Sell Your Specialty Food: Market, Distribute, and Profit from Your Kitchen Creation Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd give this seven stars if so many were available!
Mr. Hall has done a remarkable job to take a complex subject and break down into easily understood advcie without getting bogged down into cliches or pie-in-the-sky hyperbole.
I have searched far and wide and have found three terrific volumes, but this one is the best of the three and is the only one available on Kindle. Note that I once had a bakery in which one of my signature products was franchised in Oregon using the moniker Billy Bob's Pot Pies. Although the franchise effort was ill-fated, as vice president of the corporation, I learned a good deal along the way.
I also learned why, these days, beginning franchises is all but dead unless you have really deep pockets. I also learned why trying to breaking into supermarkets is even deader than franchising.
Thus, Sell Your Specialty Food is my pick for food producers hoping to break into wholesale food marketing in any format, but readers and researchers also should read Selling My Food To supermarkets; Kitchen To Market; Gourmet To Go - C. William Anderson, aka Travis C. Ward.

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Artisanal. Organic. Fair Trade. Natural. Handmade. Consumers are clamoring for quality and taste, and there is a growing trend toward organic foods and international food. With an annual growth rate of 11 percent, the opportunities to sell and market specialty gourmet foods are greater than ever. Almost 75 percent of the nation's consumers now buy these upscale foods, compared to 64 percent just one year ago. In Sell Your Specialty Food, Stephen Hall outlines every food marketing opportunity and then supports entrepreneurial action with detailed guidance. Whether you own a business or you are thinking about starting one, Hall will show you how to:
Identify a winning product and its most appropriate markets.
Get your product ready to market.
Advertise, promote, and sell your product.
Create your own success niche. Professionalize your business.
Also included is updated information about the role of the Internet, health and organic food markets, the latest government regulations and technological advances, and contact information for dozens of valuable resources.
Fully updated and revised, readers will learn about the latest trends in the field, including organics and the green market industry, and so much more to make their business a success.

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Kitchen Design Guide (Better Homes & Gardens Decorating) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a very nice and basic kitchen design guide. For the money, I don't think a better bargain exists. The photographs are crisp and detailed. The advice given by the text is simple and to the point. In the first chapter, 8 completed kitchens are analyzed to include a floor plan. Furthermore, kitchen styles, planning advice, storage ideas, floor and counter materials, appliances, sinks, faucets and lighting advice is provide in simple detail. While I did not agree with some of the advice like painting kitchen cabinets, counter tops and floors, the charts highlighting the pros and cons of material and/or appliance choice was very helpful. While the kitchens featured in this book are of the high expensive end, the charts do include lower end costs/materials to help in making decisions on what would work best for the home owner. The quarterly magazine, signature Kitchens & Baths will cost you $15.00. Again for kitchen design advice, I don't think a better bargain exists.

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Images of beautiful, believable kitchens provide scores of design ideas and illustrate the latest options and upgrades for a sensational new kitchen.
Expert advice for choosing appliances and materials, including cabinets, countertops, flooring, wallcoverings, cabinetry, and lighting, shows how to create a kitchen design that functions seamlessly.
Guidelines for developing a smart layout that maximizes the usable space in any kitchen--including checklists and charts that consolidate the options and considerations for ease of planning.
Rock-solid planning advice from professional kitchen designers helps homeowners make savvy choices during the design process.
A new larger format; heavier, glossier paper; and more pages than any previous planner edition.

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Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites Review

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(More customer reviews)I must admit that I, like other reviewers, was at first disappointed by the offerings in Giada's latest publication. When I looked at the recipes closer, however, I realized how much I appreciated the book.
Fans are used to an array of savory, Italian dishes...understandably because this is what Giada has turned out before. This new book puts more of an emphasis on fresh, light flavors. Many recipes call for butternut squash, melons, and other vegetables.
The recipes are no longer strictly "Italian," which I think opens Giada's creativity. Although many recipes call for fresh herbs, I found the ingredient list to be, in general, significantly less intimidating and pricey. It's really about fewer groceries with fresher, bigger flavors. I particularly enjoy the "(Not) Just For Kids" section. Here we find fun recipes for things like pizza pot pies, polenta-fried shrimp, and mascarpone mini cupcakes with strawberry frosting.
I think Giada's new direction, away from specifically "Italian" cuisine and into an Italian-inspired Californian cuisine, will prove successful. After three cookbooks of mostly traditional Italian food, she needed to expand somewhere anyway. Staying loyal to strictly Italian food may have become boring and listless for both the chef and her following. I can't wait to see where she goes next!

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In the Green Kitchen: Techniques to Learn by Heart Review

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(More customer reviews)While I agree with the other reviewer that the recipes aren't especially inspired, nor is it as helpful as the Art of Simple Food, it IS great for what I think is its target audience - those who are new to local cooking (and cooking in general), and need a place to start. There are a growing number of 20 and 30 somethings who grew up on boxed, processed meals, and are stepping into the kitchen. We focus on organic, locally sourced products and need to know the simple ways to prepare them. That's where this book comes in handy. As it states in the introduction, if one can commit some of these principles to memory, it will be easy to cook based on what ingredients one has on hand. While some of it may seem pretty basic, I frequent a number of cooking forums and several times a week people ask what the best way to roast a chicken is. And I love how she has tips sprinkled throughout - such as how to make your own baking powder and vinegar. This is the Betty Crocker book for those who wish to focus on clean, green eating. The Art of Simple Food would be the Joy of Cooking, following that analogy.
If you are experienced in the kitchen, you'll probably want to pass. But if you're new to cooking from scratch, it's a great way to get started.

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The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book: A Guide to Whole-Grain Breadmaking Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the three bread books to which I regularly refer (I'm on my second copy!). Grinding my own grains and baking has been a hobby for twenty-five years. I've never come across a book as well suited to a beginner. I wish it had been around when I started!
There are many whole-grain baking books out there. So many of them are too radical for the average person. I've had books that state that only sourdough can be used for leavening, that baking powder and yeast are 'dishonest'. I've had books that categorically state that the only way to produce whole grain flour is by stone mill or grinder (not true). I've had books that use esoteric ingredients for bread not available to the average home cook.
Laurel eschews dogmatic arguments about whole grain baking. She acknowledges that we all have busy daily schedules with families and work. Better than any whole grain book I've seen, she illustrates that whole grain baking can become an integrated part of a working person's life. Her recipes, particularly those for daily loaves, are reliable. As she states, in the 'old' days some of our loaves would work, some wouldn't. We've learned better, and she illustrates how.
In addition to her recipes, the writing style of the book reminds me of 'Laurel's Kitchen', her all-around vegetarian cookbook. For the beginner, there is a very useful guide to the different ingredients of bread, and the different utensils and appliances available.
Several years after its release, this cookbook remains the most practical and useful guide to whole-grain cooking. Highly recommended.

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The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book is the classic bestselling cookbook devoted to baking light, healthful, delicious bread entirely from whole grains. This specially updated edition includes an entirely new chapter on making excellent whole-grain loaves in a bread machine. Now even the busiest among us can bake the delectable loaves for which Laurel's Kitchen is famous.New research proves what we've known all along: Eating whole grains really is better for your health! Here, the switch from "white" is made fun and easy.Like a good friend, the "Loaf for Learning" tutorial guides you step-by-step through the baking process. You'll make perfect loaves every time, right from the start.Here you'll find recipes for everything—from chewy Flemish Desem Bread and mouthwatering Hot Cross Buns to tender Buttermilk Rolls, foolproof Pita Pockets, tangy Cheese Muffins, and luscious Banana Bread—all with clear explanations and helpful woodcut illustrations.The brand-new chapter on bread machines teaches you to make light "electric" loaves from whole-grain flour. No matter what your schedule, you can come home to the wonderful smell of baking bread, fresh, hot, and ready to enjoy.

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New Kitchen Idea Book (Idea Books) Review

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(More customer reviews)A friend gave me this book--is it because I complain about my kitchen all the time? I looked through it. Then I looked through it again. And again. Now I have post-it notes all over it. The only problem is that there are TOO many ideas! But now I'm ready to redo my lousy kitchen. I want a place to eat and a second sink and a pantry and....Great book for anyone who wants to do or redo their kitchen.

