I requested
The Farm: Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food for the recipes but ended up loving it primarily for the writing.
The author's introduction describes the book well: "This book is a journal of abundance and the beginning of a new generation's thumbprint on what has become an ancient family tradition. Chapters follow the seasons of the garden, beginning in the early spring and ending well into the winter."
Each chapter opens with an anecdote of time the author spent on his family's farm in Pennsylvania and each recipe includes a note about the history of the dish, preparation tips, and/or serving suggestions.
In addition to an index at the end of the book, recipes are listed by category on three pages prior to the introduction: Starters (8); Soups (2); Salads and Slaws (14); Breakfast and Brunch (3); Sandwiches and Pizza (7); Breads (4); Pasta, Rice and Polenta (11); Poultry (14); Pork (10); Beef (5); Lamb (2); Game (7); Side Dishes (26); Preserves (14); Desserts (21) and Miscellaneous (5).
The first chapter, Spring Planting, includes recipes for:
* Artichokes with Souped-Up Mayo
* Soft-Boiled Eggs with Watercress and Walnut-Ricotta Crostini
* Cheese Grits Nuggets
* Spaghetti with Arugula Carbonara
* Wheat Beer Chicken
* Cast-Iron Seared Cornish Hens with Baby Potatoes and Chives
* Paprika Pork Chops with Scallion-Citrus Relish
* Dried-Fruit-Braised Short Ribs
* Spring Pork Stew
* Chicken Stew with Dill-Scallion Dumplings
* Baby Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing
* Molasses-Orange-Glazed Carrots
* Creamed Spring Onions with Wine and Bacon
* Twice-Baked Chipotle Potatoes
* Rhubarb-Sour Cream Crostata Pie
* Lemon Pudding Cake
* Buttermilk Ricotta
* Master Fat
The next chapter, A Single Spear of Asparagus, contains recipes including:
* Radishes with Bacon Butter
* Cold-Spring-Night Asparagus Soup
* Asparagus and Scrambled Egg All-Day Breakfast Sandwich
* Spring Risotto
* Mustard-Garlic Children Paillards with Spring Peas and Lemon
* Scallion-Rubbed Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Radish-Oregano Slaw
* Garlic-Rubbed Boneless Leg of Lamb with Cucumber-Mint Sauce
* Asparagus and Baby Potato Roast
* Grilled Asparagus and Shaved Fennel Tangle
* Beet and Snap Pea Salad with Ricotta
* Watercress and Radish Salad with Pennsylvania Pickled Eggs
* The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg
* Creamed Watercress
* Strawberry-Rhubarb Fool Shortcake
* Mary's Lemon Sponge Pie
The third chapter, A New Link in the Chain, features recipes for:
* Spicy Cilantro Chicken Wings
* Pasta with Garlic-Scape Pesto
* Pasta with Radishes and Blue Cheese
* Honey-Jalapeno Chicken Tenders
* Grilled Chorizo with Corn and Bell Pepper Salsa
* Seared Cowboy Steaks with Guinness Sauce
* Garlic-Pesto Roast Chicken
* Green Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
* Green Beans with Garlic Chips and Olive Oil
* Turnip Reunion
* Kielbasa Roast Potatoes
* Strawberry-Cream Cheese Pie
* Strawberry-Sour Cream Ice Cream
* My Grandmother's 1-2-3-4 Cake
The next chapter, "I Got a Pig," includes recipes for:
* Whole Roast Pig
* Beer and Garlic Roast Pork
* Roast Pork Chili
* Big Phil's Mac `n' Cheese
* Grilled Corn with Chili-Cilantro Butter
* Turkey-Bacon Burgers
* Grilled Caesar Salad with Yogurt Dressing
* Corn and Potato Salad
* Smoked Cheddar and Jalapeno Corn Bread
* Molasses Raisin Walnut Cookies
* Vanilla Bean-Mayonnaise Cupcakes with Glossy Chocolate Icing
The fifth chapter, Eating Between the Rows, features recipes for:
* Ramp Tagliatelle
* Seared Duck Breasts with Chanterelles
* Shiitake-Stuffed Cornish Hens
* Pursulana Salad
* Dandelion Green Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
* Dandelion Greens with Garlic, Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts
* Sorrel-Buttermilk Panna Cotta
* Sour Cherry Cordial
* Homemade Yogurt with Wineberries in Honey Syrup
* Blueberry Belle Crunch
The following chapter, The Unstoppable Bounty of the Garden, includes recipes for:
* Chilled Corn Soup with Red Pepper Relish
* Pizza Dough
* Grilled BLT Pizza
* Zucchini Pizza
* Swiss Chard and Fresh Ricotta Pizza
* Ceci's BLT
* Corn and Parmesan Pesto with Tagliatelle
* Silky Savory Summer Sour Cream Flan
* Grilled Filet Mignon with Summer Herb Sauce
* Beet, Blue Cheese, and Almond Salad
* Pennsylvania Dutch-Style Green Beans
* String Beans with Herb Butter
* Shredded Swiss Chard Salad
* Easy Sauteed Chard
* Lemon-Garlic Swiss Chard
* Grilled Eggplant with Cilantro Pesto
* Potato Nachos
* Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette
