The Four Season Farm Gardener's Cookbook

The Four Season Farm Gardener's Cookbook
Authors: Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman
Publisher: Workman (2013)

Gardening can be a tricky thing. Between choosing what and when to plant, what type of soil you have, how much water, sun, fertilizer and space the seedlings need and how to deal with all those darned weeds, what should be a relaxing pastime can quickly turn into a neurotic episode. Of course, even if all the variables are in your favour, your garden harvest may fail horribly... or you may find yourself with more tomatoes and peppers than you know what to do with! The Four Season Farm in Harborside, Maine, does though – and authors Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman are ready to share their knowledge in their book: The Four Season Farm Gardener's Cookbook.

Gardener’s Cookbook is actually two books in one – the first 250 of the almost 500 pages (Part One) are dedicated to everything related to growing your own food. From the best layouts for proper growing and easy harvests (p. 33), to gardening in tiny spaces (p. 32), crop rotation (p. 43-52) and even the annual vs. permanent produce varieties, no practical detail is spared. A bit of soil science is also included in the first chapter, which for any new gardener (and even some seasoned pros) proves to be a useful and informative read. Note, however, that since the Four Season Farm is on the East coast of Maine, the notes that Damrosch and Coleman include are attuned to that climate (humid continental) and topography (rocky). However, with the solid knowledge that this book provides on a general scheme, readers will be able to apply the necessary adaptations for their own zones.

My favourite section of Part One is The Crops (p. 63), as it comprises suggested plans for all types of gardening. From the Salad Garden (p. 64) to the Winter Garden (p. 87) and even a Hard Times Garden (p. 75), whatever your need or desire you can find one (or many) forms of inspiration. The suggestions of produce are not only astoundingly diverse, but are inspirational for even a summertime casual gardener like me. Things I didn’t even realize were accessible to the home gardener (like artichokes and Asian greens) came onto my radar, and now I’m probing their possibilities in my garden next year. Given that the authors have over 40 years of experience in the field of agriculture, readers can rest assured that spending the time to peruse Part One of this book is well worth it!

Hazelnut Torte (p. 437)

For those shopping for a recipe bible, the title of Gardener’s Cookbook is a little bit of a misnomer. In fact, the actual “cookbook” is in Part Two, and while it does contain 120 recipes it is by no means a comprehensive “usage guide” for the produce that tempted gardeners in Part One. Many of these recipes are heavy on the butter, cream, cheese and meat too (dieters and vegetarians beware), sometimes to the edge of excess. That said, many of these recipes are still delicious examples of why we need to eat more vegetables, fruits and herbs! My mom (a bona fide leek lover) fawned over the Baked Leeks (p. 392), even though we both agreed it didn’t need the butter to taste rich. The “Thinnings” Salad with Asparagus (p. 304) has been bookmarked since I received the book as well, since both my mother and I love asparagus and we have plenty of beet greens, lettuce, arugula and endive at our disposal in the backyard! With a few modifications for dairy allergies (and a different, chocolatey filling for taste preferences), almost everyone I served the Hazelnut Torte with Summer Berries (p. 437) to adored the rich, nut- and egg-based crumb (especially with fresh raspberries). That said, while the title of Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Sage (p. 421) tempted me, upon reading the ingredients (containing a cup of heavy cream in a “gravy”), I was turned off by how such a simple, comforting meal like roast chicken and potatoes was being drowned in a rich sauce. Making the Red Thai Curry with Fall Vegetables (p. 404) was an experience I won’t soon forget either – from having to hunt for the red curry paste to the volumes (of both ingredients and finished product) and cook times being drastically off, I was sure the end result would be horrid. Luckily, on the taste and (eventual) texture front, it was a winner – just make sure that if you do attempt this recipe that you break out the absolute largest pot in the house, double the curry paste and add an extra can of coconut milk! The curry is also a great example of a perfectly adaptable recipe. Don’t have sweet potato? Use carrots. No cauliflower? Use broccoli, green beans, parsnips... whatever your fancy! We actually made a second batch of this recipe with almost every vegetable under the sun as well as cubed tofu for extra protein, and it was definitely the hit of the evening.

