The Ranch Table: Recipes from a Year of Harvests, Celebrations, and Family Dinners on a Historic California Ranch

by Elizabeth Poett, Georgia Freedman

The Ranch Recipes from a Year of Harvests, Celebrations, and Family Dinners on a Historic California Ranch Professionally spiraled and resold by a third party. This spiraled book is not necessarily affiliated with, endorsed by, or authorized by the publisher, distributor, or author.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food

320 pages, Spiral-bound

Published October 3, 2023

About the author

Elizabeth Poett was raised on Rancho San Julian, a 14,000-acre ranch on Santa Barbara’s Central Coast. The San Julian is one of the oldest cattle ranches in California, and Elizabeth’s family has owned and worked this land since 1837.

As a 7th generation cattle rancher, Elizabeth is passionate about preserving the land, growing healthy, humanely-raised foods, and bringing friends and family together for joyful celebrations.

After school, Elizabeth moved back to the ranch and began working full time. In 2018, Elizabeth launched The Ranch Table, where she hosts cooking classes, special meals, and private events at Rancho San Julian’s historic adobe. The Ranch Table offers a way for visitors to learn about the foods they eat and each event ends with a beautiful, seasonal meal.

In 2021, Elizabeth began hosting a cooking show called Ranch To Table on the Magnolia Network. Here she shares what ranch life is all about, as well as flavorful recipes that are easy to make at home.

Reviews

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

With my weakness for beautiful cookbooks, I couldn't pass up The Ranch Table at my local library. After a couple of days, I knew that I had to have my very own book. Even in my new downsized life, I can always find space for the right book. And this was it with the beautiful photographs of Elizabeth Poett's cattle ranch south of Santa Barbara. I was struck with the history of this family as Ms. Poett described herself as a seventh-generation cattle rancher and the seventh generation to live on Rancho San Julian, 14.000 acres of rolling hills, oak forests, and native chaparral on California's Central Coast. The author shares that this land was granted to her great-great-great-great grandfather Jose de la Guerra in 1837 by the Mexican government and her father's family has been on this land ever since. When I first opened the book, the author had me with these lines:

"Every morning when I look out my kitchen window, I see the same view my great-grandmother saw when this house was her home. As I warm my hands on a cup of hot tea, I see the sun peek over hills with twisted oak trees, big open pastures, and a sprawling orchard. But I also see much more: I see all the hard work and care that my ancestors have put into this land for nearly two hundred years. I see the land where I grew up and where my husband and I now raise our children. And I see the place that I want to protect and nurture and, hopefully, make a little better for the next generation."

The book is divided into four parts, one representing each season with the history of the ranch and what those seasons entail as far as cattle-ranching, and the recipes as part of that season and the many celebrations.

The first part is Spring with Branding Day and a Spring Celebration. The recipes are wonderful with beautiful photographs, not only of the food, but great photographs of the beautiful tables set al fresco with flowers from the gardens as a centerpiece. This is after great photographs of lassoing the cattle for branding. Of the beautiful recipes, my favorite as part of the barbeque was Tio's Beans, a recipe from her great-uncle Dibb's recipe deriving extra flavor from dried herbs, a splash of sherry, and a kick from canned chile sauce. And there is a photograph of the original recipe typed by her uncle on his Royal typewriter. And then there is the Spring Celebration complete with an egg hunt. The menu includes my favorite, Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic-Rosemary Rub with Mint Sauce and Mom's New Potatoes with Bay Leaves.

"Spring on the San Julian is a beautiful time. . . . . . But the most impressive of all is the wisteria. It was planted more than a century ago, and it covers an arbor so big we can seat a hundred people under it. By the middle of spring, the whole structure is dripping with huge clusters of fragrant purple blooms. This is the most magical spot on the ranch at this time of year, and it's where we hold our annual spring celebration."

The next section highlighting Summer is a busy season on the San Julian beginning the gathering of moving cattle from one pasture throughout the year known as rotational grazing. Elizabeth Poett points out that the Central Coast is full of rocky hills and dense oak forest accessible only on horseback. By the time the riders are back there is a rusted 1962 Chevy parked under the oaks where the flatbed acts as a perfect makeshift table with the food arranged as a buffet. Some of the recipes include a Layered Avocado Dip, Rancher's Beef Chili, and Cast-Iron Cornbread. But one of my favorites was the celebration of Poett's birthday midsummer dining alfresco in the middle of a lavender field with lifelong friends enjoying Apricots with Goat Cheese and Honey; Grilled Peaches with Burrata and Prosciutto; and Fettuccine with Roasted Summer Vegetables and topped by a Four-Layer Chocolate Cake with Fresh Strawberries. And then there is the Fiesta Family Reunion featuring Guacamole; Beef Empanadas; Mercede's Enchiladas; Grilled Anaheim's with Garlic Salt; Tomato Salad with Corn and Kalamata Olives; and a Chili Relleno Casserole with Red Wine Sangria. Since by the end of summer, the Central Coast is parched and dry with a lot of dust from the roads, a day at the beach and a cookout is in order for Poett, her husband and their sons. On the beach, they feast on Melon with Lime and Chile, Grilled Fish and Jalapeno Tacos, and Grilled Summer Squash.

