Dandelion & Quince: Exploring the Wide World of Unusual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs

McKenzie shares her experience working in several San Francisco farmers’ markets in this encyclopedic collection of more than 150 suggested recipes for 35 different plants. Each profile begins with a short description of the plant, its common varietals, and its key characteristics before moving on to a handful of recipes featuring that fruit, vegetable, or herb. Readers will likely be struck by the number of plants they’ve seen in grocery stores or farmers’ markets and wondered about, such as the citrusy Buddha’s Hand and celeriac. They’ll also find additional uses for parts that are often thrown away, such as roasted celery leaves, which can be used in lieu of bay leaves in soups and sauces, as dill blossoms that are used to add flavor to a smoked trout and potato hash. Those expecting arcane ingredients and hard-to-source dishes will be pleasantly surprised. Many of McKenzie’s recipes are simple and practical, requiring little or no effort to put together: roasted broccoli with grated horseradish, dried persimmon tea, and mustard greens with potatoes and whole spices are well within the reach of all readers. Inventive, inspiring and informative, this is a key part of your next visit to the local farmers’ market. (Aug.)