Customer Reviews

The Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook: Seasonal Foods, Simple Recipes and Stories from the Market and Farm

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This book is almost as good as actually trailing Amelia around the Santa Monica market to learn what's in peak season, and to be introduced to the farmers that grew it. Amelia's recipes are simple and direct; even fledgling cooks can use them with great success. I'd eat anything that Amelia's cooked! Read this book; you will learn a lot about all sorts of interesting, delicious things.

author of Cooking Jewish: 532 Great Recipes from the Rabinowitz Family
I actually DID trail "Amelia around the Santa Monica market to learn what's in peak season, and to be introduced to the farmers that grew it" (see previous review) when I wrote about this wonderful book for the Orange County Register. But there were frequent interruptions, because Amelia Saltsman - writer, cooking teacher, producer/host of her own TV show - is the undisputed queen of the Santa Monica Farmers Market and instantly recognized by shoppers and farmers alike. This cookbook is as much an homage to the farmers, their histories, and their commitment to excellence as it is a collection of fuss-less, original and artful recipes inspired by the amazing varieties they produce. Fava Bean and Pea Shoot Salad. Fresh Porcini and Potato Soup. Slow Baked Quince with Honey and Cognac. Recipes that showcase ingredients over method, with Saltsman guiding us from the familiar to the exotic, as you can see by the following excerpt from the Register:

"People are overwhelmed by choice," she said, "but don't know how to proceed. The only way farmers are going to grow these varieties is if people know how to cook them."

A delivery man whizzed by carrying mounds of bush-like, herby-looking bouquets. "Fresh garbanzo beans," Amelia informed me. "You can find unusual things at the farmers' market that you would never find anywhere else. It's not that they're so rare - they're just rare here. In Mumbai you could find them all the time. And even the very ordinary things sing with great flavor, the simplest things - carrots, potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes - it makes all the difference in the world."

Shopper Sue picks up a lavender and cream-colored, teardrop-shaped eggplant and asked Saltsman, "What do I do with this?"

"That's a Rosa Bianca - it's very creamy inside," Saltsman informed her. "Cut it in cubes and sauté it - it gets tender quickly - or roast it in thick slices. It just melts in your mouth."

At Windrose Farms I'm struck by what appear to be tiny white, faintly striped melons, which turn out to be lemon cucumbers. "They are so sweet," she rhapsodized. "You can only find them in farmers' markets. Cut them, and inside it looks exactly like the juice vesicles of a lemon."

But the main reason to shop at a farmers' market is the taste, she said. "Because the ingredients are so fresh, they will keep for a surprisingly long time, because they're picked at their peak. Their entire shelf life is spent in your home, not being shipped."

THE SANTA MONICA
FARMERS MARKET COOKBOOK
"Custard from the Garden"
By Amelia Saltsman
With a foreword by Deborah Madison
A review, interview by Marty Martindale
Various attractions draw visitors year `round. Some are bold, deeper-diving roller coasters, sedate museums, mighty cliffs and deep, deep canyons. However, appearing on more attraction lists these days are farmers' markets, and Santa Monica's Farmer's Market has become a special destination for a new breed of pleasure seekers.
"Open up all your senses," urges Saltsman, "look for colors, smell the aromas, feel for ripeness, taste the sweetness and listen carefully to the farmers." Saltsman. "Shopping at a farmer' market is a communal, rather than a solitary experience and one that asks us to use all our senses and be a bit adventurous. Small farmers -- wiling to grow for flavor, wait until the crop is completely ripe, then get it to market within 24 hours of harvest - this is their passion, and they want to excel."
In her book, Amelia successfully shares her enthusiasm for everything market. She's quick to refer you to her Roasted Seasonal Vegetable Primer, pages 102 to 105. "This is a perfect example of how you can take the same simple technique, use the basic seasonings of olive oil, salt and pepper to dramatically heighten natural flavors ... from caramelized carrots to custard-centered summer squash." She's quick to recommend her Prosciutto and Persimmon Appetizer made with crushed, toasted peppercorns, also her Nettle & Potato Frittata.
Here's a glimpse at some of Amelia's 100 farmers' market recipes:
* Winter Squash Puree with Shaved Parmesan: Onion, garlic, sage, red pepper flakes, olive oil, squash, stock, cheese, pumpkin seed oil and bruschette
* Grilled Fig and Market Ham Salad: Balsamic vinegar, figs, olive oil, ham steak, raw almonds, dandelion greens, lemon and Camembert-style cheese
* Pummelo, Fennel and Radish Salad: Fennel, radishes, grapefruit, fennel fronds, black olives, chives, mizuna, olive oil and lemon
* Romanesco with Green Olives and Capers: Romanesco or cauliflower, green olives, capers, Italian parsley, lemon zest, olive oil, red pepper flakes, lemon juice and garlic
* Roasted Okra with Fresh Peanuts: Okra pods, chopped peanuts, olive oil, red pepper flakes and one lemon
* Garlic, Smoked Tomatoes and Chipotles: Tomatoes, chipotles garlic, sweet potatoes, olive oil and cilantro leaves
* Farfalle with Five Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes: Farfalle, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, cherry tomatoes, Italian parsley, basil leaves, spearmint leaves, wild fennel fronds and chives
* Chicken Legs with Kumquats, Prunes and Green Olives: Prunes, kumquats, olive oil, chicken, onion, garlic white wine, green olives, chicken stock and optional Harissa
* Roasted Seasonal Fruit: Assorted or single fruit, red grapes, honey, lavender, muscat wine and yogurt cheese
* Dried Plum and Toasted Almond Cream Tart: Plums or pluots, cognac, raw almonds, heavy cream, sugar, flour, salt, unsalted butter and egg yolks

Marty Martindale can be reached at: mm@FoodSiteoftheDay.com.

