Serving Up the Harvest by Andrea Chesman has proved a welcome addition to my very small number of cook and gardening books; my larger collection having been lost in the fire. Like a lot of stuff we've gone slow in replacing them. But this little gem was a must buy. It is much more than a recipe book, it's a gardening book as well!
The book is divided by harvest; Spring and Summer; Early to Mid-Summer; Mid to Late Summer; and Fall into Winter vegetables, along with a section on "The Well Stocked Pantry", Mastering the Basics (of recipes) and a helpful appendix.
What I love, love, love about this book is that each section is divided into chapters that feature a plant growing in your garden. There is a fact sheet about the vegetable that talks about sowing & reaping, how to convert harvest to recipe measurements, how to cook, and nutrition notes. And then the recipes begin. You'll find some tried and true old friends like broiled tomato's and pesto but there are plenty of other tantalizing new recipes that will tempt you to branch out. And the best thing is that Chesman writes with an eye to health and economy. You won't have to go out and purchase beaucoup bucks of unheardof condiments to turn your humble veggies into a summer feast. She comments on the kid friendly-ness of the recipes as well. We could use that around here because I have a couple of kids that would just as soon starve than eat something bizarre, no matter how much weeding they did to get it to the table.
The reason I bought this book was because of the variety of recipes and information about beets and eggplant - 2 newbies to my garden. And I'm so glad that I did. There's plenty in here to learn for the beginner and more experienced gardener or cook.
A great addition to our small collection of recipe and gardening books. Check it out and let me know what you think! I'd love to hear about your favorite gardening/recipe book!
The book is divided by harvest; Spring and Summer; Early to Mid-Summer; Mid to Late Summer; and Fall into Winter vegetables, along with a section on "The Well Stocked Pantry", Mastering the Basics (of recipes) and a helpful appendix.
What I love, love, love about this book is that each section is divided into chapters that feature a plant growing in your garden. There is a fact sheet about the vegetable that talks about sowing & reaping, how to convert harvest to recipe measurements, how to cook, and nutrition notes. And then the recipes begin. You'll find some tried and true old friends like broiled tomato's and pesto but there are plenty of other tantalizing new recipes that will tempt you to branch out. And the best thing is that Chesman writes with an eye to health and economy. You won't have to go out and purchase beaucoup bucks of unheardof condiments to turn your humble veggies into a summer feast. She comments on the kid friendly-ness of the recipes as well. We could use that around here because I have a couple of kids that would just as soon starve than eat something bizarre, no matter how much weeding they did to get it to the table.
The reason I bought this book was because of the variety of recipes and information about beets and eggplant - 2 newbies to my garden. And I'm so glad that I did. There's plenty in here to learn for the beginner and more experienced gardener or cook.
A great addition to our small collection of recipe and gardening books. Check it out and let me know what you think! I'd love to hear about your favorite gardening/recipe book!
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