Artisan Preserving

Artisan Preserving: Over 100 recipes for jams, chutneys and relishes, pickles, sauces and cordials, and cured meats and fish by Emma McDonald
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I requested this book to read & review from netgalley (in exchange for my honest review) because I am a beginner canner - or at least, I consider myself a beginner canner, as this is only my second year. The photos are inspiring & beautiful; the directions are clear, and the recipes well laid out & I would have no problem in following any of them.

The book, however, is a little artsy for me - well, it is in the title after all! I can simple foods, and cook even simpler, so the chutneys, sauces, and cordials are wasted on me. I live in a tiny apartment (my garden is elsewhere) so even if I wanted to cure my own meat & fish, I have no space to do so, so that section is all wasted on me.

Unfortunately, there's not really a single recipe in this book that I think I'd ever actually make ;/.

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soap craft

Soap Craft: 31 Recipes for Creating Amazing Handmade Soaps by Anne-Marie Faiola
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Years ago - before I knitted, before I designed, before I taught fiber arts, before weaving and spinning and dying, back when I did other crafts that didn't involve yarn, crafts like scrapbooking and latch hook and embroidery and cross stitching, I made homemade soap. I didn't make a ton of it, but I made soap, and it was fun.

When this book popped up on netgalley, I remembered how much fun it was to make soap. I didn't make anything fancy or honestly anything that even looked pretty, but it was fun. And reading this book made me remember how much fun it was to make soap and why I enjoyed making soap in the first place, and makes me long to make soap again (even though honestly, it won't happen because I'm a little too busy with the knitting, crocheting, hopeful weaving, sometimes spinning, always dying yarn and fiber, and oh yeah the designing and the occasional knitting class, too. Not to mention the reviews. And oh, seeing your husband every other Sunday).

Anyone's who's thought of trying a new craft or is looking for a new hobby or perhaps something different to sell at a craft show, should try this book. There's great details and lots of photos, besides amazing end products that you can actually make.

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A Beginners Guide to Companion Planting: Companion Gardening with Flowers, Herbs & Vegetables by Jeffreys, Mel

A Beginners Guide to Companion Planting: Companion Gardening with Flowers, Herbs & Vegetables by Jeffreys, Mel
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I consider myself an avid vegetable gardener, but I've only had a garden two years so I'm definitely still in the beginner camp. I've been reading a lot about it, but I've learned the most just from talking to other gardeners. My boss has had a huge, successful garden for most of 30 years, and he's taught me the post, and he was teaching me about companion planting before I had ever heard of the term or knew what it meant.

This book is really rather basic, doesn't present anything that hasn't been mentioned before, and the drawings/illustrations are so tiny as to be useless (I looked on kindle keyboard & on my kindle nook app, which is in color). If you try to enlarge the screen (which I did) the drawings end up blurry.

The only "good" thing about this book is its length - and the reason why I gave this 3 stars. The book is very short, but it makes it very easy for you to find the information you are looking for. If you are about to plant peas, for example, and you can't remember what to plant with it or what not to plant with it, it's easy enough to find that section in the book.

The other good thing is the author does talk about what flowering plants are good for your garden - something I attempted to do last year, but all my flowers died, defeating the purpose.

I got this book on amazon when it was listed for free.

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raising goats

Raising Goats Naturally: The Complete Guide to Milk, Meat and More by Deborah Niemann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another book I requested to read from netgalley on a whim - I honestly saw "goats" and translated that to "fiber" in my head, so I thought it was a book about raising fiber animals. That being said, this wasn't exactly the book I thought it was going to be, but I agreed to read the book, and so I read the book. It was more interesting than I thought it would be, even though I'm not going to be raising a goat anytime soon.

The book begins on explaining how to buy a goat, what to look for, what things to consider, the different breeds of goats. Niemann explains why raising a goat for a dairy animal is easier, simpler, and smarter than buying a dairy cow. There is a small section about fiber producing animals, but the bulk of the book is on the milk and meat products.

Every aspect of care is discussed, from parasites, to housing / shelter, bedding, fencing, food, companionship (goats like to be with other goats, not just other animals), protecting from other animals, and so on. There's lots of photos to help you on your journey of goat ownership.



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Review: Mastering Fermentation: Recipes for Making and Cooking with Fermented Foods

Mastering Fermentation: Recipes for Making and Cooking with Fermented Foods by Mary Karlin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mastering Fermentation: Recipes for Making and Cooking with Fermented Foods

by Mary Karlin

A beautifully illustrated and authoritative guide to the art and science of fermented foods, featuring 70+ recipes that progress from simple fermented condiments like vinegars and mustards to more advanced techniques for using wild yeast, fermenting meats, and curing fish.

