In my years of writing for this and other websites, I’ve reviewed a wide range of products. Single-issue comics and graphic novels, of course, along with prose novels, reference books, card and board games, action figures and statues, movies, and television series.
You know what I’ve also reviewed a surprising number of? Cookbooks.
Not like Joy of Cooking or Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, though they contain tasty recipes just the same. No, these are cookbooks based on properties like Lilo & Stitch, the Studio Ghibli film catalogue, or the Marvel comics universe. They’re fun to review, both because it’s a completely different format than what I’m used to covering, and it’s a total blast picking out recipes and making the dishes contained in each book.
While it’s not strictly Batman-related, the good folks at Insight Editions have a Superman cookbook available that is truly one of their best offerings.
In my experience, most pop culture cookbooks have two distinct approaches: they’re either dishes “inspired by” a property, or they’re treated like a piece of in-universe storytelling. The best cookbook I’ve covered was the Black Panther: The Official Wakanda Cookbook, which fit into the latter category. Besides the absolutely amazing dishes (the rice with dried fruit is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten), it’s written from the point of view of the head chef of the Wakandan Royal Palace. So it isn’t just a collection of recipes; it’s a piece of Wakandan lore, history, and culture. Not only is the cookbook fun to use, it’s fun to read.
Superman: The Official Cookbook takes a similar approach, with the idea being that this is a collection of recipes Martha Kent has been compiling since Clark was a little boy. It’s fun and clever, giving each recipe a down-home feel even if it’s inspired by characters from beyond the stars.
In the opening “letter” to her son, Ma explains that she started saving recipes decades ago, and eventually partnered with Lois and Kelex to get some ideas from Clark’s superpowered contemporaries. That’s why a recipe for mulligatawny soup is included, which is canonically Bruce Wayne’s favorite dish.
Jermaine McLaughlin is the credited writer, with the recipes from Elena P. Craig, set styling by Craig, Patricia Parrish, and Lauren Tedeschi, and photographs by Ted Thomas. The cookbook is divided into four sections based on different locations, each containing around a dozen recipes each: Smallville, Metropolis, Hall of Justice, and the Fortress of Solitude. Themed dishes cover each aspect of a meal, including appetizers, sides, entrees, desserts, drinks, and even some sauces.
Thomas’ photography handsomely showcases the recipes, with the set decorations helping everything pop off the page. There are even some official images from different DC Comics properties, from artists like Gary Frank, Darwyn Cooke, and Dan Jurgens.
Almost every dish contained in the book can be made by even the least experienced of cooks, as the ingredients lists mainly contain pantry staples, and the instructions for each entry are easy to follow and plenty descriptive. Some of the baked items might require a more deft hand to get the desired execution, as there are shaped cookies and a clever “Phantom Zone” effect for one of the pastries that require a bit more patience and care. There’s also a “rice dome” stir-fry dish that looks like it would take a few cracks to get just right, since it involves molding rice paper over bowls, baking, and then separating for the desired effect.
Most everything is at least a fairly common food item, some of which have perfect branding (chicken wings called “Night Wings” made my laugh) while others were… less successful (the “Hawkgirl hummus” dish sounds good, and Ma tries to explain away how this dish came about, but it’s still a bit of a stretch). There are some foods pulled straight from the comics, though, like the Big Belly Burger, Oliver Queen’s chili recipe, and Chocos, and I 100% believe that Perry White knows how to make the best pastrami on rye you’ve ever tasted.
Of all the cookbooks I’ve reviewed, this is one of the most approachable, given that it’s written from the perspective of an “all-American mom” compiling recipes for her beloved son. It’s like a collection of small town recipes that have been contributed to over decades, available at Church functions and the county fair for anyone who wants to take a taste of home with them wherever they go. It’s handsomely packaged, charmingly written, and has foods that anyone can make and enjoy with ease, no matter their age. That it’s based around our favorite DC Comics characters is a nice bonus.
Superman: The Official Cookbook is available now.
Disclaimer: Batman News was provided with a copy of this book for the purpose of review.
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