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The kitchen isn't just for cooking anymore, and homeowners are spending a lot of time and money to make it the true heart of their home. Older houses lack the open floor plan that allows the kitchen to become part of the living area, while an increasing number of amateur chefs are going beyond the basics to build a kitchen that's worthy of an upscale restaurant. The kitchen has become less utilitarian and more creative--a place where homeowners express their personal style as much as they would in any other room of the house. By that same token, new appliance technology allows for a more useful kitchen, while hiding the pragmatism behind aesthetics--no more avocado and harvest gold refrigeration giants. With all these new possibilities come an overwhelming array of choices and a substantial investment of time and money. Homeowners need guidance, and New Kitchen Idea Book will help them discover what they really want and how to achieve it. "New Kitchen Idea Book provides inspiration for refreshing your kitchen for more enjoyment in both cooking and entertaining." --Chuck Williams, founder of Williams-Sonoma

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Ani's Raw Food Kitchen: Easy, Delectable Living Foods Recipes Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a vegetarian since I was sixteen. In the late eighties, that was rough- even more difficult than being a vegan now. In the last year, I made the transition to vegan, but thanks to the work of innovative cooks like Isa Chandra Moskowitz, that just isn't hard anymore. The next challenge? Going raw- very difficult because apparently you need a Vita-Mix, a dehydrator (I don't think I've ever even seen one of those), a food processor, a grinder, and a bunch of other esoteric equipment I've never even heard of- right?
Ani Phyo earned four stars right off the bat by making almost every one of her recipes doable with a blender or, in many cases, a knife. There are maybe three recipes that absolutely require a dehydrator- and even that can be gotten around. For this reason alone, if you've been thinking about raw but you've been intimidated by all of the required equipment, check this out.
The recipes that I've tried- and I've gone a little crazy in the last few days- have been not only simple but really, really good. So far I have made her Miso Soup, Almond Yogurt, Black Pepper Cheeze, Nori Rolls, Coco Kream Pie (oh wow- so good), a bunch of her shakes and my version of her Sunflower Bread (hmm- how did I do that without a dehydrator?). Almost all of this has been accomplished with a blender, and I don't even own the legendary Vita-Mix. In other words, the majority of households can do this.
Every chapter opens with her thoughts and recommendations on environmentalism. I liked most of her suggestions, but I was a little put off by her statements that hers was not a "bargain body" and that she is thus willing to pay more for her premium produce. I applaud her- I even envy her and others like her- but I am disappointed that she doesn't touch on the readers who can't afford organic produce for the most part and live in areas with lousy public transportation systems and recycling. I shudder any time I read something that makes it seem as if health is only for the wealthy.
However, she didn't lose a star for that because her tone, as strident as it may have been at times, inspired me to find a work around for my dehydrator- and I did. Ever make yogurt using a heating pad? If you have a small enough pan- think one that fits into a toaster oven- and some tin foil- congratulation, you have the guts of a make your own dehydrator. I'm still tweaking mine, but I was very inspired by the results with my Sunflower Bread.
This is a soup to nuts guide to going raw, and it won't require you to reoutfit your kitchen. It may, however, inspire you to rethink your approach to food.

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The Cuban Kitchen Review

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(More customer reviews)Loved the book. It is prepared for people like me who prefer to read in English and at the same time, the book gives you the Cuban name of the recipe, as the English version makes no sense unless it is in Spanish, as well as the name of the ingredients in English. Great variety of recipes where you will have tons of fun preparing dishes that you know the name that existed within the old family.

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What is Cuban cuisine? A delectable intermingling of Spanish, Portuguese, Arabian, Chinese, and African culinary traditions—a true melting pot of all the influences that combine in Cuban culture.Now, Raquel Rabade Roque gives us the definitive book of Cuban cuisine: encyclopedic in its range, but intimate and accessible in tone with more than five hundred recipes for classic, home-style dishes—from black bean soup to pork empanadas, from ropa vieja to black beans and croquetas, from tostones to arroz con pollo, from churros to café con leche—as well as the vividly told stories behind the recipes.Based on the author's family recipes, this is real Cuban cooking presented with today's busy cooks in mind. Whether you are an experienced cook or a novice, a lover of Cuban cuisine or just discovering it, The Cuban Kitchen will become an essential part of your kitchen library.

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Sex Begins in the Kitchen: Creating Intimacy to Make Your Marriage Sizzle Review

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(More customer reviews)I love this book! I think every married couple or couple thinking of getting married, should read this book. It really helps you to have realistic expectations. This book is wonderfully informative but also very entertaining and fun to read. Having seen Kevin Leman deliver this message in person, the book is a wonderful reference to go back and read from time to time. BUY IT!

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Now back with a fresh cover, new subtitle, and new introduction, Sex Begins in the Kitchen shows couples everywhere how to bring more passion into their marriages. Best-selling author Dr. Kevin Leman explains how sexual intimacy is an expression of the care a couple shows each other in all areas of life--in communicating, sharing thoughts and feelings, and even in helping out around the house. With insightful--and often hilarious--examples, Dr. Leman shows couples how to create new joy and excitement in their relationships and make their marriages more satisfying both emotionally and physically.

