One of my very, dear friends has written a book full of insight and inspiration. Grow Cook Eat: A Food Lover’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening, Including 50 Recipes, Plus Harvesting and Storage Tips
Of course, Willi knows her recipes. She’s the author of the popular food and gardening blog, DigginFood, a favorite a read of mine.
Willi and I met through our blogs long before we hugged in person in Portland, but I always felt her to be a kindred spirit. Her love of food and how to grow it herself intrigues me. I think she and other young gardeners are the future of our industry. They aren’t satisfied with the status quo in the grocery store, and their informed palettes are now changing the way we look at food. Although I’ve grown vegetables for over twenty years, I find their information to be pleasantly original in scope.
The book is broken down into gardening information first, and then Willi takes us on a tour of her favorite herbs, vegetables and fruits. She and I both champion dinosaur kale. It is not only beautiful, but also healthful and delicious. It is a power food for body and soul.
She abhors pesticides and herbicides and encourages everyone to garden organically because it is the way we truly become good and experienced gardeners. I know that when I began using organic practices many years ago, it was a steep learning curve to wean myself from chemicals for my roses and to prevent squash bug damage on my zucchini. I’ll be honest. I live in a hot, dry place for vegetables, and our summers sometimes strain my vegetable garden to its limits. But, I still won’t use Sevin® on my squash and other veg or herbicides on my roses although many gardeners in my state continue to do so. Many time, I have opted to simply give up on summer squash instead. This is an acceptable choice. Through Willi’s book, I felt like she was walking with me and understood how I feel about these vital decisions on what to plant, how to grow it and then, what to make with the vegetables that thrive.
Her book is accented by excellent photography by Jim Henkens. I love that she collaborated with a professional photographer. In these changing times, photographers and writers both need work, and it’s good to see photographs both lovely and real.
Sasquatch Books sent me this book for review, and I’m really glad because I read it cover to cover and learned a few, new things about gardening, a passion which fascinates me even after all these years. The recipes were an excellent bonus too. Thank you.
Sounds like a great book, Dee. Although I’ve been growing vegetables for years, there is always something new to be learned, not to mention trying new recipes–I had no idea you could eat the blossoms of sweet peas! I’m embarrassed to say that while I’ve grown kale the past couple of years, I still haven’t harvested any to eat–I just like how pretty it is:)
Dee you make this book sound very inviting… I will look for it.
We’re focusing on eating healthy and this may give me some fresh ideas.
Wonderful Dee..I will check out the book and her blog…I have weened myself from chemicals over the years too…so much better…
Looks like a good one, even for experienced gardeners. There is always more to learn.
I have pretty much stopped buying how-to garden books as so many are a bit too beginner to justify their cost. I will be buying this though…sound as if there is more than enough good info to make it a good deal!
Looks like a wonderful book, Dee. I love the photos you posted.
I discovered dinosaur kale just about three years ago, and I can’t imagine not growing it. We’re in zone 5B, and I just harvested the last of it from one our veggie beds last week, with more still growing in a second bed, Thanks to dinosaur kale and a few other cold-hardy greens, I’ve realized I can still grow food outdoors here even in the dead of winter. Still haven’t gotten over my amazement at that.
Linda, I should have planted more of it this fall. In any even, I’ll be putting some in the potager in a week or so because you’re right, it is so cold hardy. I find it all amazing too.