Red Thai Curry with Fall Vegetables (p. 404)

Even if you don’t think you have a green thumb or culinary bone in your body, it’s never too late to start. As long as you have the desire for fresh, homegrown food – like perfectly crisp lettuce, still warm tomatoes, or just-pulled carrots – at your beck and call, some dirt, seeds and a kitchen are all you need to use The Four Season Farm Gardener's Cookbook.

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The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook

The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook

Authors: Liz Gutman and Jen King

Publisher: Workman Publishing (2012)

Do you have a sweet tooth? While I was never a die-hard candy fanatic, I’m definitely guilty of polishing off a box of truffles or a giant slab of chocolate fudge cake – with a scoop of ice cream for good measure. Making confectionery was always something that seemed otherworldly, beyond my non-professional skills as a home cook. Then, I started seeing other self-professed home cooks taking on the task and I was sparked to try my luck at it. When I received The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook by Liz Gutman and Jen King to review, it seemed like the planets had aligned.

I spent hours combing through Liddabit, flagging treat after treat I would die to gorge myself on. With seven chapters ranging from gummies to caramels, lollipops and even my beloved chocolate, the 75 recipes each tempted and delighted me. With the December holidays approaching, Liddabit was also the perfect way to save a little money by making a few gifts rather than buying them. Now with Valentine’s Day around the corner, this book is a wonderful opportunity to best the box of chocolates and show your love how much you really care – or host an anti-Valentine’s party with a gaggle of single friends.

On the topic of romance, the authors cleverly included a “Speed Date the Candies” chart (p. xiii), which was invaluable in my selection process. This chart lets the reader spot at a glance just which candy is ideal for your tastes, time and mood – be it boozy (like the Cherry Cordials, p. 85), gluten free (Agar Fruit Jellies, p. 109), shippable (Salty Peanut Taffy, p. 152) or quick to assemble (Five Minute Marzipan, p. 175). Information and tips critical for new candy-creators are covered in a thorough, friendly introduction. Each chapter also has a respectable amount of information and technique threading through it, but in no way does Liddabit read like a pastry school textbook. The authors include a wealth of photography (courtesy of Rachel Been) that illustrates the detail and beauty of candy production without in any way being gratuitous.

"Dough" for Salted Soft Chocolates (p.67)

Chocoholic that I am, I immediately gravitated to the second chapter of Liddabit – Chocolate Loves You and Wants You to be Happy. There was no shortage of temptations – I swooned over the Hip to be Squares (p. 99) made with sinful Nutella, and the Buckeyes (p. 72) called to my salty-sweet tooth. In the end, though, the sheer simplicity of the Salted Soft Chocolates (p.67) won my heart. I’m not a huge fan of the chalky, chewy “fake chocolate” Tootsie Roll, so I was concerned that these would be the same (the authors describe the texture as similar, and they do look like the store-bought candy). I needn’t have worried. The chocolates are made with only 5 ingredients, including 17 ounces of dark chocolate, and by choosing the quality and cocoa mass percentage the cook can thus control the outcome of the finished product. I used a blend of 70% and 65% chocolates, which was perfect for the adult set I was cooking for, but may be too intense for a child’s or milk-chocolate-lover’s palate. I did end up using slightly more salt than called for, but in no way were these “salty”, just well-rounded. It is a good thing this recipe makes a lot of candy (as do most recipes in Liddabit), as it is a bit of a process and required, I found, more time, tools and strength than alluded to. While it is in itself an easy recipe, bank on a good two days from start to finish, invest in a SilPat, bench scraper and sharp knife, and be ready to break out the muscle pain ointment after all the kneading, cutting and wrapping is done. The end result is more than worth it, being a hit with almost every age set (the youngest ones declared them too bitter), and it is a recipe I will keep in my arsenal for future holidays.

