPress explores the evolving role of eating and drinking in Buffalo Bill’s life (1846–1917).
— Faculti (@FacultiNet) February 21, 2024
FULL INSIGHT: ▶️ https://t.co/0WGsaUgrDi#buffalobill pic.twitter.com/U0lR7ytBed
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