Fresh From the Garden

Why do we garden? Some do so in order to enjoy freshly harvested fruits and other garden produce. It isn't hard to find recipes and ideas for using and preserving our abundant harvest.

As an introduction to the subject, there's no better place to start than "Curtis Aikens' Guide to the Harvest" from Peachtree Publishers. In this enlightening book, this popular television chef and consumer advocate offers valuable hints on preparing fresh produce of all sorts along with tips on selecting everything from the commonplace to the exotic. Suitable for both experienced and beginning cooks, this reader-friendly title features over 150 delightful recipes, many of which are suitable for vegetarians. There are separate sections for fruits, herbs, nuts, and vegetables. He includes over thirty different fruits.

Storey released a third edition of its best-selling "Cider-Making, Using & Enjoying Sweet and Hard Cider" by Annie Proulx et al. The introduction provides a look at the fascinating history of cider. You might say there are as many kinds of cider as there are apples. This handy handbook can help you plan and plant your orchard, graft apple trees, build your own cider-making equipment, and make the cider. It even includes recipes with cider. For each apple-growing region in North America, the authors suggest suitable varieties for cider. No matter how esoteric your question about cider might be, you'll find answers in this book.

Fruits can become the basis for smoothies-the equivalent of a quick to prepare meal in a glass. For wonderful recipes, "The Best 50 Smoothies" by Joanna White from Bristol Publishing Enterprises is unmatched. It features easy, no-fail recipes. In addition to the recipes, the introduction provides page after page of helpful tips in choosing the best ingredients, preparing, serving, and garnishing the drinks. For quick reference, use the tables listing garnishes, fruits, and creamy bases. This title is only one in the ever-popular "The Best 50 Series."

Fulcrum Publishing has several excellent titles on edible flowers, including "Edible Flowers-Desserts and Drinks" by Cathy Wilkinson Barash. The featured blossoms include elderberry, lemon, and pineapple guava. For each flower, there is a complete history, growing tips, and a plant profile along with color-illustrated, inspirational recipes. Do read the details for each flower, for the author has included some very important information. Throughout the book, the author emphasizes what plants are poisonous and which ones to consume in moderation. It has a wealth of information on preserving edible flowers, and growing them with examples of edible flower gardens.

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