Farms And Foods of Ohio: From Garden Gate to Dinner Plate [Hardcover]

Marilou K. Suszko (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2007

Join Marilou Suszko as she visits her neighbors and invites us to their tables in more than 100 rustic recipes. This fourth in Hippocrene's state series follows in the tradition of its New Jersey and New Hampshire cookbooks to bring more fresh farm fare to its readers. This time we visit the heartland of America and the source of much of the Midwest's healthful produce, journeying to the Buckeye State and exploring family farms such as the Hartzler Family Dairy and the Blue Egg Farm.

Marilou Suszko takes you on a journey throughout Ohio, where you'll meet unique farming personalities dedicated to growing, raising, and preparing wonderful foods to grace your family's table. Join her in the fields, in the barns, and out in the vineyards through these wonderful stories accompanied by delicious recipes that highlight farm-fresh tastes such as Grilled Peaches with Berry Coulis; Spinach, Strawberry and Dill Salad; Caramelized Onion & Sage Frittata; Herb Rubbed Flank Steak; Beer-Braised Lamb Shanks; Pork Chops with Sage Sauce; Raspberry Cream Custard; Chilled Blueberry and Yogurt Soup; and Heirloom Spaghetti Sauce. Treat yourself to a luscious cup of White Hot Chocolate, a warm Multigrain Apple Pecan Scone and a copy of Farms and Foods or Ohio and meet the "locals." Once you know their story, the next Ohio grown apple, fresh farm egg or sliver of farmstead cheese you enjoy will taste extra special.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Marilou Suszko is a food writer whose work appears in newspapers and magazines. Farms and Foods of Ohio: From Garden Gate to Dinner Plate is her first book. She is a culinary instructor as well as a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Les Dames d'Escoffier International, the Ohio Farm Bureau, Innovative Farmers of Ohio, and the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association. Marilou lives in Vermilion, Ohio with her husband, Ihor, and two children, Abigail and Ian.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Hippocrene Books (June 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0781811724
• ISBN-13: 978-0781811729
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #654,353 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome and certain to be popular addition, July 7, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Farms And Foods of Ohio: From Garden Gate to Dinner Plate (Hardcover)

With an informative and inherently interesting background on Ohio farming personalities, including their barns, fields, and vineyards, "Farms & Foods Of Ohio" author and culinary instructor Marilou K. Suszko accompanies her compilation of delicious recipes with stories about the people and places that made them possible. Along with a map of Ohio farms and succinct series of farm histories, the recipes are arranged into categories: Eggs, Milk, & Cheese; Meats & Poultry; Fish & Seafood; Fruits & Vegetables. Of special interest are the chapters on 'Finding a Niche; Vineyards 7 Wineries; Ohio Chefs & Farmers; and 'Save a Farm'. The recipes range from Buttery Shortbreads; Roasted heritage Turkey; Shrimp and Shiitake Mushroom Angel Hair Pasta; and Raspberry Tart in Nut Crust; to a Basil Pesto and Basil Pesto Dipping Sauce; Autumn Salad with Maple Vinaigrette; Markko vineyard Rice Pilaf; and Roasted Root Vegetables. Enhanced with the inclusion of a resource list, a bibliography, recipe credits, and a recipe index, "Farms & Foods Of Ohio" is a welcome and certain to be popular addition to any personal or community library cookbook collection.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food for Thought, October 3, 2007

By 

Angela A. Kessler "Editor, Catholic Chronicle" (Toledo, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Farms And Foods of Ohio: From Garden Gate to Dinner Plate (Hardcover)

It's hard to believe, but it's true. I've been reading a cookbook. I don't mean reading every recipe; I just scan those for ingredients and ease of preparation. No, I'm reading "Farms and Foods of Ohio: From Garden Gate to Dinner Plate" a cookbook written by Marilou Suszko.

The book not only features some wonderful recipes using fresh ingredients farmed throughout the state, but it draws attention to the work of family farmers and the food industry in general. For me, it has inspired a greater interest in where food comes from and to be more socially responsible when shopping.

In the book's forward, Carol Goland, executive director of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association and assistant professor in the environmental studies program at Denison University, writes that "half of the food items found in grocery chains are produced by 10 multinational corporations." She goes on to write, "Of every dollar we pay for our food in the conventional system, about 19 cents is for the food itself and goes back to the farmer (less than half what it was in 1950)."

Startled at these and other statistics cited in the book, I contacted Ursuline Sister Christine Pratt, director of Catholic Charities Rural Life Office.

"Eating is a moral act," she says. In addition to the nourishment to our bodies, she talked about how the food system is related to Catholic principles: the dignity of each person, respect for life and caring for creation.
Food-related issues she talks about include the amount of food that is wasted, the rights of the workers in the fields, how our natural resources are used or abused and the food system's dependence on petroleum for travel, chemicals and packaging. All point to the fact that we can make a difference when we purchase locally-produced foods.

It's not that difficult to find foods grown close to home. Ms. Suszko's book contains several pages of information on how to purchase from the farmers featured in the book as well as other organizations that promote family farms. Additionally, Sr. Pratt notes the Saturday morning farmer's market at Toledo's Erie Street Market and the community supported agriculture farm run by the Tiffin Franciscan Sisters. She also suggests asking your grocer to carry locally-grown food or simply driving on almost any major country road to find a roadside stand.