Alana ChernilaReseñas

I loved this book so much, and wanted to try so many recipes from it that I actually just decided to buy the book. Not only are there some easy, great recipes, but the author tells a little story for each of the recipes. Lovely book.

I love this cookbook so much! The recipes for things we normally but processed is such a great idea!

This is the kind of book that I love/hate. As a single woman who tries to consume sustainably, organically, locally, etc., I like the idea of this collection, but I don't have the money, time, or ingredients to make these things on a regular basis.

I love, love, love this book. Oh, sure, I wanted it, I asked for it as a gift... I thought I would like it well enough but I didn't expect to love it like I do. The author's voice, the glimpses into her life and the creation of each recipe struck just the right chord and went straight to my heart.

The luscious Plum Tart on the cover of Alana Chernila's "The Homemade Kitchen: Recipes for Cooking with Pleasure" immediately caught my eye--such a beautiful temptation for all the senses. This book is a followup to Ms. Chernila's very well-received "The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making". The author writes as though she was speaking directly with the reader, across the table, sharing her life and outlook on food and other subjects. Exploring options for new food experiences is encouraged, and imperfect experiments are perfectly acceptable. Chapters are organized by the author's own thought processes, such as: "Be a Beginner"; "Use Your Scraps"; "Slow Down"; "Do Your Best and Then Let Go"; and "Organicish. Locenough. Homemade when I Can. Fresh. Good. Mine". Her 6 Top Tips are: "Do Your Best"; "Don't Be Afraid of Food"; "How to Cook With Kids"; "Make It Yourself"; "Know What to Buy"; and "There's More Than One Way to Roast a Chicken". The emphasis is on simple, homemade, minimally-processed foods to please family, friends, and yourself--the cook in progress. If you are as tempted by that Plum Tart as I am, then you will also enjoy delicious dishes like these: "Queen Garlic with Chèvre and Tomatoes"; "Cinnamon Swirl Bread"; "Asparagus Carbonara"; "Rhubarb Snacking Cake"; "Easy Coq au Vin with Buttermilk Spaetzle"; "Panzanella"; "Stuffed Tomatoes"; "Spicy Pumpkin Hot Chocolate"; "Platter Salads"; "Popovers"; "Summer Trifle"; "Sesame Noodles"; "Stuffed Winter Squash"; "Broccoli Raab with Cheddar Polenta"; "Roasted Red Pepper Corn Chowder"; Sesame Noodles"; "Corn and Nectarine Salad"; and "Sausage Bread Pudding". Written and shared with great love of subject, "The Homemade Kitchen" will inspire seasoned chefs, novice cooks, and all of us who love the encompassing philosophy of great food. Alana Chernila writes, cooks, teaches cheese making, preserving, and other workshops, and blogs at EatingFromTheGroundUp.com. She has also written for Martha Stewart Living magazine, Taproot, Food52.com, and many other online and print periodicals. Alana Chernila lives with her husband and daughters in Western Massachusetts.

Book Copy Gratis Clarkson Potter Publishers via Blogging for Books

Everyone says “Eat more vegetables,” but cookbooks that focus on vegetables can be so frustrating. Often they feature complex recipes, running with the assumption everyone knows how to roast a green bean. More often, they feature unusual vegetables and ingredients that require a trip to one or more specialty markets. Alana Chernila, the author of Eating from the Ground Up, gives us a much more prosaic, and thus more useful, cookbook.

She assumes nothing, reviewing vegetable shopping and storage tips and the basic flavor combinations with vegetables, fat, salt, acid, and dairy, These basics are a solid introduction and lead into an opening chapter of simple, basic recipes that show respect for the ingredients. With two to five ingredients, these are the best kind of recipes with minimum fuss and maximum flavor.

The recipes are clearly written and explained. If there is a complex recipe, such as one for galettes, it is broken down into components that keep it clear, simple, and never overwhelming. The photos are beautiful and drool-worthy, though not every recipe is illustrated. This is a cookbook that can be enjoyed by a novice cook as well as an experienced one.

Chernila writes with a casual, friendly voice. She introduces her recipes with useful information about the featured vegetable that is honest and direct. For example, she writes that butternut squash needs our help. Boy does it ever! Another example of her directness and honesty, she tells readers they only need to plant one zucchini plant. Ain’t that the truth?

There is a lot to like in Eating from the Ground Up. I love that the recipes are realistic for home cooks. There are recipes that can be cooked from what is already at hand without a shopping trip required. I like the simplicity of many of the recipes. So many vegetables are best when simply roasted with olive oil, salt, and perhaps an herb or spice and Chernila is not afraid to keep it simple, suggesting the perfect spice to bring out the fullest flavor of a simple dish.

How chefs organize their recipes always fascinates me. So few organize their recipes as I would and Chernila is no different. She opens with a chapter full of simple recipes. Then she has a chapter of soup recipes. This is followed by two seasonal chapters for hot weather and cool weather. Her last chapter focuses on entertaining dishes you can eat with your hands. I prefer more structured organization, such as kind of dish (side dish, entree, salad, soup, or dessert), or type of meal (breakfast, lunch, tea, snack, dinner), or by season. I know where to look without the index. However, at the end of the book, there is an index and a very useful listing of recipes by vegetable.

I received a copy of Eating from the Ground Up from Blogging for Books

Eating from the Ground Up at Penguin Random House | Clarkson Potter
Alana Chernila Eating From the Ground Up cooking blog

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/9780451494993/

(if you have nothing else to do with your life)

I have always used my "pantry" as a storage of sorts...... for sauces, canned fruit, staples..... Not for food that I have to eat within 3-5 days. So, if I'm going to make food that I can store, I'll not be using this book.....

Many of the recipes take quite a bit of time; cheese making, pickles, jams, jerky, puddings......

So I'm not even going to bother going in to deep explanation.

However, if you are a homey type, you just might like this book, but personally I prefer the "Stocking Up" books!

Lots of great recipes - if I ever find myself with enough time to make more from scratch and start canning, I will definitely be turning to this book. For now, I've picked out a few to try, and hopefully I'll build my way up :)