The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook is now available wherever books are sold. Written by Julie Tremaine and Carly Caramanna, this cookbook is a love letter to the foods that have helped make the Disney Parks such magical places. This is a book that helps Disney fans recreate the smells and the flavors of their favorite restaurants through the years. Yes, I said through the years. This cookbook doesn’t just recreate dishes and drinks found in the parks currently, but also does this with culinary offerings through the years.
This is a unique cookbook in that you don’t need to be a cook to enjoy it. The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook is most definitely a cookbook. It is also a delicious history book. As Disney Legend Bob Gurr says in the foreword, “You too can go back to Walt’s early Disneyland—I was there from the start.” This collection of recipes is accompanied by the stories behind them. Reading through this book is much like sitting down at a counter with a friend as they cook a favorite dish. The result is an experience that doesn’t just satisfy; it brings joy to the mind and the stomach!
If you have read any of my book or movie reviews before, you know I love being taken on a journey. I want to be taken out of the present and into the story that is playing out in front of me. In the case of The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook, this journey begins at Walt’s Disneyland before going to the Florida Project, and continues to move forward through the years as it follows the Disney Parks domestic story through a culinary lens. Eventually, it arrives in the recent past with dishes from Big Thunder Ranch BBQ, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, or even the Muppets Courtyard Restaurants. It is nearly impossible to not be nostalgic while working through this book. Much like remembering old friends, it brings a wistful smile at times, a heavy sigh at others, or glowing happiness while turning through the pages.
Great care went into recreating these recipes by Julie and Carly so that Disney fans could recreate these offerings at home. Some of these recipes are quite accessible for those who aren’t as comfortable in the kitchen. Others require more experience. They also require different tools, with some maybe not being as common in kitchens (I sadly do not have an ice cream maker anymore). I cook on a regular basis and consider myself a decent home cook. I personally was not overwhelmed by anything in this cookbook. While there are some recipes I would choose not to make for whatever reason, I didn’t feel like anything was impossible. For the most part, I found things to be very doable.
There are a lot of Disney cookbooks that come out on a regular basis. There are not many (if any) cookbooks like The Unofficial Disney Parks Retro Cookbook. This is where Disney magic, history, and food all come together. This is a cookbook made for Disney fans by Disney fans. It is a cookbook that was a labor of love, and it shows. The passion on the pages will come through the recipes and into homes around the world as they recreate these Disney dishes and drinks from the past. I can’t wait to work my way through it!