* Cocoa-Zucchini Cake with "Whipped Cream" Frosting
* Zucchini with Their Flowers
* Magic Peach Cobbler
The seventh chapter is entitled, "A Jar Full of Sunshine, A Bottle Full of Sin" and includes a guide to canning plus recipes for:
* Pickled Beets
* Vinegar Chiles
* Hot Sauce
* Dill Pickle Spears
* Zucchini Relish
* Tomato Sauce
* Canned Tomatoes
* Homemade Ketchup
* Tomato Jam
* Peaches in Honey Syrup
* Quince "Honey"
* Refrigerator Radish Pickles
* Cooked Pumpkin Puree
* Hard Cider
* Strawberry-Cherry-Rhubarb Preserves
The next chapter, A Cool Change in the Breeze, features recipes for:
* Coriander Seed-Cornmeal Fried Chicken
* Quick Coq Au Vin
* Herb-Roasted Lamb Shanks
* Hot Pepper-Garlic Flank Steak with Quick Cucumber and Chile Pickles
* Butternut-Caramelized Onion Pizza
* Raisin-Caper Broccoli
* Roasted Butternut and Chard Stem Hash
* Thyme-Roasted Butternut Squash
* Kale and Toasted Walnut Salad
* Creamy Long-Cooked Collards
* Mustardy Mustard Collard Greens
* Silky Eggplant Puree
* Pumpkin Cake with Bourbon-Caramel Sauce
The ninth chapter is entitled, "Loving, Learning, and a Ton of Hard Work." Recipes include:
* Lebanon Bologna Sandwiches
* The Best Meat Loaf
* Rabbit in Cider-Mustard Sauce
* Mustard-Garlic Venison Roast (or Boneless Leg of Lamb)
* Venison Loin (or Beef Tenderloin) with Creamy Leek Sauce
* Venison Loin with Apple-Shallot Hash
* Chunky Chipotle Venison (or Beef) Chili
* Mushroom Venison (or Beef) Stew
* Groundhog (or Chicken or Rabbit) Cacciatore
* Crispy Potato Cake with Garlic and Herbs
* Celery Root and Parsnip Puree
* Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Polenta
* Grandmom's Bread
* Cloud Biscuits
* My Bread
* Black Walnut Cake
* Prebaked Pie Shell
* Mincemeat Pie
* Apple and Concord Grape Tart
The final chapter, Fifty Heads of Garlic, includes recipes for:
* Cider-Braised Bacon Crostini with Fried Green Tomatoes and Parsley Salad
* Garlic-Roasted Brussels Chips
* Pasta with Shredded Collard Greens
* Escarole and Leek Pappardelle
* Spinach and Walnut Lasagna
* Potato-Cheddar Pancakes with Perfect Fried Eggs
* Chicken with a Ton of Garlic
* Apple-Cider-Glazed Sticky Ribs
* Dried-Fruit-Stuffed Pork Loin with Apple-Mustard Cream
* Pork and Sauerkraut
* Orange-Lemon Escarole Salad
* Red Cabbage Balsamic Slaw with Bacon Bits and Parsley
* Chile Vinegar-Parsley Salad
* Fresh Ginger-Apple Tarte Tatin
* Apple Rumble Crumble
* Grandma McLean's Molasses Crumb Cupcakes
The Pennsylvania Dutch clearly influenced the author's family (as far as work ethic and cuisine). You can see in the list of recipes that most of the dishes, even the vegetable sides, include meat (including one that features groundhog).
I would like to have seen more vegetarian recipes. The Green Salad with Green Goddess Dressing calls for anchovies, Pasta with Radishes and Blue Cheese and Pasta with Shredded Collard Greens both call for bacon, and both Cold-Spring-Night Asparagus Soup and Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Polenta call for chicken stock. While I can easily leave out the bacon and use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock, the recipes depend on the original ingredients for the flavor profile.
Most of the ingredients are likely to be found in the average kitchen. While the author includes recipes that call for venison (and one for groundhog), he makes it clear that other types of meat can be substituted for a similar result. Similarly, while he recommends black walnuts for the Black Walnut Cake, he notes that regular English walnuts may be substituted.
As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, I really enjoyed the author's writing style. He has a wonderful way of describing his experiences on the farm that made me feel as if I were there with him. His descriptions were vivid (without being overly wordy). Here is an example from "A Cool Change in the Breeze":
"On cue, the days became shorter, the leaves started to turn the colors of sunsets, and there was an unfamiliar chill on the edge of the dark night air. The peppers in their hued extravagance cried out to be saved. I dried the seeds from my favorite peppers and placed them in waxed paper bags, ready to placate my impatience in the coming March."
The Farm: Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food was chosen as a "Must Read" in the April issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine: "Peppered with personal anecdotes, this cookbook reads more like a food diary.
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