Berries: A Country Garden Cookbook

by Sharon Kramis

Featuring recipes for fabulous delights--including jams, preserves, pies, tarts, breads, jellies, and more--made from berries of every variety, this elegant cookbook is illustrated with color photos throughout. 40 recipes. 48 photographs.

Genres: Cookbooks

96 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1994

Reviews

[Steven Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The volume begins with a paean to the joys of picking and eating berries. This is followed by a glossary and hints about practical issues (such as washing, storing, and freezing) as well as an enumeration of different types of berries (from blackberry to lingonberry to strawberry).

Then, the recipes begin--and some of these really sound delicious! In the section headed "Openers," there is a little delight, "Chilled strawberry soup with pound cake croutons." Ingredients: strawberries, banana, orange juice, sour cream, raspberry liqueur, ice cubes, pound cake, and fresh mint for garnish. With the help of a blender, one can complete this treat in rather short order. Or one of my favorites--"strawberry jam." My mother used her own recipe when I was a kid.

Berries can be used with entrees, too. For instance, "Barbecued salmon with strawberry, mint, and cucumber salsa." One part of the recipe is creating a strawberry, mint, and cucumber salsa (in addition, an onion and some red wine vinegar); the other part is a barbecue sauce to serve with grilled salmon. And take a look at the recipe for "Seared pork loin with caramelized onions and blackberries."

And so on. The recipes are delightful just to read, and the photos look scrumptious. So, want to try some different recipes, featuring fruits? You'll enjoy this little volume.

[Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrow in scope, this cookbook is just one is a series published by Collins publishers. The pictures are welcoming and colorful. When you look at the images, you are encouraged to try the recipes. Ms. Kramis touches base with desserts, main courses, salads and appetizers among other things.

Her secret is the little things, using zest and incorporating citrus juices with the berries. The author is from the northwest, where she has access to many types of fresh fruit when it is in season. For those of us that don't have this option, in some cases, using frozen fruit will suffice.

I enjoyed looking at the various pages. I have tried a few recipes and am going to write down my favorites. I have many cookbooks and a limited amount of shelf space. At 95 pages, with at least a third of them pictures, I am going to donate this o the local library used bookstore so someone else can look at it.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the leaves flutter down, I remember all the great summer berries that I enjoyed. Now, there are only those memories unless one wants to take a share of the responsibility for the "costs" of transporting those enticing morsels brought from south of the border or south of the equator.

Until I decide to cross that Rubicon, I have Kramis' exquisite "County Garden Cookbook," which transports us from a beautiful photographic catalog of most berries through advice of selecting, washing, storing and freezing, to a treasure of recipes.

From a simple "summer fruit bowl," to salads, pancakes, main courses, tarts, clafouti, grunt and sorbet. The directions are usually contained on a single page and most show a picture of the final result.

I look forward to trying my hand at Lemon-Glazed Huckleberry Muffins, or a variation of Willie's Berry Crisp; or a Black, Golden and Red Raspberry Tart. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm