The Nourished Kitchen Review...

 

"Traditional foods are the foods of our great-great grandmothers- the foods of gardens and farms.  They represent a system of balance, emphasizing the value of meat and milk, grain and bean, vegetables and fruits."

~Jennifer McGruther

The Nourished Kitchen: Farm to Table recipes for the Traditional Foods Lifestyle

 

 

I simply could not wait to get this cookbook by Jennifer McGruther as I thoroughly enjoy her blog, also about traditional food practices.  And I certainly wasn't disappointed when it finally arrived. 

 

McGruther presents her recipes in stunning form...both in photographic appeal and food education.

All of the recipes are exquisite in nature...as if they would be best suited for a four star upscale restaurant, but her approach is very down to earth and she details even the simplest of techniques such as blanching nuts for example.

 

Within the contents of The Nourished Kitchen, McGruther turns traditional food preparation into an art form...with recipes like salmon baked in cream with sweet bay, thyme and dill; pan-fryed savoy cabbage with bacon; and strawberries in minted honey syrup.  And while the recipes may seem intimidating at first, all of the handy charts, definitions and explicit directions take the reader from overwhelmed to inspired.  Where there is one picture of a beautifully prepared bean dish, there is also a list of every bean known to man along with its flavor description, nutrition and suggestions for preparation.  McGruther leaves no stone unturned in educating the reader on whole foods and how to incorporate delectable and healthy meals into everyday living.

 

I particularly enjoyed all of the explinations on cultured dairy products and fermented beverages.  I can't wait to try her kombucha recipes!

 

At the back of the book, McGruther also lists a number of resources to support your quest in the traditional food movement, which is nice to be able to go to find even more information specific to your location.

 

Overall I would certainly recommend this book to anyone looking to transform the way they eat.  It is obvious, from cover to cover, that the traditional foods movement doesn't have to be scary.  But it can and should be rich, diverse and elegent...while being simple all at the same time. 

 

 

I recieved this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review.