Classic European Nougat (p. 145)

The other recipe I tried out in Liddabit was Classic European Nougat (p. 145). Nougat, as well as the various national varieties like turrón and torrone, is a favourite confection with my Italian stepfamily, and I wanted to give them something special for the holidays. The book declares that this candy is “Worth It”, but I have my doubts as a non-crunchy candy fan. By the time I attempted this recipe (which takes a solid afternoon to make and can be expensive due to the nuts), I had become somewhat familiar with the candymaking process. For those just beginning a journey into confectionery, I would strongly suggest making marshmallows first, as nougat is effectively solidified marshmallow. I was prepared for the hot sugar syrup (readers note you will need a candy thermometer for most Liddabit recipes) and whipping of egg whites (you will need a stand mixer), and had my mise en place set out and organized. However, I was not prepared for how stiff the whipped mixture really gets and how sticky the finished mixture can be – the book’s direction to "stir the nuts" into the base sounds like a simple matter. In practice, the process was more like "try not to break your spatula / your arms". Being so stiff, as well as so hot (almost 300°F), getting it into an even layer in the pan required the speed of an Olympian and hands of asbestos. In terms of cleanup, the patience of Job and about an hour long shower finally removed the remaining sugar residue from all corners of the kitchen and my hair. Cutting it was one of the hardest things either my mom or I had ever experienced, even though I knew it was a hard candy it was definitely a two day, hammer and knife job. It was well received though, and lasts almost indefinitely in a cool, dry place, so if you have the patience and strength it is perfect for gift giving.

While I can’t say for sure that Liz Gutman and Jen King will make candy as easy as flipping a switch with Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook, this book is definitely a stellar primer for the candy-curious. There is enough variety in the pages to allow both complete neophytes and experienced cooks to make professional looking confections with a little sugar, heat and elbow grease. I can’t wait to get the sweet kitchen back up and running – there are still 73 recipes I need to savour!

Available on Amazon

Bean By Bean: A Cookbook

Bean By Bean: A Cookbook 
Author: Crescent Dragonwagon
Publisher: Workman (2011)

Being, for the most part, a very-low-fat vegan, beans have been part of my pantry and kitchen for years. I haven’t met a bean I didn’t like (excepting fava and lupini), and will gladly spend summer afternoons tending, harvesting and eating the fresh Romano and string beans growing in the garden. However, I appreciate that standard bean recipes can become a bit “boring” and tedious to make and eat – there is only so much minestrone, dhal and chili one can have before dinner becomes “beans again?”.

Enter vegetarian “comfort cook” and author Crescent Dragonwagon and her latest book Bean By Bean. This book provides readers of all tastes and ability levels with over 175 recipes, most of which featuring the humble legume in pride of place. The book starts off with a lengthy, intensive essay of sorts covering the basics of beans, even including nutrition and history notes which are more generally interesting than relevant to the cookery. What most readers (especially those new to beans as a staple food) will appreciate is the section titled Unmasking the Mischief of the Musical Fruit (p. 6). Not only does Dragonwagon include “pharmaceutical” remedies such as Beano (though it should be noted that the specific variety she suggests is no longer produced), but includes a list of factors that affect the legume’s digestibility and potential to cause gaseous side effects. The author also provides some helpful herbs and spices that can be added to cooking beans to minimize discomfort – including summer savory (great in Bean & Barley Salad (p. 141)) and cumin (prevalent in chili powder and curries like Dahl (p. 81)). Finally, Bean by Bean’s introduction offers basic cooking instructions and tips for every type of bean available – green (like wax beans), shell beans (which the author terms “semi-mature”) and the most common form – dried. Soaking, “de-gassifying” and a discussion on using canned and home cooked frozen beans for speed and ease are also included and definitely worth a read if you are a novice to this food. For specifics as to the treatment, substitutes and common usage of almost any bean or lentil you could want to try, the Appendix (p. 344) provides a helpful chart that is easy to read and follow.

