Thursday, October 21, 2010

BOOK REVIEW
 
THE WILD TABLE by Connie Green & Sarah Scott

Connie Green may not be a name that strikes most of you as familiar; however for those of you acquainted with the restaurant industry, you may recognize her by her alias. She's referred to as "The Mushroom Lady" by anyone who has had the privilege of having her purvey their produce walk-ins. 

Heavily praised by Thomas Keller (of French Laundry and Per Se, amongst others) in both public appearances as well as in his cookbooks, Connie has long worked behind the scenes, racking up pairs of grass-stained jeans along with baskets upon baskets of gorgeous chanterelles, morels and hedgehog mushrooms. 

Finally, Ms. Green has decided to step out into the spotlight and remind people what it is to truly cook something wild. Broken down into segments based on season, "The Wild Table" profiles some of the greatest wild treasures that North America has to offer. From wild ramps and morels in Spring, to incredibly fragrant Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms in Fall, Connie's recipes truly use these seasonal gems to their full potential. For those unable to forage for such ingredients, Connie provides helpful substitutions with more common products as well as variations on each recipe to inspire the mind as it wanders on such wondrous wares. Don't miss out on this terrific cookbook; the recipes are superb, the photography is excellent and you're guaranteed to put the book down having learned a thing or two about what treasures are growing in our own backyards.
 
Reviewed by Kevin, I'm the newest staff member and I graduated from French Culinary Institute in NYC. Why am I passionate about food - because it touches all the senses.

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