". . . speaks eloquently to anyone who resolves to live close to the earth, and to eat well and frugally." —Indianapolis Monthly "Marian Towne has done a superb—and witty—job!" —The Weedpatch Gazette This marvelous cookbook, the product of 50 years of cookery according to seasonal principles, contains hundreds of recipes for more than 90 different fruits, vegetables, and herbs (including such wild crops as mulberries, pawpaws, and violets), locally grown and used at their peak of flavor and freshness. Take it with you as you stroll through the local farmer's market, or consult it after bringing in the harvest from your own garden.

Originally published: Lincolnwood, Ill.: Contemporary Books, c1998.

From Minnesota to Moscow — how to grow fresh figs in cold climates Growing Figs in Cold Climates is a complete, full-color, illustrated guide to organic methods for growing delicious figs in cold climates, well outside the traditional hot, arid home of this ancient fruiting tree. Coverage includes: Five methods for growing figs in cold climates including overwintering Cultivar selection for cool and cold climates Pruning techniques for a variety of methods of growing figs in cold climates Pest problems and solutions Harvesting, including ways to speed ripening, identify ripe fruit, and manage an overabundance Small-scale commercial fig production in cold climates. Fresh figs are juicy, full-bodied, and filled with a honey-sweet flavor, and because truly ripe figs are highly perishable, they are only available to those who grow their own. By choosing the right cultivars and techniques, figs can be grown across cool and cold growing zones of North America, Europe, and beyond, putting them within reach of almost every gardener. Easy and delicious — if you can grow a houseplant, you can grow a fig.

This book offers advice on everything from starting your garden from seed, to planning your garden with helpful space saving techniques. Make this guide a must-have resource for anyone interested in growing vegetables, no matter what their space requirements. Helpful charts will outline when to plant and when to harvest cool and warm season vegetables.

In The New Southern Garden Cookbook, Sheri Castle aims to make "what's in season" the answer to "what's for dinner?" This timely cookbook, with dishes for omnivores and vegetarians alike, celebrates and promotes delicious, healthful homemade meals centered on the diverse array of seasonal fruits and vegetables grown in the South, and in most of the rest of the nation as well. Increased attention to the health benefits and environmental advantages of eating locally, Castle notes, is inspiring Americans to partake of the garden by raising their own kitchen plots, visiting area farmers' markets and pick-your-own farms, and signing up for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes from local growers. The New Southern Garden Cookbook offers over 300 brightly flavored recipes that will inspire beginning and experienced cooks, southern or otherwise, to take advantage of seasonal delights. Castle has organized the cookbook alphabetically by type of vegetable or fruit, building on the premise that when cooking with fresh produce, the ingredient, not the recipe, is the wiser starting point. While some dishes are inspired by traditional southern recipes, many reveal the goodness of gardens in new, contemporary ways. Peppered with tips, hints, and great stories, these pages make for good food and a good read.

Gardening is now the favorite leisure pastime in America. Homeowners are realizing the benefits derived from gardening, namely enjoyment, exercise, and nutrition. Book retailers are well aware that the trend in gardening books is to regional titles that provide credible information on the plants that perform well in specific regions. The Midwest Fruit & Vegetable Book, Michigan Edition is written by the highly popular gardening expert James Fizzell. Contains advice for plant fruits, vegetables, and herbs. With 60 featured plants, the authors provide characteristics of available varieties, planting and maintenance advice, as well as recipes for dishes from the garden.

Minnesota native Amy Thielen, host of Heartland Table on Food Network, presents 200 recipes that herald a revival in heartland cuisine in this James Beard Award-winning cookbook. Amy Thielen grew up in rural northern Minnesota, waiting in lines for potluck buffets amid loops of smoked sausages from her uncle’s meat market and in the company of women who could put up jelly without a recipe. She spent years cooking in some of New York City’s best restaurants, but it took moving home in 2008 for her to rediscover the wealth and diversity of the Midwestern table, and to witness its reinvention. The New Midwestern Table reveals all that she’s come to love—and learn—about the foods of her native Midwest, through updated classic recipes and numerous encounters with spirited home cooks and some of the region’s most passionate food producers. With 150 color photographs capturing these fresh-from-the-land dishes and the striking beauty of the terrain, this cookbook will cause any home cook to fall in love with the captivating flavors of the American heartland.