“The CSA Cookbook” Review

When I first started to get serious about gardening thoughts of blogging about it were not far behind. So, because curiosity struck, I hit the webs to find other garden blogs.

I wanted to see what was out there, if anything.  I wanted to learn what people were interested in, what they were reading and what was popular.  I also wanted to pick up some new garden tips and tricks.

I took to Google with things like “Garden Blog.” “Young Gardener.” “Garden Blogger.” “Backyard Garden Blog.”  Etc. Etc. Etc. 

What I found were a lot of pieces that read like science books.

… And, if you know me, this was bad. Science was, and still is, not my thing.

But, then I found Garden Betty, written by Linda Ly.

Finding Garden Betty was like a breath of fresh air.

Linda’s fun and fresh style shows through in her approach to gardening, backyard chickens, recipe creation and writing.  Garden Betty quickly found it’s way into my “favorites” and Facebook “Likes.”  So, when Linda announced she was publishing her first book, The CSA Cookbook, and approached me about reviewing it here, I was thrilled.

I knew the book was going to be excellent just based on what I knew about Garden Betty. But, after watching The CSA’s Cookbook’s trailer I couldn’t wait to get the book in my hands.

Because of our remote location and the fact that we grow so much on our own, I have never participated in a CSA. However, I know that CSA’s are gaining huge popularity.  They are a great concept for people who lack space or time to grow their own food.

A CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture, is a community of people who support a farmer or local agriculture.  They all come together to buy shares of the farm’s bounty and receive deliveries of fresh produce throughout a growing season.

Linda wrote The CSA Cookbook with these shareholders, as well as gardener’s and Farmers Market shoppers, in mind. Throughout the pages, Linda strives to show readers how to get the most out of their produce even if they are not familiar with it.

As a cookbook, The CSA Cookbook is great. It is full of easy to follow recipes, comprised of typical kitchen staples, and beautiful photos. In addition to this, The CSA Cookbook is also an excellent resource for any home cook.

“The Basics” fill the first portion of the book. These pages teach readers everything that they need to know about fresh produce. Linda lists great spices, sauces and tools to have on hand. She also shares how to store your veggies so that you can enjoy them at their best.

While flipping through the colorful pages, Linda’s skill and creativity shines through. She features unique recipes like pesto made from almost anything and Pan Fried Cucumbers in Honey Sesame Sauce. (I mean… Have you ever put cucumbers in a skillet? Me either, but I will now!)

But, what really struck me was Linda’s encouragement to celebrate quality produce by using the whole vegetable.

My compost and the hens love vegetable scraps, but it was eye opening to learn that there is so much more that I could be doing with carrot tops, tomato leaves and even kale ribs to feed my family and friends.

After thumbing through the book a few more times and laughing at the adorable photo of Linda’s pugs, I headed down to my basement to check on my tiny seedlings.

I noted that the tomatoes are getting their second set of leaves. Leaves that I will eat.  

The kale is beginning to get a little curl, meaning that the stems are growing.  Stems that I will eat.

And, the leeks, the newbie to this year’s garden, had shot up and stood straight and tall.

This reminded me of the section of The CSA Cookbook dedicated to bulbs and stems.

Between the recipes for “Leek and Bacon Breakfast Pizza” and “Seared Scallops Over Melted Leeks,” I knew I would have a lot of fun with these tiny green blades come summer.  

But, on the walk back up the stairs I convinced myself that I couldn’t wait that long.  

Leeks made it onto my shopping list and late last week I made The CSA Cookbook’s “Seared Scallops Over Melted Leeks” for dinner.  

All of the ingredients with the exception of the leeks and scallops were already in my kitchen. The recipe was really straightforward. But, to make it even easier, Linda adds a handful of pointers to help home cooks get the best result.

In addition to being new to the garden, leeks are relatively new to my kitchen. Typically, in my kitchen, leeks find their way into soups and they are rarely the star.

In this recipe however, leeks take the lead.

Melting the thin leeks in butter transformed their flavor from strong to slightly sweet. The delicate leeks were complimented well by the seared scallops and decadent tarragon and white wine sauce.

A perfect light and easy meal that was still a bit of a treat.

 

The CSA Cookbook is available wherever books are sold. 

Note that a copy of The CSA Cookbook was given to me for my review.  The opinions are my own and I think this book is fabulous.  Anyone who loves their CSA, Farmers Market, backyard garden, or fresh vegetables will love this book and use it for many years to come.