Shepherd's Pie and Cookbook

Several years ago I came across a cookbook entitled Cooking for Madam, Recipes and Reminiscences from the Home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The author, Marta Sgubin, was John and Carolyn Kennedy’s Italian governess in the 1960's.

The book had great recipes, as well as lots of information about the Kennedy children and their upbringing. Both John and Carolyn (Kennedy) Schlossberg gave their permission for Ms. Sgubin to publish this book, along with the photographs of them as children.

Marta Sgubin came to the United States in 1969 as governess to Caroline Kennedy and John F. Kennedy, Jr. She regarded the move as temporary and was secretly planning to return to Europe very quickly.

After the children left for boarding school, Marta stayed on with the family. Her role, naturally, changed and evolved from governess to housekeeper and, finally, to friend, until she became an indispensable part of the household. She ran everything, but she shone especially as a gifted cook. Whether it was birthday parties for Caroline and John over the Thanksgiving weekend in New Jersey, a barbecue on the porch of the beach house on Martha's Vineyard, or a fast but elegant dinner on Fifth Avenue.

Twenty-five years later, when Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis died, Marta was still with her...from the cookbook (1999)

One of the recipes in that book was then "John-John" Kennedy’s favorite dish, Shepherd’s Pie. I copied that recipe and use it frequently for leftover pot roast, and when we occasionally have lamb left-overs. (My husband made Shepherd's Pie last nite; it was delicious.)

I could not find exactly the same recipe as is in Cooking for Madam, but one similar to Ms. Sgubin’s can be found here: Shepherd's Pie Recipe.

Just add a little dried rosemary, and it is even more fragrant and tasty!

PS: If you buy Cooking for Madam or anything through Amazon.com and use the link on the extreme upper right of this blog (web button with book image), the Ravelry organization gets a small cut from the sale. (Ravelry is a great tool for knitters and people who crochet, as well as for knittners.) Thanks for your support of Ravelry through this means.