North of the hustle and bustle of New York City lies an oasis of small-town America, the quiet Hudson River Valley hamlet of Tivoli. Virtually abandoned after its boom years at the beginning of the twentieth century, when steamships carried workers across the river to factories in Saugerties, this no stoplight town has gone through a renaissance along its main thoroughfare, and visitors find themselves relaxing and eating great food inside the welcoming doors of funky, casual Cafe Pongo. The Cafe Pongo Cookbook captures the relaxed style and sophisticated cuisine of the restaurant with more than 220 recipes adapted for the home cook, including Poppy Seed Almond Hot Cakes with Maple Cream and Almonds, Beet and Shaved Fennel Salad with Clementine Vinaigrette, Shrimp and Hominy Cakes with Cilantro Creme Fraiche, Pan-Seared Penne and Greens with Feta and Pine Nuts, Barbecued Lemon Chicken with Crushed Cumin and Coriander Seeds, Steak with Caramelized Onions and Merlot Reduction, and Bread Pudding with Golden Raisins and Apricot Glaze. In her warm and inviting voice, Valerie Nehez, the original chef/owner of Cafe Pongo, recounts her memories and brings her culinary know-how to each dish, making you feel almost as comfortable re-creating the recipes as you would be relaxing in a wooden chair inside the restaurant. With over 25 black-and-white photographs throughout, The Cafe Pongo Cookbook will make you feel nostalgic for the restaurant and the Hudson Valley, whether you've been there before or only visited vicariously through this book.