The Locavore's Kitchen

July 15, 2011

Riding the crest of ever-evolving food trends takes some real ingenuity. This carefully configured cookbook manages to chart the course in an unexpectedly old-fashioned way.

For those not in the know, locavore is a newly minted word used to loosely describe one who purchases and eats foodstuffs grown, raised and produced exclusively within a 100-mile radius of home. It's a pretty tall order, one within the expertise of food-savvy Suszko (Farms and Foods of Ohio, 2007). In her hands, it's just a palate-pleasing turnaround from making do with supermarket food from anywhere to preparing, eating and preserving unadulterated local fare, season by season, as our ancestors did. In the process, locavores boost a growing niche in local economies by patronizing farmers' markets and getting to know the passionate new crop of young produce-raising, baking and cheese-making artisans nearby. A wide variety of spectacular recipes showcase the stars of each season, from Spring Asparagus Frittata and Roasted Strawberries with Cornmeal Poundcake to Chicken Pesto Cheesecake and Farmhouse Chowder for winter. The author offers valuable advice on how to choose, store and cook a long list of locally available items to the most delicious advantage. As a bonus, she takes the mystery out of freezing meat, poultry and vegetables, and her instructions on canning fruits make success a real possibility. Easy-to-follow tutorials explain how to make your own applesauce, Raspberry Lime Jam, butter, sauerkraut, Crème Fraiche and herb-infused vinegars.

As Suszko demonstrates, sometimes staying ahead of the foodie pack means going back to one's culinary roots.

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

October 1, 2011
A homey, chatty text seamlessly incorporates more than 200 recipes in this book promoting using the freshest locally available ingredients that are in season and preserving them by freezing and canning for use when they aren't in season. Suszko (Farms & Foods of Ohio: From Garden Gate to Dinner Plate, 2007) advances the book's mission by identifying and sorting produce according to seasonality. Each produce profile includes practical information on choosing, storing, and preparing. Then come the recipes. Beer-battered asparagus and ginger-rhubarb crisp are two of the delicacies proffered, and other dishes, such as pumpkin risotto and goat cheesecake with fresh peaches, are equally enticing. An even-handed guide to preparing and devouring what's in season.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)