Yup, it's another book that I had to read because of my garden!

A year ago was my first and only attempt at fermentation - an idea I'm fascinated by because I have IBS, and let's face it, fermented foods are my friend, and the idea of making my own fermented food is even nicer. I had a bunch of tomatoes from my garden that needed to be used up, no way to can, no more space in the garden, and I had just bought a bunch of garlic, onions, and various peppers from a farmer's market, so I decided to make salsa. I found a recipe online for making fermented salsa, spent hours dicing up the veggies and doing everything I was supposed to, only to find out our water had gotten infected by e.coli and the water was unsafe to drink without boiling first - which, of course, I hadn't done because I was trying to ferment the salsa. I had 6 pints and an odd quart jar of salsa that I had to toss because it just wasn't safe to try to eat the salsa.

All that to say I haven't forgotten the idea of fermenting foods. I even debating about taking a class on fermenting foods at my local trade school at night, but at $39, did I really need to take a class when I could just get a book from the library? Or heck, just do more googling? I liked the idea off hand holding, but $39 was a lot of money to spend on a night class for something like fermenting foods. and then this book fell into my lap, and I'm in love with this book and the ideas and information contained inside enough to purchase a copy for my own library. Okay, I'll probably wait & get a used copy, but still... I'm going to buy a copy.

Add all of that in, and then add recipes I haven't seen anywhere else - like mushroom ketchup - I mean, come on, mushroom ketchup!

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Quilting with a Modern Slant

Quilting with a Modern Slant: People, Patterns, and Techniques Inspiring the Modern Quilt Community by Rachel May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First, I want to say I am not a quilter, but I am a fiber artist and teacher and have long, long been obsessed with quilts. I own a ton of quilt books for their inspiration and even own a fabric stash & a sewing machine, though I can barely sew. I want to be a quilter, but the fiber life has a mind of its own.

The book starts with the basics, explaining how to make a simple quilt (6 parts) and defines what modern quilting is, and what different people feel about quilting and modern quilting in particular. There's a lot of writing from lots of different quilters from all walks of life, talking about how they make quilts and why and how they got started. You'll reconigize some of the names included in the book if you have any interest in quilting at all.

The book also has gorgeous, inspiring photography on each and every page.

I enjoyed the improv section the most, which makes sense because I love freeform the most in my fiber journey.



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Living with Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace, and Joy by Mallika Chopra

Living with Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace, and Joy by Mallika Chopra
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I requested this book from netgalley to read on a whim, and I was glad I did! I don't normally read books like this or really, self help books at all, but I've been struggling lately with being more organized, better planning, where do I want to be in a year or ten years and how do I get there? This book is a roadmap, and is constantly asking you questions that make you think about those very same issues. I've written down many of the questions Chopra asks so I can think about them more in more detail.

I like the fact that Chopra repeatedly admits how her own life can be a mess, that she's not perfect, that she too is striving to make sense of her life, and gives you the sense that if she can create order from chaos, so can you.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review. I was not paid for my review

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Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture by Darrin Nordahl

Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture by Darrin Nordahl
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was an absolutely fascinating read, though not quite what I was expecting.

Nordahl clearly is screaming at us, the average citizen, to change how we get our food from the farms to our tables. Yes, I mean that literally; Nordahl is so passionate on the subject (which is a good thing) that I felt he was yelling at me, and as he often repeats his point over and over again, I felt as if he was lecturing me for all the evil food practices I apparantly am a part of, and that I was so stupid for not knowing any better.

I know he doesn't mean it that way; I just felt he could have toned down his narrative a bit, but he definitely gets his point across. I still give the book 3 stars, however, because he is so passionate about the subject and did open my eyes up even more on the subject, a passion that I do share (one of the reasons I started my own garden three years ago, and am part of a CSA / buy from farmer's markets / do my own canning, etc.)

--
I received a free copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review & was not paid for my review.

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Knit-and-Crochet Garden : by Arne Nerjordet

Knit-and-Crochet Garden : Bring a little outside In with 35 projects inspired by flowers, butterflies, birds and bees by Arne Nerjordet
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was really excited to get this book in from the library, but unfortunately the book really fell short in my opinion. The photography is well done, the patterns are chatty but seem clear enough, but the designs are a little uninspiring. The toys are not really cute, the granny square designs are the same as the ones we saw in the 60s, there's even a plain, scrap garter stitch afghan, the kind your grandmother made. The only nifty things were how they made the butterflies, but they weren't actually butterflies I would knit.