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A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table Review

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(More customer reviews)I have only made it up through the coconut macaroons, and I have already cried.
Twice.
I preordered this book, being a longtime Orangette reader with unshaken trust in Molly's palate. The combination of ingredients in her Buchons Au Thons alone changed the way I consider food, flavor, and a can of tuna.
More than that, Molly writes about food the way I feel about food -- simple meals are intertwined with memories and people and how we become who and what we are. Even if I someday manage a perfect souffle, I will still crave my mom's egg salad sandwiches, white bread only, on Sundays in July.
I tend to fall into Nigella Lawson books -- she makes cooking look SO sexy and fun -- but the domestic goddess is missing an accessibility Molly manages easily. Her voice and the sometimes heart-rendingly personal stories she tells with each recipe really do bring you to her kitchen table. And then they give you a cookie.
From its simple, delightful design to the stories to the recipes that come with USEFUL instructions (seriously, so many recipes fail at this), this is already one of my favorite cookbooks. This, to me, is what food is about.
If I have one complaint, it's that the simple design doesn't allow for glossy 8x10 photos of each recipe's results. Thank god she's still got Orangette for that!

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Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal Review

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(More customer reviews)Several friends had told me about Kitchen Table Wisdom over the years, and I just put off purchasing it. Then while recovering in the hospital from surgery, the chaplin suggested I read it. I read it during my recovery and have not stopped reading it since. There are so many lessons in the book, and Dr. Remen's selection of stories and writing style present an education on how to be human and to develop a deeper understanding of the humanity each one of us posseses. I look at my life, and those around me in a different way since I read the book. Dr. Remen has taught me that we all have the capacity to make our life a blessing and she is truly a blessing to all that read her words.

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Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home Review

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(More customer reviews)Ordinarily I control my cookbook urges. With a collection of cookbooks that has overrun the available shelf space (cookbooks squished sideways on top of others, some spilling onto the floor, others taking over bookshelves originally allocated to "travel" or "history"), I. must. control. myself. I force myself to take a cookbook out of the library first, to ensure that I want to actually cook from it more than once. If a cookbook survives three recipes, I give myself permission to purchase it.
Not Nigella's. The moment I saw this book was on sale, I pre-ordered it. Doing so was the right decision.
Unlike some of her recent cookbooks, about Feasts or Christmas or Cooking Good Food, Fast, this has less of a specific theme except maybe "comfort food meets your real-life frenetic schedule." The first half of the book, called Kitchen Quandaries, leans toward serving your "dinner in 30 minutes" needs, with chapters like "Hurry up, I'm hungry" and "Off the cuff" (pantry suppers). The second, Kitchen Comforts, is full of recipes for when you're in the mood to chop and stir, segmented into chapters including "The solace of stirring" and "the bone collection."
Her recipes do not disappoint. (Well, they almost never DO disappoint, which is why I could order this book with such confidence.) So far, I've made two meals, both from the fast-food side of the book. "Lemony salmon with cherry tomato couscous" was quick to throw together but sure didn't taste that way; it was good as a cold salad, too, when I wanted lunch the next day. Her "speedy seafood supper" won't make me throw out my recipes for the putter-worthy cioppino, but it was 30 minutes from "What's for dinner?" to pouring the fish stew into a bowl and grabbing a hunk of bread. Even better, that recipe started with a pound of frozen mixed seafood from Trader Joe's; I didn't have to remember to defrost anything (a common "oh drat!" moment in this household). I'm making this week's shopping list now, and am trying to decide if I'll make her "spatchcocked Cornish hen" (with sultanas and pine nuts) or "pork and apple hotpot." It might be both.
Nigella includes a few extra features in this cookbook that I really appreciate. One is a chapter devoted to shortcuts and other things that make life a little easier. In many cases these are obvious tips, at least for someone who's been cooking for 30 years, but in this case I had a few, "Oh, I'll try that!" moments. (I had already learned from her TV shows how handy it is to use kitchen shears to cut up bacon or scallions directly into the pan; if that's all you need to cut up, why dirty a knife and cutting board?) Plus, she has a very good balance between recipes that feed 6-8 and those that serve one or two.
Another thing I like is that she has a postscript to many recipes that tell you what you can do with the leftovers. Some leftovers are intentional, of course, such as poaching chicken with the goal of turning leftovers into one of the chicken salads she suggests. Others, though, answer my "What the heck do I do with THIS?" questions, such as her suggestion to turn leftover Risotto Bolognese into "risotto burgers" with cheese melted on top, served with peas. I wish more cookbooks did this.
This cookbook has already earned its spot on the cookbook shelves, and I've had it for only a week. I expect you'll feel the same way. Highly recommended.