I'm sure that many Amazon customers have many books and bookcases. I am no exception. I have 3 rows of cookbooks stretching several feet, but The Santa Monica Farmers Cookbook is only neatly shouldered among them occasionally. It is usually in closer proximity to the kitchen.

The emphasis is as you can guess, on the ingredients. For me (and the author) the local farmers market brings the best Southern California has to offer, which is saying a lot. She also offers suggestions for those that have to use store bought produce as well. The theme of the recipes is simplicity, letting the fresh, natural taste of the ingredients speak for themselves. For instance, the Bruschetta recipe is about as simple as you get, but the tomatoes really stand out and the flavor is amazing. This is a common occurrence with these recipes.

Not only have I made the recipes, but I have eaten them at a restaurant that hosted a book signing for the author and served her recipes. I have been able to consistently turn dishes that were as good as what I ate at the restaurant.

Not only are the recipes amazing, but the organization of the book is fantastic too. There are sections from starters to deserts and there is a section for vegetarians too. There is an index where recipes are broken down by season, as well as the crops. Other helpful sections list cooking items you might need, techniques, how to buy produce. She writes a good amount about the people that grow the various produce, which I found very interesting. So very well done.

This is a great cookbook for fresh dishes and it would also make a great cookbook to give as a gift.

I am not a "cook book" cook. I like to improvise and change recipes...but this cook book has recipes that are easy to follow and unfailingly delicious! The roasted baby broccoli with chilis and crispy garlic stole the show last thanksgiving, and the chanterelle popcorn is a side dish from heaven! I would give this book as a gift to anyone, from novice cook to foodie. I wish all cook books had recipes that were this consistently great!

I bought this on impulse, and it has become well worn in just a couple of seasons. I notice that she assumes some experience and her instructions could appear vague in places if you don't have any. However, for anyone who does cook, this is a wonderful and creative book. I've cooked twenty or more recipes, and all of them have been worth repeating. They've also inspired other dinners I've created from the hip. It lacks photos, but the titles are enough to get your taste buds inspired - such as the cherry and almond salad.

Plainly and simply, this book is a treasure! I use it as much for the delicious recipes as I do for the tips and tricks - which are all nestled nicely in between beautiful photographs of the farmers of the Santa Monica Market.

Amelia sheds light on those wonderful farmers' market items that you always want to cook, but aren't quite sure how to easily prepare. I use it often as a quick guide to remind me how to cook seasonal items I don't necessarily cook year round. What do I do with wax beans again? What can I do with green garlic? Spring greens? Beet tops? Amelia keeps my birdbrain in order and reminds me how to trim this, preserve that, boil, bake, reduce and roast year round. If I have a general question on how to prepare an item, I generally find that Amelia has the answer!

It's a comprehensive cookbook that teaches you to be fearless in your produce selection, adventurous in your ability to actually use the items you buy, and gives you a wonderful context for the heart and community of the Santa Monica Market.

Food Lovers everywhere here is a book for us all and at this price I'll be sending them as Christmas gifts to relatives back East just to prove you don't have to live in Santa Monica to love this book. If you've ever shopped (or wanted to shop) a Farmers Mrkt this is the book for you. But perhaps specially if you have not - appreciating good food is enough to make this reading experience richly rewarding and the recipes are all truly delicious.

From the beautiful color photos of the produce and their Growers comes the unfolding of their story. Then helpful topics like How to Shop - Useful Plant Terms - Handy Pantry Items and Helpful Kitchen Tools.

Newly enlightened and freshly stocked ready for the lovingly researched recipes which truly utilize a variety of vegetables and fruits that many of us would not have dared - but now with QUALITY and EASE we can be ready to serve our loved ones and with a new sense of confidence and community - all that and more from the Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook.

I'm thrilled with my purchase and can't wait to share its' bounty.

Saltsman does a fabulous job of putting the Santa Monica Farmers' Market in the golden light those of us who have lived with its fruits (and veg and milk and meat and bread and fish and good vibes) know it deserves. She does it in a way that makes the book relevant to people living with any market. I frequently refer to the book for inspiration to cook what is coming up in my local market in NYC.

A beautiful (and very useful!) book. Thank you for it.

I was very disappointed with this book. The picutures used at the front of the book could have been spaced through out the book appropriately, as an introduction for each section. When persons look at a cook book they are expecting to see pictures of some of the dishes. Pictures speak volumes and make you want to recreate the dish. I will use it as a reference book only.