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Stitch It Simple: 25 hand sewn projects to make and share by Beth Sheard

Stitch It Simple: 25 hand sewn projects to make and share by Beth Sheard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A simple little, beginner sewing book, complete with templates and full color photographs. The book has a variety of projects and filled with ideas for items to make for your home. It's designed for beginner sewers (like me), but unfortunately, most of the projects aren't anything I would actually make, as they are a little too cutesy and a little too, well, plain.

That being said, it's a great book for beginners who want to learn to sew for the home (which to me is easier because you don't have to worry about fit issues like you would in making, say, a dress).

-
received a review copy for free from netgalley

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Year-Round Slow Cooker by Dina Cheney
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love my slow cooker - I love my slow cooker so much, I have four of them, from a tiny, personal sized one to a huge one big enough to fit a turkey in. I have a lot of cook books from the 50's on to current, so I have a lot of recipes for it (though I tend to always make the same sorts of thing in my slow cooker, despite my recipes).

The book has lots of great, beautiful, well photographed recipes, divided up by the season so you can use local produce - more and more important these days, and something I'm good at only in the summer & fall, when my own garden is in full swing. There's an interesting, eclectic range of recipes here - unfortunately a lot of them I can't eat because of food allergies/issues, and a lot more include ingredients I've never heard of before. I live on a tight, tight budget - I can't afford to buy ingredients I've never heard of before, that I may or may not like, on a recipe I may or may not like. There's a few recipes that are left, however, that I will probably try to make.

Cheney also includes great how-tos and hints and tricks for those new to using their slow cooker. Unfortunately nothing new for me here, but like I said, I use my slow cooker all the time.

The other major draw back for me is rather short cooking times - I'm gone for a good 9.5 hours a day, I need to leave my slow cooker unattended for ten hours at a stretch. Her times are really short, and she does explain her reasoning, but that doesn't help me any.

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Fermented Vegetable by Kirsten Shockey

Fermented Vegetables: From Arugula Kimchi to Zucchini Curry, a Complete Guide to Fermenting More Than 80 Herbs and Vegetables by Kirsten Shockey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm a vegetable gardener, and started canning as an alternative to freezing my harvest. I've been obsessed with fermenting vegetables - love the idea of preserving food, adding healthy probiotics to my food, and all without heating up my kitchen - but like I was with canning as first, I was so intimidated by the process.

I'm not, any longer. This is a great how-to guide, filled with amazing recipes that think outside the box. Everything is explained so this fraidy-cat isn't quite so afraid anymore. I also appreciate the small batch size, for my small sized family.

-
received a free copy in exchange for my honest review

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3000 degrees

3000 Degrees: The True Story of a Deadly Fire and the Men Who Fought It by Sean Flynn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My husband grew up in Worcester, where this book takes place, and is obsessed with the work police and fire do. I'm rather surprised it took us both this long to read this, but I'm glad we finally did. Hubby, who's not a big reader, read this in less than a week & I finished it in one setting. We watched the news coverage non stop while this happened, and I was able to go to see the funeral procession, something I'll never forget.

This is the true story of the bad building, the fire that killed 6 brave men, and the firefighters in the surrounding areas who tried to save them, and then later to pull the bodies out of the building in order for the families to have closure.

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Put 'em Up Preserving answer book

The Put 'em Up! Preserving Answer Book: 399 Solutions to All Your Questions: Canning, Freezing, Drying, Fermenting, Making Infusions by Sherri Brooks Vinton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I previously reviewed Vinton's other canning book, Put 'em Up food preservation, which I loved, and this one was no exception.

This book is exactly what it says it is - it's a question and answer book on common food preservation topics, from freezing, drying/dehydrating, to canning. There's a few recipes and introductory text, but it's mostly a q & a/ quick reference book.

It's definitely aimed at beginner canners - which I definitely am (having canned exactly 2 different recipes last year, albeit multiple batches of both) and beginner preservation techniques (which I am not, having been heavily relying on freezing / dehydrating for years). There were some interesting dehydration tips that were new, though I didn't really learn anything from the freezer sections.

That being said, this is definitely a book I'll buy and add to my canning cookbook library

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mastering fermentation

Mastering Fermentation: Recipes for Making and Cooking with Fermented Foods by Mary Karlin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Mastering Fermentation: Recipes for Making and Cooking with Fermented Foods

by Mary Karlin

A beautifully illustrated and authoritative guide to the art and science of fermented foods, featuring 70+ recipes that progress from simple fermented condiments like vinegars and mustards to more advanced techniques for using wild yeast, fermenting meats, and curing fish.

Yup, it's another book that I had to read because of my garden!

