Fresh from the Farmers' Market: Year-Round Recipes for the Pick of the Crop [Paperback]

Janet Fletcher (Author), Victoria Pearson (Photographer), Alice Waters (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1997

Offering quality and prices that can't be beat, and emphasizing the enduring value of small local farms, farmers' markets are popping up all over the country. Acclaimed food writer Janet Fletcher and photographer Victoria Pearson bring the freshness and flavor of peak produce to the kitchen with Fresh from the Farmers' Market. The more than eighty easy and delicious recipes included here -- many but not all of them meatless -- are as perfect for family meals as for entertaining. Organized by season, Fresh from the Farmers' Market is for anyone who wants to enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables at their peak of flavor.

Fresh from the Farmers' Market is a 1998 IACP Award nominee.

Editorial Reviews

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Organic Gardening

If you took the summer off from cooking, you're probably ready now to return to the kitchen and stir up some great dishes from the bounty you find at your local farmers' market. This book will certainly get you cooking after first seeking out the best of the fall crop and yes, there are recipes for the other seasons, as well. The author, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America and at Chez Panisse restaurant, convinces anyone who values quality and freshness to shop at farmers' markets; guides you in selection and storage of vegetables and fruits; then provides a wealth of recipes for every season. How about Yellow Split Pea Soup with Autumn Squash and Kale? Or Sweet Potato and Chestnut Soup? Or Pear Sorbet with Pear Eau-de-Vie?

Did you know that really fresh green beans will stick to your clothes? Or that perfect artichokes squeak when they're squeezed? You'll find plenty of other expert tips on selecting and storing field-fresh produce in Janet Fletcher's Fresh From the Farmer's Market. Included also are dozens of simple yet intriguing recipes like Braised Red Cabbage and Pears and Warm Apricot Tart. Sensuously photographed by Victoria Pearson, and organized by the season, this lovely book will delight all gardeners and cooks.

About the Author

Janet Fletcher is a food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, a frequent contributor to magazines on wine and food topics, and a past president of the San Francisco Professional Food Society. She is the author of a number of cookbooks, including Chronic

Victoria Pearson is a Los Angeles based photographer. Her photographs have appeared in several books including Sangria (0-8118-4290-8), Party Appetizers (0-8118-4292-4), and The Cheese Course (0-8118-2541-8).

Alice Waters is the founder and proprietor of Berkeley's Chez Panisse restaurant and the author of several acclaimed cookbooks.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; First Printing edition (April 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811813932
• ISBN-13: 978-0811813938
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,386,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Best of Fruits and Veggies, September 28, 1999

By A Customer

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This review is from: Fresh from the Farmers' Market: Year-Round Recipes for the Pick of the Crop (Paperback)

I started frequenting my local farmer's market after a stint living in Greece, where shopping at the open-air stalls taught me how good produce COULD be. This book is a treasure for anyone who has access to great veggies or grows their own; divided by season, it's full of delicious recipes showcasing produce at its very best.

Everything I've made from here has been very good; I have a pot of the yellow split-pea soup with squash and kale in the refrigerator right now. I also really like the turnip and turnip greens soup, which lets you use both good things together. And then there's roasted asparagus, which I must make at least once a month throughout asparagus season.

The only reason I haven't given this book five stars is because there are too many things here I would not make. Fletcher's recipes can be a little too "restauranty" -- too elaborated, too many strongly flavored ingredients canceling each other out. Still, for magnificent food photography and good eating, plus nice tips on how to choose the best of the market, this book is hard to beat. A good addition to any cook's shelf -- and if it inspires you to patronize your local farmer's market, so much the better!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New England, Too, October 12, 2007

By 

Marie C. Duggan (Keene, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fresh from the Farmers' Market: Year-Round Recipes for the Pick of the Crop (Paperback)

I loved this book so much at my neighbor's that she bought it for me, even though it is out of print (Thank You!). Even though I live in New England, and it is written from California, it amazes me how all those unusual vegetables at the farmer's market are in it. I've cooked brussels sprouts with walnut oil, the fried baby turnips and green beans, and a host of other things. There is a lot of Italian influence, and everything's fried in butter. Yummie.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent "farmers' market" cookbook, July 23, 2009

By 

W. Maite "I love books" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fresh from the Farmers' Market (Reissue): Year-Round Recipes for the Pick of the Crop (Paperback)

I'm a huge fan of Janet Fletcher's. Her recipes sing to me. So I wasn't surprised to find that I like her farmers' market book more than others in that genre.

Fletcher has a distinctive way of choosing and combining foods to create the biggest bang of flavor from the fewest number of ingredients. That's pretty much the way I prefer to cook and eat. The Fennel and Prosciutto Gratin is sooo good. Her pastas are always a hit (the Penne with Green Cauliflower, Anchovies and Bread Crumbs is delicious and very typical of Fletcher's style), as are her soups. The Asparagus with Scramble Eggs has suggestions for several other ways to serve these two surprisingly harmonious foods which are not often combined in the US. The Persimmon "Ice Cream" is a persimmon-lover's dream.

The book is arranged by season, and each chapter starts with descriptions of the best foods of the season as well as how to select and store them. Of course these recipes are best when using ingredients at their seasonal primes, but I would happily make these recipes at any time of the year.