One of the enjoyable elements of Bean By Bean is the peppering of quotations and trivia throughout the pages. While Dragonwagon’s colloquial, conversational style of writing and humour can be a bit wearing at times (especially in large quantities like this 370-page tome), the quotations are from a variety of sources, such as my personal favourite from the Yoruba people of western Africa:

"Mofere ipa eiye na!" / "Aki ofere li obbe"

"I almost killed the bird!" / "But no one can eat 'almost' in a stew"

 (p. 71)

I also liked the fact that many recipes offer variations on the theme. Changing out one or two ingredients or spices transforms the standard All-Day Baked Beans (p.216) into a global kaleidoscope of flavour (from Vermont to England and even the Caribbean). This book includes recipes for vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and meat eating (or as Dragonwagon writes, “meatist”) diets, and while a recipe may contain meat, dairy or gluten verbatim the options to modify are almost always given.

Not all the recipes in Bean by Bean include the legume itself. Most of the chapters offer bean-free side dishes, condiments and breads designed as a complement to the main ingredient. Dragonwagon previously wrote a book comprised of nothing but cornbread, and three cornbread recipes do find themselves in this book as well as biscuits and steamed brown bread. Vegetable sides like Roasty-Toasty Carrots & Onions (p.37) and sweet-savoury items like Mixed Fruit Salsa (p. 181) break up the carb-heavy dishes and are very tasty on their own as well.

“Don’t Hurt Yourself” Bean Pie (p. 327)

The book’s major strength is it’s ability to take a potentially boring ingredient and showcase it in every form imaginable. Far from the standard soup and chili you’d expect to find in a book like this, Dragonwagon also includes what may be the most comprehensive bean-centric dessert chapter in any published work to date. In fact, it is in this section that my favourite recipe falls – the cheekily named “Don’t Hurt Yourself” Bean Pie (p. 327). This 1897 recipe is very similar in flavour and texture to a pumpkin pie, but features navy beans as the main filling agent. Everyone I served it to enjoyed it – including children (though I didn’t tell them what was in it!). On the savoury side of the plate, I adored the simple flavours of Oven-Roasted Green Beans (p. 229), especially the variation with tomatoes and garlic. The CD’s Chili Mole (p.170) would be a perfect comfort food mid February, as would the Four-Star From-the-Cupboard Red Bean Stew (p.188). I was looking forward to trying Dragonwagon’s version of Vegetarian Cassoulet (p.234), but was turned off by the heavy use of meat analogues in place of other natural flavouring agents. It is worth noting that Dragonwagon is not shy with her use of these items, especially flavoured soy sausages and tempeh. Also, for those readers who are motivated more by photos than words, bear in mind that this book contains no photography whatsoever.

With a host of health, economic and ecological benefits, the versatile bean  is a food that should be on our plates more often than not. Luckily, authors like Crescent Dragonwagon have provided us with tomes of ideas and recipes to play with at home. With Bean By Bean, it’s possible to travel the world through your tastebuds, and save a few pennies for a plane ticket too.

Available on Amazon

The Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book

The Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book
Author: Judy Rosenberg
Publisher: Workman Publishing (2011)

It’s hard to argue with good old fashioned honesty, especially when it comes to food. These days, there is so much out there in the ways of additives, preserving agents and allergens that it’s hard to find something that really is what the label says it is. This is doubly true for the commonly misleading “diet” food out there, which may be low in fat, but with the trade-off of staggeringly high calories and sugar grams, or an item like sugar-free chocolate and candy which can ruin your night if you overindulge (and not to mention still contain gross amounts of calories and fat). Home cooking is no stranger to modifications in the name of heath either – how often have you tasted a sawdust-y, spongy cookie or gummy slice of cake, to be told later that it was “better for you” thanks to sugar substitute, coarse milled flour and applesauce in place of oil?  While there are certainly successful, and dare I say delicious, methods of increasing a recipe’s health potential, it is refreshing to see a cookbook on the shelves that is willing and happy to declare the decadent ingredients the recipes contain. Judy Rosenberg, the owner and driving force behind the highly successful Rosie’s Bakery franchises in New England, took that unabashedly proud stance in her latest collection of decadent treats: The Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book.

