I started and finished A Sense of Direction in one evening; I couldn't really stop thinking about it, so I couldn't put it down. I found it...
Continue »
This scholarly book by a state fair veteran thoroughly explains not only the basics of preserving but also the reasons for the rules: safety of food is clearly as much a concern for this careful author as is the beauty and taste of the finished product. Topics range from jams and jellies to the mysteries of pressure cookers and flavoring techniques for vinegars and oils. Her recipes cover a broad range of fruits and vegetables grown in many parts of the country: from jalapenos to figs and citrus, and from jams to juices, to pickling, and even syrups. Ms. Amendt has included a troubleshooting guide, thoughts about sources of fresh local produce, a conversion table, and a bibliography.
A usefully organized book for a useful craft: recipes for using the preserves immediately follow the instructions for making the preserves. (And the photos are themselves a "feast"!) If you're someone who truly wants the entire meal to be your own creation: take time to review the step by step instructions for homemade ketchups and mustards.
Once served the cookies, parfaits, pulled-pork sandwiches or sliders will be gone -- quickly! The infused spirits, however, might last a little longer!
Hirsch's command of form and person are masterful in Lay Back the Darkness. The poet successfully contrasts personas of a diverse and noisesome multitude, while living in the skin of the one-- the persecuted Jew, a citizen of the middle-east, a child, an immigrant elder. And although I am not someone who usually admires an emotional piece, several of the poems in this book evoke that anguished Human wail: As childrens' drawings spill from a suitcase. While a demented elder searches-- for something. And then --the poet observes --the line! This book is worth adding to a collection, and I predict it will be read, studied, and sometimes quoted.
I love this two volume set: I find myself perusing it's clear photographs and descriptions and recognizing plants that I'd always wondered about. I love its heft and I love turning its pages. Of course, for those who would rather not have its heft: the DVD version sounds like a winner, too!
I was given this book with the two-volume companion encyclopedia two years ago. I find I use it often-- it's perfect for the slightly befuddeled and self-taught (like myself). And it's a handy size, for Winter's garden-dreaming days.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)
Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.
Don't Miss
Customer Comments
J Dianne has commented on (5) products.
Blue Ribbon Preserves: Secrets to Award-Winning Jams, Jellies, Marmalades and More by Linda J Amendt
J Dianne, July 26, 2010
This scholarly book by a state fair veteran thoroughly explains not only the basics of preserving but also the reasons for the rules: safety of food is clearly as much a concern for this careful author as is the beauty and taste of the finished product. Topics range from jams and jellies to the mysteries of pressure cookers and flavoring techniques for vinegars and oils. Her recipes cover a broad range of fruits and vegetables grown in many parts of the country: from jalapenos to figs and citrus, and from jams to juices, to pickling, and even syrups. Ms. Amendt has included a troubleshooting guide, thoughts about sources of fresh local produce, a conversion table, and a bibliography.The Art of Preserving (Williams-Sonoma) by Williams Sonoma
J Dianne, July 26, 2010
A usefully organized book for a useful craft: recipes for using the preserves immediately follow the instructions for making the preserves. (And the photos are themselves a "feast"!) If you're someone who truly wants the entire meal to be your own creation: take time to review the step by step instructions for homemade ketchups and mustards.Once served the cookies, parfaits, pulled-pork sandwiches or sliders will be gone -- quickly! The infused spirits, however, might last a little longer!
Lay Back the Darkness: Poems by Edward Hirsch
J Dianne, February 27, 2008
Hirsch's command of form and person are masterful in Lay Back the Darkness. The poet successfully contrasts personas of a diverse and noisesome multitude, while living in the skin of the one-- the persecuted Jew, a citizen of the middle-east, a child, an immigrant elder. And although I am not someone who usually admires an emotional piece, several of the poems in this book evoke that anguished Human wail: As childrens' drawings spill from a suitcase. While a demented elder searches-- for something. And then --the poet observes --the line! This book is worth adding to a collection, and I predict it will be read, studied, and sometimes quoted.Flora: A Gardener's Encyclopedia with CDROM by Sean Hogan
J Dianne, November 20, 2006
I love this two volume set: I find myself perusing it's clear photographs and descriptions and recognizing plants that I'd always wondered about. I love its heft and I love turning its pages. Of course, for those who would rather not have its heft: the DVD version sounds like a winner, too!Flora's Plant Names: A Dictionary of Common by Sean Hogan
J Dianne, November 20, 2006
I was given this book with the two-volume companion encyclopedia two years ago. I find I use it often-- it's perfect for the slightly befuddeled and self-taught (like myself). And it's a handy size, for Winter's garden-dreaming days.(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)