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The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook 3rd Edition: Cookware Rating Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)I enjoy the PBS series "America's Test Kitchen," so when I received this book as a Christmas gift last year I was very excited. Now, almost a year later, I have cooked my way through scores of the recipes in this cookbook and there is not a dud in the bunch. This book takes basic, American fare and boil it down to it's most essential (and flavorful parts), allowing you to cook tasty favorites. My only caveat is that is you are looking for quick meals, this may not be the best choice--many of the recipes are quite time consuming. However, if you only want one cookbook in your kitchen, this is the one!

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This best-selling ringbound cookbook, now revised and updated with an all-new 50-page cookware buying guide, delivers more than 1,200 foolproof recipes for classic American family fare in a clear, accessible style, Beautiful step-by-step photos illuminate every conceivable technique from chopping shallots and skinning salmon to cutting up a chicken and tying a roast. And the recipes will keep you busy (and your friends and family happy) for years to come since we ve included hundreds of easy weeknight dishes (like Skillet Lasagna and One-Pot Chicken and Rice)and company- and holiday-worthy dinners (like Beef Burgundy, Roast Leg of Lamb, and Flourless Chocolate Cake). And with the addition of our Guide to Kitchen Equipment and the America s Test Kitchen Buying Guide this cookbook is even more timely and valuable it s a kitchen essential you can t live without. The Guide to Kitchen Equipment identifies which basic equipment and tools you need and shows you how to use and care for them properly. The Buying Guide, organized by category in a handy, illustrated chart, gives home cooks an invaluable, at-a-glance summary of our testing of core kitchen equipment; it is easy to tell which features we think are important (and why), along with any other details that matter. And of course we give you the name of the test kitchen s favorite brands, the ones that made it to the top in our rigorous testing process. This proprietary information will be invaluable to home cooks looking for the most value for their dollar. Plus, having the right equipment on hand makes anyone a more efficient and successful cook.

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Four Kitchens: My Life Behind the Burner in New York, Hanoi, Tel Aviv, and Paris Review

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(More customer reviews)Before reading this book, I didn't know much about what went on in restaurant kitchens. Obviously I knew that people were busy behind the scenes making my food, but I never really sat down to think about the entire process of what went on. I was interested in this book because I did want to learn about life behind the scenes. I found that Lauren Shockey has written an excellent foodie and travel memoir that's both fun, entertaining and yummy.
At first I was appalled at how mean some of the people were to Lauren when she first started in the restaurants in NYC and Paris. I don't understand why people expect everyone to know everything as soon as they start and then they get yelled at even though they were not told exactly what or how to do things. In contrast the restaurants in Hanoi and Tel Aviv were more laid back and willing to explain things without yelling. Is it the locations and atmosphere that make the difference? Is there a sense of snobbery in bigger cities that put people on the edge?
Shockey gives several chapters to each restaurant and goes into detail about the style of the restaurant, the food the serve, and the people and culture of the area. It's interesting to see how each restaurant was different, not only in terms of food, but in how they did things in the kitchen. No matter how much she learned in one place, she had to relearn things all over again at a new restaurant. There are so many different styles of cooking to keep track of and so many inside information to learn. Shockey also makes a good point of how it's hard to be a woman in the field and how the industry is very heavily male dominated.
I was a bit afraid that the book would venture more into Shockey's personal love life but was pleasantly surprised that it was only kept to a few brief comments. I think if it had, it would have limited the audience of who the book would be targeted at so I'm glad that she didn't go there. There are also tons of recipes in the book from each different place. Some of these things I know I would never eat but there's a lot of good ones that look somewhat not complex. I appreciated how Shockey gives background to the dish and doesn't just throw out the recipe with no context.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing style is very engaging. Shockey does a very good job at explaining everything to the newbie (unlike some of her colleagues when she was learning!) and making sure they know what's going on in the kitchen. If you have any interest in food, restaurants and travel, I highly recommend picking up this book. You will become informed, cultured and very hungry afterwards. I think that out of the four places, I would like to visit the restaurant in Hanoi the best. 2011 has been a good year for memoirs for me and this is another book that makes my top memoir reads for this year. HIGHLY recommended.

