book review time!

As I've said before, I love cookbooks. I read them like normal (as in non-obsessed) people read actual books. I bring them on road trips, beach trips, and sometimes even to work so I can pour over the same recipes, again and again. Since I'm very seasonal in my cooking, I love how the same old book can seem so fresh depending on the time of year and which ingredients I'm into.  Take this, my favorite cookbook of all time, for example: 

I basically ran to the store the day this came out to get it (actually, someone gave a copy to my husband as a thank you for working on their kitchen, but you get the idea). That was years ago, and I still pick it up all the time just to read because something new hits me every time I do. The best thing I've made out of it? It would have to be a tie between the blueberry-peach cobbler (made in the summer, of course) and the cowboy steak with sweet potato hash browns (made in the fall). Right now, I'm drooling over the pimento cheese recipe (because right now, I'm digging all things cheese).  Plus, I love the essays he includes between the recipes.  If he ever writes another one, I'll be first in line.  This book is actually what introduced me to the slow foods movement, was basically the reason I joined a farmers co-op, and what led me to buy my first niman ranch steak (hands down, the best food I have ever eaten from one of the coolest companies ever, but that's a different post for a different day) as well as my "farming feeds" license plate.  Which leads me to discuss my most recent acquisitions.

These books:

were both gifts from my brother. Perfect gifts, actually, he's a disgustingly good gift giver.  I've always loved the idea of living on a farm and supporting local farmers. Barbara Kingsolver gives me even more reasons to do so. I literally could not put it down. I even read it in the car (not while driving). As a result, I will definitely be more faithful to my farmers market this year and I might even re-join that co-op.  I've also begun to daydream about opening a local diner like the one described in the book. What I love about the second one is that it gives me ways to indulge my craving for farm life right here in my city home. Projects soon to be completed: making my own butter and planting backyard vegetables. Projects that will take awhile to talk my husband into: chickens and a greenhouse.  Chickens are very smelly, but I am very persuasive. Plus, he loves eggs.