Why I picked it: Middleton wrote one of my favorite cookbooks making this book an easy choice for me. Synopsis: Part cookbook, part memoir, Fresh from the Farm chronicles a year of Susie Middleton’s life on her farm as she nurtures both her seedlings and her soul, weathers life as a farmer, and creates 125 simple recipes that celebrate cooking with the seasons.
The fresh, accessible recipes developed by Susie, pay homage to the vegetables and fruit she harvests on her rural farm and sells at her farm stand. Woven throughout the tantalizing recipes and luscious photos of food and farm life is Susie’s witty, engaging story of trading in her corporate life for something more meaningful, simple, and satisfying.
Valuable tips for both cooks and aspiring market gardeners are peppered throughout the book, and design ideas for four projects will inspire would-be backyard farmers. Fresh from the Farm is for anyone who enjoys cooking with fresh ingredients and eating seasonally—or anyone who wants to indulge their inner farmer.
Quick Take: This is a lovely cookbook, filled with photography and recipes yet reads more like a memoir. Don't worry though, you will find a variety of recipes from easy to complicated, arranged seasonally... with what's fresh in the garden that day. Reading a few reviews, some mention the layout being a distraction for them (see photo). It may not work for everyone but I found this format interesting. I was engrossed by stories while glancing at recipes, learning and enjoying the author's farming/life experiences. It worked for me.
I can't wait to make this recipe, Gingery Strawberry-Rhubard crisp. {yum}
Interested to learn more about Susie Middleton? Click here for a great article on the HuffPo.
Rating: 4 stars
Source: review copy
