A few weeks ago, I mentioned a book we received in one of the private gardens during an Open Day for the Garden Conservancy. I meant to post on it sooner, but life, in the form of young grandchildren and lots of great family time, filled my days until now.
And do, once upon a time in a garden . . .
When we approached to ticket table at Mettawa Manor, we were given a raffle stub, along with a map of the estate and some general directions. Our delightfully informative greeter invited us to return with the stub to the ticket table when we finished our garden visit and to return it in exchange for one of the many books the estate’s owners were giving away from their personal library.
What a generous gift – and a great idea to file in my revolving folder of a mind – perhaps to use sometime in one of my activities.
There were still many lovely books about gardening, landscaping, cooking and such when we wandered back to the table. As soon as I saw the cover of “A Glorious Harvest”, I knew it was destined to follow me home. Poor Tom. He didn’t have a chance.
“A Glorious Harvest: Robust Recipes from the Dairy, Pasture, Orchard, and Sea”, by Henrietta Green, is filled with enticing recipes, informed text from the author, a culinary writer, and the most delectable photographs.
From entries like Paper Bag Potatoes and Roulade with Asparagus, to Tarte Tatin and Whole-wheat Bread, I am putting on weight just browsing this engaging cookbook/reference book/instruction manual on all things gastronomical. As I sit here putting words to screen, a recipe, really quite simple, called Paper Bag Potatoes, is calling to me. Perhaps I will visit a farm stand tomorrow, dig up some new potatoes from one of the bins, pull out some parchment paper, and see what aromas and tastes issue forth.
Ah, the many wonders of visiting gardens on Open Days.
Have you eaten, I mean read, any good cookbooks lately?
Lifeonthecutoff's Blog 
Penny, you make me chuckle (yet again) with the way you pounce on a good book, and the idea of you ‘putting on weight just browsing’ the cook book. It certainly looks like a great gift, and perfect for the season.
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That is so very nice to hear, Juliet. Thank you.
I thought it was so generous and thoughtful of the owners to share their bounty of books as they were sharing their magnificent property,
The seasons are starting their slow turn here, as I am sure they are there in NZ.
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Yes, I sat out in the sun on my balcony today and turned the heater off.
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What a generous gift each garden visitor received that day! It truly is a marvelous idea for parting with special books, Penny. Just the right person can choose just the right book! I like to revisit my favorite cookbooks again and again. Summer by Susan Branch is a joy! The recipes are wonderful and each hand lettered, watercolored page is a feast for the eyes. Soon it will be time to pour over her Autumn book, as well. It has become a treasured tradition here. When my brothers come for dinner, they ask, “Is this a Susan Branch recipe?” Her cookbooks have become a special part of so many of our family celebrations! ♡
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I thought so as well, Dawn, and this book is so rich in recipes and photos and good ingredients; especially timely as our harvests are really coming in now.
Susan Branch is wonderful, as you and I have discussed before, and likely will again and again. I love her watercolors and her words. You’re right. It will soon be time for “Autumn” – and more of Susan Branch’s recipes for you to make.
Enjoy.
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What an enticing book! I know I would enjoy it, too, and I’m really drawn towards cookbooks that pull the recipes from the garden. There was a time when I had a flourishing vegetable garden and even though that’s no longer true, I still gravitate to the idea, and the recipes you’re talking about are so appealing. I like the idea of visiting the farm stands or farmers markets and I hope you will find much pleasure in this wonderful book. I do think your visit to Mettawa Manor was quite the exceptional experience, and the owners more than generous. I wonder what they’d think if they knew how many of us have enjoyed their garden and gifts by proxy! 🙂
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I think you would truly enjoy “A Glorious Harvest”, Debra. It is more the idea of eating well and, if you can, to eat locally. The book itself looks good enough to eat. 🙂 🙂 The owners of this estate are very generous and this Open Day is but one of many such activities they participate in to help generate money for various causes.
Ha! I think (at leas I hope) they would be pleased at knowing the tour continue for several weeks here on the Cutoff.
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Don’t get me started on collecting cookbooks. I can’t stop buying them. What a generous gesture of the owner to share books. Maybe you can share a recipe you enjoyed. My favorite books about fruits and vegetables are Alice Water’s ” Chez Panisee Vegetables ” and Chez Panisee Fruits ” Have a great weekend.
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Oh, Gerlinde, I can just imagine the cookbooks you have collected.
It was such a nice gesture and I happened upon one I troy enjoy. Gardens and cooking. 🙂
Now I will be looking for Alice Water’s books, especially the two you mention I do want to make the tarte recipe you recently posted. I need to do that for company as I’m afraid I would be like Goldlocks and eat it all up myself.
Thank you. I hope you have a great weekend as well.
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What a thoughtful and unselfish gift of the books at the Manor. You selected a winner in the Glorious Harvest it seems. I can’t part with any of the books I collect just yet but know the day will come. When you find a special recipe do let us know.
I like to read cookbooks and not necessarily prepare the recipes. So, Home Cookery ,Ladies’ Indispensable Companion, Mrs. Chadwick’s Cook Book, 1853 is real treat to investigate. If you ever come across this book, I am certain you would like it. You never know when you might need to Grill a Calf’s Head or Pickle Walnuts! Happy cooking this weekend!
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Pickle Walnuts! That is temptation enough to seek out Mrs. Chadwick’s Cook Book, Marilyn! I love old cookbooks and, like you, I enjoy reading them. Who knows. With meet prices continuing to rise, I might need to grill a calf’s head any day. 🙂
I know what you mean about parting with books. I do weed them out from time-to-time, but, what goes are usually the best seller of the month types of books. Old cookbooks are very hard to part with.
Hot here. Very hot, but, we had a good rain last night and it looks like we might have some more this afternoon. I was going to pull some weeds, but, maybe I’ll just go check out the new bookstore that opened nearby. 🙂
Enjoy your weekend – and thank you for always stopping by, my friend.
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Paper bag potatoes? Inquiring minds want to know how they turned out! What a lovely idea for a tour bonus and what a fun book you chose! I still love to read cookbooks even tho I dont entertain much these days … and so many recipes are on line …
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I just might make them tonight, Sallie. It is basically wrapping new potatoes in parchment, steaming them, but, the photo looks luscious. I use parchment a lot in my cooking, so, have some around. Stand by . . .
I read cookbooks more than I cook from them, but, they do inspire. I have been known to look recipes up online even though it might be in a book I own. Sigh. I’m hopeless. 🙂
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What a lovely idea for a giveaway and pickled walnuts now thats’ something I haven’t had or thought about for years it used to be xmas treat for us 🙂
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I thought it was a lovely giveaway as well.
Oh, that must have been a divine Christmas treat. Thank you for sharing that and for taking the time to stop by and make a comment. I’m now even more interested in pickled walnuts. 🙂
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So am I but I don’t think I would them here I think you pickle them young in their shells 🙂
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Oh that’s the book I would have chosen too! I recently had a garage sale and the biggest sellers were cook books, especially vegetarian and just looking at this one it is no wonder why – they’re so inviting!
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I am enjoying it, Janet. Sometimes I think I first eat with my eyes, then my stomach (if only my stomach didn’t grow 🙂 ) Good thing I didn’t know about your garage sale. I would have bought even more books.
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[…] I promised to report back on recipes from the book I brought home from one of the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days. I wrote about “A Glorious Harvest” here. […]
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