Rosie’s makes no attempt to be a beacon of health and wellness. Like the title describes, the recipes contained in the 401 pages of text are laced with sticks of butter, pounds of chocolate, lashings of cream and cups of white and brown sugar. However, while not a weight loss or cholesterol-lowering how-to manual, the sheer fact that this book contains these most simple and pure cornerstones of baking, unadulterated by the chemical additives of modern day store-bought goods, makes it a book that you can feel good cooking from. The food made from the pages of this cookbook is so satisfyingly rich that portion control is second nature. While you may be tempted to take two (or ten!) Soho Globs (p. 136) off the cookie platter, the 12 ounces of chocolate and ¾ stick of butter in the recipe ensure that you’re sated after just one. Rosie’s Blueberry Muffins (p. 107) are sweet enough to have with a late-afternoon coffee or tea, but still hearty enough for a special brunch – you can even try to convince yourself that the oats in the crumble topping qualify as breakfast cereal. Even recipes as over-the-top as the Chocolate Delirium (p. 77), featuring a pound each of butter and bittersweet chocolate, six eggs, six extra egg yolks and a cup of brewed espresso, slip comfortably into the category of “special occasion without guilt” food... and Rosie’s definitely has it’s fair share of “special occasion” fare!

Rhubarb Bars (p. 285)

Where this book makes it’s mark on the average reader is in it’s vast collection of what I term “bake sale classics”. These are the items that seem to show up on almost every bazaar, fundraiser or company picnic dessert table, always from the local bakeshoppe or grocery, and for the most part nobody can figure out just how those businesses made them so well. With Rosie’s, the reader is privy to those secrets firsthand, and after adhering to Rosenberg’s recipe once or twice the formulae are easy enough to tweak to your individual standards of perfection. I made both the Tart Lemon Squares (p. 284) and the Rhubarb Bars (p. 285) in this book, and the changes I made from one batch to the next were minimal but imperative in transforming the recipe from Rosie’s to mine. For the lemon squares, which were bright and tart as described but lacking in a true “lemon” flavour as originally written, I added the zest of the juiced citrus, the leftover yolk (the white being used to glaze the crusts of both lemon and rhubarb bars) and a pinch of salt to the custard filling. The result was like the lemon bars from a roadside bakery stall we would visit on summer road trips in my childhood, but better – fresher, lemonier and with that perfect touch of “zing” to break through any taste of egginess in the filling. Fresh backyard rhubarb formed the basis of the other batch of bars, and I bumped up the “rustic” factor of their homemade appeal by making their base out of whole wheat flour and topping the gooey, chunky filling with a shower of large flake oats. Both versions were sweet without being cloying, and the rhubarb was definitely present in taste and texture thanks to it’s use “in the raw” as opposed to other recipes where the vegetable gets cooked to a pulpy mush first. Neither of these recipes yielded anything by way of leftovers when I brought them to an open house, and even the three year old present had one of each and licked his lips.

 

Rosie’s is not without a few minor glitches and detractions from it’s professional quality content. A sticking point with me, as it is with many of those visual learners out there, is the lack of photos. While I realize that with over 250 recipes a photo for each is simply impractical, a picture of some of the more complicated (or deviously-named) items would be beneficial. Then there is the case of the naming of certain recipes. For instance, the Pecan Fingers (p. 171) are no more pecan cookies than a piece of toast with sliced banana on top is banana bread. Without nuts in the actual batter nor baked with the recipe at all, the only time pecans come into play is in a haphazard scatter garnish over the cooled, glazed finished product. Minimal, to be sure, but confusing if you come across the page in the index looking for a chunky, crunchy nut cookie.

Tart Lemon Squares (p. 284)

There are too many recipes in The Rosie’s Bakery All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book for either one’s wallet or waistline to contend with in a short amount of time. But perhaps that is the biggest part of it’s allure. Judy Rosenberg has written this tome of simple, honest and delicious treats to last through the years, regardless of what fad diets come and go. Readers can use this book to hone their own skills in the sweet kitchen and teach their children the appreciation of what real, whole food can do. It is a book I feel confident in returning to again and again over time, both for ideas for day-to-day goodies and how-to’s for those “special desserts” that fill our lives. All without a car trip, special order, two week waiting period and marked up price tag.

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The Crabby Cook Cookbook: 135 Almost-Effortless Recipes plus Survival Tips

The Crabby Cook Cookbook: 135 Almost-Effortless Recipes plus Survival Tips
Author: Jessica Harper (@thecrabbycook)
Publisher: Workman Publishing (2010)

It’s easy to envy the pros. No matter what they seem to do, whether it’s shooting hoops, playing the piano or making their kids dinner, if it’s their specialty they put the poor laymen of the world to a crying shame. Why don’t we ever see Tony Parker tripping on his way out to the court, or hear Elton John’s accidental striking of a B-flat on the radio? The rich folks among the stars (and lets face it – that’s most of them) don’t have to even think about the last task of cooking. Heck, if they wanted to, they could hire a chef for as long as they wanted or needed, and throw in a nutritionist and personal trainer while they’re at it too. Why bother messing with the mundane bits of life when you’d never have to deal with the snags along the way?

Of course, it isn’t every celebrity that’s like that. They are all busy people (aren’t we all?) and I’m sure those that do choose to rely on hired help have their reasons. But sometimes, wouldn’t you like to hear an account of something gone awry to one of these invincible idols, but see them use their own ingenuity and brainpower to come up with a solution and “save the day” without becoming a victim of “woe-is-me-itis”? Take the example of dinner: when do you hear of Brad Pitt cooking breakfast for the brood of however many there are now, with one child clinging to his leg, another making faces with syrup on the table and a pan that’s just a little bit too hot?

If you are searching for one of those “sometimes reality sucks” manuals for yourself, it may seem counterintuitive to pick up one written by an actress. But then Jessica Harper flies in the face of most standard celebrity tactics, and cookbook-writing logic, by penning The Crabby Cook Cookbook: 135 Almost-Effortless Recipes plus Survival Tips. In it, readers will find a host of recipes that Harper makes or made over the years as a home cook and mom: from pancakes to potato salad to fish sticks, if it’s a home-cooked , reliable meal that is simple to whip together you’re after, Crabby Cook fits the bill. Harper ups the ante with her hilarious recollections of these meals past... it’s safe to say I enjoyed the book as much for the anecdotes as I did for the food! Some of my favourite tales (and their delicious accompanying recipes!) had to be of her brother in law’s experience with chicken soup on page 45 (pupik, anyone?) and a hilarious examination of a Real Simple magazine’s survey results (p.126). Parents will appreciate her exasperation at dealing with picky eaters (namely her children, who went through a “white” phase) after growing up with an “eat it or starve” type of mother. As someone with a gifted home-cook mother, I could relate to the frustration of trying to make something the family will enjoy (like her and the pasta sauce recipe on p. 49) when “grandma’s is better”.

Crabby Cook also proves that us “commoners” are not the only ones to try making a celebrity’s recipe. Whether it’s the ousted Thai prime minister’s dubiously named “pig’s legs in Coca Cola” (p. 80) or a Food Network casserole that she puts through it’s paces as something achievable in half an hour (p. 71), nothing, and indeed no one (even Richard Gere!) is safe. But, as Harper details, lessons are definitely learned along the way.

I only wish there were photos of her pursuits, no matter the beauty of their conclusions. A picture says a thousand words, and if they are as relatable, touching and funny a thousand words as what she jotted in this book, I’m sure we’d all be in stitches. Then again, I’m as guilty as she is – while the peanut butter chocolate chip cookies (p. 254) and pancakes (p. 7) went down a treat over the Christmas break, I’ve discovered that in real life, nobody is pausing for a photo when there is anything good on the table! I did find it rather amusing that a quirk I had attributed to just our family of breakfast lovers – chocolate chips – is a key inclusion in Harper’s mother’s recipe, and that the chaos of several hungry teens home from school made me nostalgic.

The Crabby Cook Cookbook is not under any circumstances a read for the perfectionist, the singleton or the overly serious professional chef. But it doesn’t claim to be. It is an honest, amusing and interesting story of life as a human being with a kitchen and stove, and the tricks to getting out of there (and sometimes even the dishes) alive.

Available on Amazon