Fresh from the Garden
By Perla Meyers
Clarkson Potter, $30
ISBN 0517593572
Review by Sybil Pratt
More than 20 years ago, Perla Meyers's first book, The Seasonal Kitchen, enticed American cooks away from the bland of the canned and frozen to bask in the bounties of the seasons and the rewards of the kitchen garden. Fresh from the Garden continues her culinary crusade with recipes for over 40 different vegetables, some combined with seafood, meat, and poultry, plus advice on gardening, harvesting, and storage. You'll find a sublime sampling of soups, salads, and main dishes. I misread the title of the very first recipe as Song of Asparagus and Spring Onions. It was really Soup but could well be called a song. This simple green offering, served with black bread and sprinkled with bits of smoked salmon, erases memories of bitter winds and promises pleasant days to come. The Proven¨al Spinach, Goat Cheese and Herb Tart garnished with ripe plum tomatoes or small black olives will transport you to southern France.
Sybil Pratt is an avid cook.
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