Customer Reviews

FARMfood: Green Living with Chef Daniel Orr

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Here is an excerpt from my review in the Bloomington, IN, Herald-Times newspaper.

There is so much that is innovative about "FARMfood" that it's hard to know how to begin analyzing it, but since most people buy cookbooks for the recipes, that's as good a place as any to start.

The more than 250 recipes in this book reflect Orr's professional training and experience, but also his travels around the world and exposure to different cuisines. Many chefs are adept at incorporating the spices and herbs of other lands into their cooking, but the author goes a giant step further: he takes these seasonings and combines them in mind-blowing, palate-pleasing fashion.

Unlike some celebrity chef cookbooks, "FARMfood" does not exhibit a depraved indifference to human health. Missing are recipes calling for indiscriminate amounts of cream and butter. Indeed, many of the recipes are simply superbly seasoned collections of good-for-you ingredients, a large number of which will appeal to vegetarians and vegans. (Although there's plenty here for serious carnivores, as well.)

While the recipes are exceptional, Orr has produced a book that pushes the boundaries of the definition of "cookbook." He has created a work that is part autobiography, photo-essay, natural history, and gardening guide.

The author is also responsible for the beautiful photography. This is real food, shot without the hocus-pocus of modern food styling. There aren't any varnished pork chops, or shaving cream standing in for whipped cream here, simply pictures of food that the reader will want to eat.

While some big-name food writers try to harangue their readers into eating locally, seasonally, and sustainably (think Alice Waters), Orr's book seduces the reader into wanting to eat this way. From photographs of chickens out on pasture to photos of fresh produce at area farmers' markets, to the close-up of a sliced heirloom tomato salad, the author offers reason after reason to eat what comes from the land around us.

Seasoned with spices borrowed from abroad, "FARMfood" is nonetheless a quintessentially American product: brash and bold, it is a homegrown tour du force. If it does not win the 2010 James Beard Award in the American Cooking category, this food columnist will eat her (well-seasoned) hat.

We are family proud of Daniel Orr -- his concept for living, his farming ideals, his food, his restaurant in Bloomington, Indiana. In truth, this latest book is absolutely wonderful: the texts as well as the gorgeous food and country-wide scenery! We love this book so much and have shown this love by purchasing (so far) a dozen of them for early Christmas gifts! Daughters, brothers-in-law, and friends have had wonderful responses. This has been a great reason for giving it early -- in a perfectly proper Harvest Time.
Buy and enjoy terrific and honest country and great food experiences!
Sarah K Robinson

My wife and I have eaten at Daniel Orr's FARM restaurant a couple of times (it take us over two hours to drive there, so it is always an intentional visit). We have always enjoyed the food and the unique combinations used in the dishes. Having this book has allowed us to duplicate several of our favorites and to make them for our friends. A cousin who lives in Athens, Greece, took a copy of this home with her several months ago and has raved about the recipes she has prepared as well. Fortunately, since we are part of a local CSA and have a good Farmer's Market nearby, we have been able to really get into some of Daniel's more locally-oriented dishes and they have all been a pleasure to make and eat. The spice blends Chef Orr gives recipes for are a lot of fun to use and there are plenty of vegetarian items, too. Once in a while an undefined term has sent me scurrying to figure it out (I had never heard of Frenched chicken breasts, for example, and could not find out what they were until I did several web searches [each breast half gets cut in half and the wing is still attached]). Some of our favorites include the 'World's Best BLT', Hoosier Spoonbread, and Casserole of Chicken with Potatoes, Peppers, and Fresh Oregano.