10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A gorgeous & practical guide, June 23, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: The Greenmarket Cookbook : Recipes, Tips, and Lore from the World Famous Urban Farmers' Market (Hardcover)
An inviting, beautifully designed book about the Union Square Greenmarket, New York City's oldest and biggest farmers' market.
The author gives you the inside scoop on what goes on behind the scenes at a farmers' market. I loved the anecdotes about the farmers, chefs and the assorted characters that populate the place (some of which I know as a shopper).
The book is separated by season, and contains detailed charts on the different varieties of produce available, such as tomatoes (varieties include banana legs, green zebra, and purple calabash), peppers, apples, herbs, etc., as well as when and where to find them, and how to prepare them.
There are lots of unusual recipes by local chefs who frequent the market, assorted food writers, etc., which are quite creative.
The author's wife did the photography, which is stunning. You really get a sense of some of the characters of the market and the lushness and bounty of the products available. The book is very nicely designed - it could be a keepsake, coffee-table type book, or a well-thumbed addition to a collection of cookbooks.
As someone who regularly relies on this market, I think the book is a great practical guide to it, as well as providing background on its history and stories on the individual farmers.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
all the seasons are full of flavor, June 19, 2000
This review is from: The Greenmarket Cookbook : Recipes, Tips, and Lore from the World Famous Urban Farmers' Market (Hardcover)
At first glance this book is beautifully laid out with sections divided by the seasonal produce that you can obtain at the greenmarket and recipes to go along. Incredibly handy for someone who has been lured by a cookbook's recipes only to find that the ingredients are out of season. Not only do you get the recipes, but also a wonderful history lesson on the greenmarket and mini interviews with the "market people." Straight forward, uncomplicated, with the accent on fresh delicious produce right from the farm. But if you are unable to make it to the market many of the ingredients are also available in your local grocery store. A great addition to any cooks library.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
history book *and* cookbook, February 17, 2002
This review is from: The Greenmarket Cookbook : Recipes, Tips, and Lore from the World Famous Urban Farmers' Market (Hardcover)
This is a fun introduction to a little piece of New York's history, the famous Urban Farmers' Market, as well as a handy guide to cooking with produce that is in season. If you use fresh fruits and vegetables in your cooking, you are undoubtedly aware that, while some foods may be available 365 days a year, they are usually most flavorful when they are grown and ripened naturally. Charts help make sense of the many varieties of produce available, and recipes are organized around the calendar, so you may find 'Red & Green Fresh Vegetables with Pasta' for summer, and 'Bread and Cabbage Soup' for winter. Each of four seasonal chapters lists the produce, flowers, dairy and meat available during that season. In general these are basic recipes that can be made by the beginner cook.
My only complaint is that, with all the gorgeous photographs of the people and the market, there are no pictures of the finished dishes, a feature that I appreciate in a cookbook. Otherwise this is a great, and fun, cookbook with good recipes.
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