A year ago was my first and only attempt at fermentation - an idea I'm fascinated by because I have IBS, and let's face it, fermented foods are my friend, and the idea of making my own fermented food is even nicer. I had a bunch of tomatoes from my garden that needed to be used up, no way to can, no more space in the garden, and I had just bought a bunch of garlic, onions, and various peppers from a farmer's market, so I decided to make salsa. I found a recipe online for making fermented salsa, spent hours dicing up the veggies and doing everything I was supposed to, only to find out our water had gotten infected by e.coli and the water was unsafe to drink without boiling first - which, of course, I hadn't done because I was trying to ferment the salsa. I had 6 pints and an odd quart jar of salsa that I had to toss because it just wasn't safe to try to eat the salsa.

All that to say I haven't forgotten the idea of fermenting foods. I even debating about taking a class on fermenting foods at my local trade school at night, but at $39, did I really need to take a class when I could just get a book from the library? Or heck, just do more googling? I liked the idea off hand holding, but $39 was a lot of money to spend on a night class for something like fermenting foods. and then this book fell into my lap, and I'm in love with this book and the ideas and information contained inside enough to purchase a copy for my own library. Okay, I'll probably wait & get a used copy, but still... I'm going to buy a copy.

Add all of that in, and then add recipes I haven't seen anywhere else - like mushroom ketchup - I mean, come on, mushroom ketchup!

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book of the farm

Henry Stephens's Book of the Farm by Henry Stephens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fascinating non-fiction book about farm life and living off the grid, back when everyone had to live like that in order to survive. The version I read was a newly printed, much cut book of the original.

This book is fascinating because it offers us a glimpse into what life was like back then, complete with sexist commentary. The text is rather dry and straightforward at times, but it's meant to be a manual on farm living, not a book you'd read at the beach.

There's lots of artwork included in the book, some fanciful drawings of farm scenes and others that just cracked me up, like a drawing of a milking stool (but was useful for such tools like a mattack, which I never heard of before).

I do admit to skimming much of this book, because though most of it is interesting, it's just much more detail than what I wanted to know - which is why this modern printing is cut as much as it is.

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Bokashi Composting

Bokashi Composting: Scraps to Soil in Weeks by Diego Adam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Being a vegetable garden and an apartment dweller, I was definitely hooked on the idea of Bokashi Composting - something I had definitely never heard of before - and is what Adam's book is all about, bringing Bokashi composting to the US and to people who might benefit from a different type of composting. He specifically mentions apartment dwellers, which is why I asked for this book to review (from netgalley). I've been wanting to try composting, but not having a yard of my own makes this problematic.

Adam begins the book by explaining how he wanted to write a book about Bokashi Composting, and how there's little information about it out there. He doesn't dismiss other types of composting and explains that each of the various methods all have their places. He then gets into the terms used with bokashi composting and the benefits of using this method over other methods - for example, you can compost meat, dairy, eggs and bread with this method & you can't with others. This section is interesting but gets repetitive - after all, you already have the book in your hands so why is the author trying to sell us on the method as much as he is? (it just feels like a sales pitch to me).

The next two sections are on the history and science of Bokashi Composting - another couple of sections that starts off interesting, but just got into too much detail for me and as I sat there reading, I kept wondering if this information was mere filler to make the book long enough for publishing. (these two sections are why I give the book 4 stars instead of 5)

Finally, in chapter 4 we get to the good stuff - how to make bokashi bran, the heart of the composting method (which is actually a process of fermenting). Now that we got into how to do the actual composting - I discover I can't use this method in my tiny 400 sq ft apartment - there's just no way I have the room (especially when we get to the part about how I have to spread the bran around on a large tarp to dry. I have NO floor space, period).

The end result is that this made for fascinating reading, and it was definitely interesting to learn about a new method of composting - but isn't going to work for my household, either.








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Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden by Niki Jabbour

Groundbreaking Food Gardens: 73 Plans That Will Change the Way You Grow Your Garden by Niki Jabbour
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anyone who reads my reviews regularly knows that I love to read (and review) gardening books - most especially vegetable gardening. Growing up, we had a few tomato plants, grew potatoes a time or two, and rarely another vegetable plant, though our yard was always surrounded by trees and flowers. Two years ago my parents, hubby & I planted a small vegetable garden, and at the end of our second season, we doubled the size of our plot. I've never been much for cooking, but having my own garden has made me so much more aware of the food we eat and where it comes from, and I've slowly become a better cook as a result.

This book is put together by 73 different contributors, so there's great variety of plans, from small herb gardens to huge spreads with every vegetable imaginable. The books is exactly what the title says, a book of garden plans, so there aren't a lot of pretty photos of growing gardens, but illustrations of where to plant what vegetable to maximum your space. There is an introduction to each plan that explains what's going on in the plan, the how-to's and the why's, so you can learn from the plans & make it your own.



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