eBook Review: The Autumn Kitchen and The Summer Kitchen by Jennifer A. Wickes

The Autumn Kitchen by Jennifer A. Wickes
Publisher: Suite101
http://www.suite101.com/topic_page.cfm/4...
Genre: Non-fiction / Cooking

Before we know it, summer will have faded away, and the misty, mellow days of autumn will be upon us. The Autumn Kitchen gives us a peek at some delightful recipes using the fruits and vegetables of the season plus a whole lot more.

Jennifer Wickes has included some very interesting tidbits about the fruits and vegetables used in her book. Did you know, for example, that cranberries were once called bounce berries because the ripe ones bounce? Or, that a yam (not a sweet potato, as you will soon see) can grow to seven feet and weigh in at a whopping one hundred-twenty pounds? Now that is a lot of candied yam!

For anyone who has turned their nose up at eggplant, you may want to think again. Although an eggplant has no real significant nutrient value, it does have antibacterial properties and diuretic effects, and contains flavonoids which are anti-oxidants that help in preventing cancer. Also included for each fruit / vegetable we have the breakdown of where they are grown / what family they are from, varieties and usage, availability / season, selection, storage, spices used to complement, and suggested wines to serve, health benefits and more. Website addresses are also included for some of the produce listed.

Once and for all we learn the truth between a sweet potato and a yam, and guess what - they are not the same, which has been an argument for years. To set the record straight, the sweet potato is part of the morning glory family and the yam is a tuber/bulb of a tropical vine and is not marketed or grown widely in the US.

Lots of great recipes for both the diet conscience and those with a sweet tooth. A healthy alternative to cheesecake, this recipe for Spicy Pumpkin Cheesecake, that is vegetarian, uses tofu. Then we have a devilishly decadent recipe for Dad's Southern Pecan Pie.

I have to say, that my favorite recipes are the Cranberry-Orange Scones that sound absolutely yummy; and the Great Ghost Pumpkin Cookies made with a mixture of pumpkin and chocolate chips sound so good that I don't want to wait until Autumn. You may not, either!

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