Kitchen Garden Cookbook, The

As every gardener knows, there's no stalk of asparagus as wonderful as one you raised yourself.  From all over the globe, here are the recipes the home gardener's been waiting for: ones that showcase the harvest. There are recipes for elegant occasions, like artichoke hearts with caviar, as well as quick supper ideas in simple one-line recipes. Thompson uses every edible part of a plant, from broccoli's delectable leaves to carrot tops. There are great ideas for end-of season vegetables as well as information on what to do with the plants that inevitable get away from you. Almost everyone who  gardens or has access to a farmer's market has been intrigued by the proliferation of Asian greens  and vegetables, but there's scant information available on how to cook them. For these and the other exotic produce coming onto the market, Thompson  explains how to deal with them in the kitchen to bring out their best. Her salads are marvelous tangles of little leaves like miner's lettuce, purslance, or tatsoi, sometimes sparked with edible blossoms. To keep the harvest, there are complete  instructions for making everything from sauerkraut preserves to your own hominy to your own home-milled corn flour. Each vegetable, herb, and fruit has nutritional notes, as well as information on its affinities in the kitchen. For Thompson these living things have definite personalities, and that's the source of her extraordinary inspiration. Even  cooks whose garden is the farmer's market will want to explore this exceptional collection of over 300 recipes. Read more