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Modern Vegetarian Kitchen, The Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a non-vegetarian living in a co-op that requires all shared meals to be vegetarian. I found this book on sale at Sur La Table, and bought it to provide me with more ideas for the dinners I cook for my house. After the first few meals that I made that included 2-3 different recipes from this book, it quickly became my FAVORITE cookbook (all genres). I now select this book more often than any other for my house and other dinner parties with non-vegetarian friends. The flavors are rich, the combinations are unique and work very well, and the instructions are easy to follow and provide you with all the info you need, even if you're not a seasoned macrobiotic chef. I give this book a HUGE "thumbs up"! (Some favorites: Creamy Garlic Miso Salad Dressing, Three Sisters Stew (beans, corn dumplings, and winter squash with toasted pumpkin seeds), Eggplant and Seitan Falafel).

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Food from Many Greek Kitchens Review

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(More customer reviews)Having just returned from three glorious months in Greece I was keen to be able to reproduce some of the wonderful dishes I tried while I was there. This book is a feast both visually and inspirationally. The recipes are straightforward and use recognisable ingredient names. There are sensible suggestions throughout the recipes like, "add more water if it looks like it needs it" or "cook until the garlic and onion smell good".
The photos are truly beautiful and make you want to just sit down and browse through this book for the sheer pleasure of it.
What I like most of all is that the name of the dishes are first written in Greeklish (using the Anglo alphabet) then in English and finally, in smaller print, using the Greek alphabet.
I have bought a number of Greek cook books, but I have found this one the most accessible and true to my experience of Greece and Greek cooking. Congratulations!

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Food, culture, celebration, and memory are inexorably tied together inside Tessa Kiros's Food from Many Greek Kitchens. As the follow-up to her best-selling Venezia and Falling Cloudberries, Food from Many Greek Kitchens explores Kiros's Greek-Cypriot heritage and takes readers on a colorful journey into the Greek kitchens of her friends and family as she catalogs the traditional foods for fasting, festivals, and feast days.Recipes like Vassilopitta New Year Wish Cake, Lamb in a Flowerpot with Dill and Red Wine, Yamopilafo Wedding Rice, and Easter Soup are accompanied by short introductions that explain each dish's cultural significance. In addition, lavish full-color photographs take readers on a tour from the local Mediterranean fishmongers and markets into Greek family homes and kitchens to experience the best in authentic Greek cooking.With a glossary and more than 200 classically prepared Greek recipes, Food from Many Greek Kitchens adds a greater depth of flavor to each dish through Kiros's warm anecdotal introductions like the following passage for Vassilopitta:"In Greece, everyone has a vassilopitta (cake) at New Year. The wonderful thing about this cake is that a flouri (coin) is added before baking. If you're lucky to get the piece with the coin, you'll be blessed for the year. Don't you love that sense of celebration the Greeks have?" --Food from Many Greek Kitchens

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The Complete Kitchen Garden: An Inspired Collection of Garden Designs and 100 Seasonal Recipes Review

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(More customer reviews)I am lucky enough to know Ellen Ecker Ogden and remember when this book was but a seed itself. It has turned out even better than I anticipated - as down-to-earth, friendly, warm and lovely as the author herself. As someone who loves to cook but struggles to find time/energy to do more than plant a few tomatoes and herbs and keep them alive every summer, I am inspired and reassured by the clear, straightforward gardening advice and the mouthwatering but uncomplicated recipes. The watercolor schematics are charming and the photographs beautiful, while also being informative. I'm mulling over my options (perhaps a hybrid of the cook's garden and family garden) and making Ellen's warm winter salad with roasted garlic dressing in the meantime.

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The Complete Kitchen Garden is an inspiring collection of garden designs and recipes for the home gardener and cook. based on the seasonal cycles of the garden, each chapter provides a new way to look at the planning stages with themes and designs such as "the salad lover's garden," "the heirloom maze garden," "the children's garden," and "the organic rotation garden." More than 100 recipes featuring the food grown in each specific garden encompass a full range of soups, salads, main course savory dishes, and desserts, as well as condiments and garnish to dress up the plate.Praise for The Complete Kitchen Garden:"With charming hand-drawn planting plans, bright color photos, and tempting recipes. . . . Ms. Ogden's book arms wannabe gardeners with all the tools to plan a productive garden before seeds ever meet the ground."—Wall Street Journal"There's no reason a vegetable garden must be an eyesore, banished to the corner by the garage. . . . The Complete Kitchen Garden . . . combines design advice, garden wisdom and recipes." -The Chicago Tribune

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