This short, charming little primer in wholegrain cookery was first published in 1947—long before healthy eating was a national obsession. Reprinted numerous times, it became a pioneer cookbook: one of the first to reintroduce the joys of wholegrain recipes to the American home cook. Vrest Orton and Mildred Ellen Orton, a husband-and-wife team who also operated a stone mill, a set of country stores, and a mail-order catalog, offer readers a simple, warm, and welcoming approach to such regional classics as Southern Johnnycake and Vermont Indian Pudding. Along the way, they offer an impassioned argument for wholegrains, as well as a witty critique of the refined, shelf-stable flours that had become so seductive to postwar cooks.

Today, a new audience of readers is discovering that wholegrains are not only healthy, but tasty and comforting as well. The Ortons' delightful guide ranks as one of America's most important grain cookbooks; it both preceded the current health craze and remains true to its present concerns. Cooking with Wholegrains is sure to find a place in every natural-food kitchen. Mrs. Orton celebrated her 99th birthday in 2010 and still lives in Weston, Vermont on the Village Green.