Three Years, Two Months and Twelve Days

On August 6th, I announced that I was changing the rules of the challenge that launched this blog.

A week ago, I bought my first cookbook since the challenge launched. (Let’s not discuss how many cookbooks I’ve gotten rid of, because I don’t know.)

No one is surprised by this purchase, I suspect. The book screams that it belongs in my kitchen. Even so, before subjecting myself to being anywhere near it (and thus potentially buying it), I made sure to consider if it was simply an impulse purchase. Basically, did it fill a hole in my collection? If not, was this a really strongly wanted cookbook, or just a passing fancy? Did it keep me under 50 total cookbooks?

The last question is the easiest to answer, because it does.… Continue reading →

Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes by Josie Fison, Felicity Dahl & Quentin Blake

Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes by Josie Fison, Felicity Dahl and Quentin Blake.

We found this book in Powell’s bookstore. Oddly, in the technical books building. I snapped it up and wouldn’t let it go, except to be scanned so we could pay for it.

Most of this, I’ll admit, was due to my affection for Dahl’s stories as a kid. I don’t think I actually read most of them, but the ones I did read, I loved. Every single one. But especially The Witches.

The rest of it, though? The rest of it was that Bill and I have two biological nephews, with two biological nieces on the way. We also have a few honorary nephews1. Children who will definitely be reading Dahl, because Bill and I will shower them with his (children’s) books.… Continue reading →

Farmer’s Market Cookbook by Ysanne Spevack

Cover of Farmer's Market Cookbook by Ysanne Spevack

If I am not mistaken, this is the last of the “seasonal” themed cookbooks I have to share. I believe that after this cookbook, we only have three more that we can link to via Amazon, and only six more cookbooks total to profile. I find that pretty exciting! Soon I will be caught up on one aspect of this blog.

I believe Bill and I bought this book at Powell’s book store, in Portland, Oregon. I’ve only been once, and I still dream about that store. It was an amazing number and variety of books; I was in heaven. Also, I purchased a lot of books. No surprise there, eh?

This cookbook makes me a little hungry. Like the last cookbook, there are a variety of recipes that call for ingredients I’d never think to put together.… Continue reading →

The Organic Seasonal Cookbook by Liz Franklin

Cover of The Organic Seasonal Cookbook by Liz Franklin

I don’t remember buying this cookbook. I thought, upon looking at it, that I’d bought it at Amazon right before we started this blog, during my “cookbook binge”. I figured I told myself something about the cookbook giving us more insight on how to cook “weird” food, like we might get from our CSA. I seem to be wrong, though, because Amazon usually tells me when I’ve bought something from them and it’s silent here.

So, I haven’t the foggiest. It doesn’t have a lot of emotional attachment for me, so when I started to write it up, I was stymied about what to say. Not having bought it during the “cookbook binge”, I couldn’t even jokingly talk about how silly it is to binge on cookbooks.… Continue reading →

Outstanding in the Field: A Farm to Table Cookbook by Jim Denevan with Marah Stets

Cover of Outstanding in the Field: A Farm to Table Cookbook by Jim Denevan with Marah Stets

I simply loved the subtitle of this book, when I purchased it. I can’t tell you how much the idea of having some ability to trace my food from “farm to table” appeals to me. Furthermore, since I am interested in the seasonality of food, the thought of having a cookbook that could help me see what sorts of things ripen at the same time really appealed to me.

This cookbook isn’t quite what I imagined, though it’s close. I don’t feel as if the “seasonality” aspects I keep looking for in cookbooks show up here either. A cookbook I’ve discussed in the past and at least one more coming up both were purchased in an attempt to get this information. They do some good, all of them, but somehow I want more.… Continue reading →