And Fall is the season that the days are getting shorter and the light more golden. In this section, Poett talks about all of the kitchen gardens all over the ranch but the biggest is the shared community garden with rows of vegetables interspersed rows of colorful edible flowers like nasturtiums, marigolds and zinnias. In this section some of my favorite recipes include Boiled Baby Potatoes with Butter and Parsley; Plum, Fig, and Arugula Caprese Salad; Sweet Corn Polenta; and Roasted Winter Squash.

"This is also when I think the garden is at its most beautiful. In the evenings, the light is rich and golden and makes everything seem to glow."

The final section is the season of Winter where for a rancher on the Central Coast, there is nothing better than waking up to the sound of rain. Rain is one of the most important parts of ranching, especially in that part of California where the wet season only lasts three to four months. And some of the delicious recipes in this section include Butternut Squash Soup with Sage; Grilled Cheese with Sweet-and-Sour Onion Jam; Chanterelles on Toast; Oysters Rockefeller; Standing Rib Roast; and with a Golden State Old-Fashioned to celebrate New Years Day.

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imagine what a version of Ree Drummond would be like if she were part of the Joanna Gaines Magnolia-verse. This is what I would expect a cookbook from that version to look like. Written by a 7th generation rancher, who also hosts a program of the same name on the Magnolia Network, it is a beautifully designed book with gorgeous photos accompanying most recipes

The book is broken down by menus and essays on living the ranch life. Recipes are well-written and fairly routine but at times, a bit fussier than you might expect them to be. Said photos are mostly of the finished dishes but some are ranch-focused instead, like with the recipe for Spanish Rice, instead of the rice we are presented with an etherial close-up of a horse's face.

Experienced cooks looking for new ideas or inspiration won't find it here but it would work well as an introductory cookbook for less experienced cooks. And of course, anyone who is a fan of the show or the Magnolia-verse in general.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the show, so buying this cookbook was a must. Not only do I love the recipes, I love how Elizabeth Poett wrote about her family history, her life on the ranch, and her approach to cooking and entertaining. I love how the recipes are simple, healthy, and most of the ingredients she gets from her farm or surrounding farms.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have watched Elizabeth Poett's cooking show on TV before and enjoyed it so when I saw this cookbook I definitely wanted to check it out. Poett is a seventh-generation farmer on her family's 14,000 acre ranch. In addition to living and working on the ranch, Poett started The Ranch Table - a business that hosted classes, dinners, and events on their ranch. Now she also has the TV show Ranch to Table on the Magnolia network. All of the recipes are organized by season and each chapter in a section gives a highlight of ranch activity then some recipes related to that event or season. There were several recipes I wanted to try. There were also lots of beautiful photographs of both the food and the ranch. If you're looking for a great seasonal cookbook check this one out.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable look inside a fancier (likely) slice of ranch life. Beautiful photos, warm descriptions, a few recipes to try. That Rancho San Julian raw honey she pours on everything looks amazing. I wonder if it’s available to purchase? Will investigate! (Of course it is! https://theranchtable.com/products/ra... Excellent example of product placement.)

[Heather B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the most gorgeous cookbook. I love the history, stories, and variety of recipes. However I am only giving three stars because I just attempted the sweet dinner roll recipe and I followed exactly. My rolls came out NOTHING like the photo which is super disappointing.

[GG Meneses · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not just recipes, history and life on the ranch

[Heatherterrybell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved! It’s like a fantasy life with recipes. Beautiful and simple

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

The show is so much fun and I wanted her recipes. Good natural ingredients and pretty simple recipes make for great food.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I consider a cookbook a good read if a) I like the concept, and I like this cookbook because it utilizes the bounty of California harvests; b) the background stories to the recipes are interesting, and Poett's are; c) the recipes have been tested, which are indicated in the clear details or step-by-step instructions; d) the photography is beautiful, and the pictures in this cookbook certainly are because the California Central Coast is gorgeous and the food pictured looks appetizing. However, the recipes are pretty basic, and I suspect the deliciousness of the food is not so much the technique of preparing the ingredients but about the quality of the proteins and the vegetables and fruits and the herbs. But hey the fact that herbs figure abundantly in the recipes is a plus in my estimation.