Sometimes I feel so “not-in-the-know” when a publisher sends a cookbook to me that features the author prominently, and I have absolutely no clue who it is. Makes me feel like a total poser. What business have I reviewing cookbooks if I don’t even know enough chefs/TV personalities/gardening gurus to recognize them on their own cookbook?
But then I thought, well, I do like to cook. And I’m no cooking expert. So maybe I can offer reviews that are helpful to other people who aren’t cooking experts. I know there are things I wish I knew that you can’t get from the publisher descriptions, or even by reading the table of contents. There’s nothing worse than getting a cookbook that’s not at all what you were expecting.
So here I humbly submit to you a review of P. Allen Smith’s Seasonal Recipes from the Garden. As you may have guessed, I had no idea who P. Allen Smith was when I received the book. And what’s with people who use initials? I recently met someone who only goes by the initial H. But I digress.
Apparently P. is a “Well-known personality and respected garden authority.” And you know what? It definitely shows. There are 120 recipes divided into spring, summer, fall, and winter, and the vegetables take center stage (yes!). He doesn’t have lots of seafood and expensive cuts of meat such as duck or foie gras, it’s just good ingredients you can imagine him picking from his garden and making into a delicious, simple meal. OK there is one duck recipe, but it’s a stew.
I made the Golden Couscous with Pine Nuts the other day, and have bookmarked several recipes I’d like to try, including white cheddar parsnips and potatoes, carrot ginger soup, and tiny orange muffins.
The book includes a good index and tips on growing your own food. Although the gardening section is only a few pages, it packs a lot of info. I especially like how he shows how to do succession planting in 8×8 beds.
So even if you’ve never heard of P, definitely give P. Allen Smith’s Seasonal Recipes from the Garden a look.
Disclosure; I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher; all opinions are my own. This post includes Amazon.com affiliate links.
