I bet if a nineteenth century man learned that in the future hundreds of books would crop up to teach people how to grow their own food, he’d laugh, and then cry. How could a practice so central to human survival for thousands of years suddenly come off as a new hobby? Well, that’s exactly what’s happened, and this trend marketing must be working, because in November my husband and I put together a raised bed, poured in some good soil, and planted kale and beet seeds. We also planted garlic cloves, and if it isn’t already obvious, we were making a “super foods” garden. We feel stronger already.
Patti Moreno, the author of Gardening By Cuisine, would certainly approve, as her book advises readers on the requirements and merits of herb pesto gardens, Mediterranean vegetable gardens, Asian stir-fry gardens, marinara sauce gardens, and other themes that lead from a seed directly to a recipe.
This fun idea of Moreno’s appeals to brand new vegetable gardeners by covering beginner’s steps for setting up an organic garden from scratch. She deals with drip irrigation (perhaps the most important thing a new gardener must embrace), soil, sunlight and pests. Before anyone has a chance to get bored, she delves into harvesting, drying, freezing and all manner of preserving. The crescendo comes with her delightful recipes for meals around the clock, detox drinks, desserts–all organized by your cuisine of choice. Thanks to her, I’ll be making a Triple Herb Potato Soup with Red Winter Kale & Manchego Cheese, with red kale I grew myself.
Gardening by Cuisine, available through BarnesandNoble.com, published by Sterling in 2013.
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