Simply in Season

by Mary Beth Lind, Cathleen Hockman-Wert

Not so long ago most fresh food on North American tables came from home gardens and local farmers markets. Today, the average item of food travels more than a thousand miles before it lands on our tables. It’s a remarkable technological accomplishment, but has not proven to be healthy for our communities, our land or us. Through stories and simple "whole foods" recipes, Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert explore how the food we put on our tables impacts our local and global neighbors. They show the importance of eating local, seasonal food—and fairly traded food—and invite readers to make choices that offer security and health for our communities, for the land, for body and spirit. Simply in Season offers a starting point encouraging you to feed both your body and spirit with nutritious food and challenging ideas about the world around you. Woven throughout the recipe pages of each season are writings, tidbits of information to reflect upon while the onions saute, the soup boils, or the bread bakes.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference, Gardening, Health

352 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the title implies, this cookbook is really all about eating what's in season in your region. It's broken down into 5 main section: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. and All Seasons and highlights which fruits/vegetables in the recipes are in season. I especially like that most of the recipes only have a few ingredients (on average 5-10) and are simple to make. Despite the minimal use of herbs and spices, the dishes are surprising super flavorful.

There's some quaint anecdotes that go along with each recipe. The book is compiled by women in the Mennonite community and many of the stories reflect that. This may turn off some people but I thought it was endearing. The hardback edition comes in a convenient spiralbound. After getting a copy of this as a gift for a friend I realized I just couldn't live without one for myself. It does not include any photos of the recipes but I don't think that detracts from in at all. The photos it does have are of mouthwatering raspberries, vibrant stalks of asparagus,rustic pumpkins, and a handful of other fruits and veggies.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never made a recipe from this that I didn't like. I've also never found a recipe that was too complicated to make successfully with an hour of work. The author is great about offering lots of substitution options, working with the assumption that you're grabbing produce from your local farmer's market, so you may not be able to find every ingredient, but you'll always be able to find something within a family of ingredients. For the farmer's market set, it's very helpful for figuring out what to do with unfamiliar vegetables. The seasonal boundaries are a bit murky (Floridians will never see local "winter" veggies, and Mainers are never going to see some of those summer vegetables), but even if your seasons don't match up, the cookbook should give you a good sense of what things will be in season together.

The cookbook isn't vegan or vegetarian or gluten-free, but it includes enough recipes that are (and deals so heavily in whole ingredients) that it is a strong resource for people with any dietary restrictions.

Added: Another thing I particularly like about this is that it's healthy without being health-obsessed. It uses whole ingredients and tends toward wheat flour and less refined sugar options, but never at the expense of taste -- and it's not afraid of the strategic deployment of butter.

[Xilks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm starting Simply in Season: I checked this out from the library a while back. I really liked the concept and the variety of recipes. I have also added this on my amazon wishlist because I'd love to have a copy of my very own. Great place for getting ideas.

[Carolyn Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother, sister, and sister-in-law all have large home gardens, and they all have copies of this book. Coincidence? Hardly. This is a great cookbook with the emphasis on seasonal selection and preparation of local goods.

I have been privileged to eat yummy recipes from this book, prepared with fruit and vegetables hard-won from the earth. I think I need a copy!

Update: June 19th my Mom gave me a copy!!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this cookbook! I am of the belief that we humans should eat in this manner. Local. In season. "Beyond-organic." But how do you do that? If you have tried to eat in this manner, you know as I have found that the old way of looking through cookbooks to get ideas of what your weekly meal plan will be does not work well. What works better is to grab whatever is growing in your garden, or whatever looks good at the farmer's market, look in this book and figure something out!

I really like how this book is organized. The sides of the pages are different colors corresponding to what season it is. Down the sides of the pages are different fruits and vegetables of that season. The ingredient that is used in the recipe on each page is highlighted. This makes it easier to quickly find a recipe for the item that you have sitting on your counter waiting to be eaten. Voila! Highly recommended.

[Little-g · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been wanting one of the three Mennonite cookbooks for years. They're tough to find. I was able to find this one around the same time I started gardening, so it seemed a good idea to read. What I like about it is it comes from a foundational place I find so important -- that we can live simply; eat, cook simply. And that doing so in season is in harmony with our lives here on the planet. What is unfortunate about the book is that a number of the recipes just aren't delicious. They are fine. I do think it's possible to create meals with simple, in-season ingredients that taste wonderful. Certainly, the recipes can be modified, so since I enjoy making things my own anyway, the book works for me.

[graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This, my other cookbook, is totally different than COOKING by James Peterson. It's small, sturdy and just yearns to get veggie guts all over it. It's also seasonal; it's divided by season and then by the available ingredients in that season. As I try to contemplate my impact on the earth, being able to choose (as often as I can) produce that is naturally available makes me feel better about how I'm eating.

Also, since it's written for and by Mennonites, there's a lot of Biblical impetus behind the writing as well as numerous social action ideas. Easy and delicious recipes with a little justice to boot. Tasty.

[Polly Krize · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is an invaluable reference for anyone interested in eating locally, eating with the seasons, understanding where our food comes from and so much more. Fruits and veggies are covered in the first part of the book with how to select them, preparation and serving suggestions, etc. The recipes show style and are simple with no special ingredients, focussing instead on the fresh fruits and vegetables. An elegant book!

[Aj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a member of not one, but two CSAs (I like too many farmers), I've so appreciated this book. Basic menus that I can use our local produce. I can easily improvise if I'm lacking an ingredient, and many of the dishes I can double, make ahead, or use the slow cooker. I also love the stories and quotes woven throughout the hearty, (mostly) healthy recipes.

[Miker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melissa, I love this cookbook. Not only do I love the recipes, I also love the prayers and other commentary.

[Taylor Friese · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love what this book preaches, but not the god part.
Eating local is a very important part of my life but using it to push your god makes me feel icky inside. Wish they had stuck to the simple recipes and food info and left their god out of it.
They get two stars because a lot of the recipes are really good starting points, just don't read the "fun little asides" if you have anything resembling religious trauma.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recipes, thoughts, comments, and some prayers, organized by season.
I don't love how the recipes are laid out, with instructions interspersed with parts of the ingredient lists, but maybe that style appeals to some. At least the ingredients are all in a column.
Includes helpful descriptions of vegetables to help decide what you might want to try to eat and/or grow.

[Josie M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, inspirational cookbook that will move you to tears of gratitude for the food you eat, the farmers that grow it, the pickers that pick it, and the God who provided it.

[Janis Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this book via Netgalley for an open and honest review.

I LOVE this book. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 out of 5 stars is because it’s not based on Australian seasons and common foods. It is a minor complaint, but was enough to stop me giving it the full marks, sorry.

Why do I love this book? Well, I’m very much into eating locally and in season and this book is perfect for that! Although this is the 10th edition, I’d not seen it before so can’t compare it to older versions. Though I will say the gorgeous layout is very inviting and the pictures entice you to read more and before you know it you’ll be half way through the book.

The recipes are easy to follow and simple without being boring… if that makes sense? I love the little stories and examples of why in season and local is better for us. It helps encourage and re-inforce why we should all have a passion for these food principles.

The extra information on the foods, how to store them, how to prepare them, etc at both the front and back of the book is really helpful without being boring either and I really did enjoy reading this book from cover to cover. I’ve already earmarked a few recipes to try and slip into my next few meal plans… though I have to say spring was my favourite section and I REALLY can’t wait for it to come back to my hills!

The only minor niggle I have about this book is I, personally, didn’t like all the religious quotes and such. But I did not mark the book down because of them as they were my own problem, not that of the book or those who created it with their best intentions and beliefs. But, yes, I did find them unneeded. But they were easy enough to ignore and the rest of the book is just such a wonderful breath of fresh air when it comes to food and cooking… it makes up for this personal issue.

Would I recommend this book to others? Yes and no. I would definitely recommend it to someone of my cooking and ‘what’s in season’ skill level as it would be a great addition and inspiration to work from. But I wouldn’t suggest someone starting out with ‘in season’ cooking to buy it here in Australia as there are a lot of mental changes you need to make and aspects you need to rethink to use it. Then again, if a novice wanted to buy it and then use it to learn as the go – not a problem, great idea.

If you’re into eating within the seasons, growing and eating your own food or supporting your local farmers while feeding your family – this book is really worth a look. Please make me an Australia one so I can love it just that little bit more. :-)

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book touches something close to my heart. It is something that I believe we should all be doing more: feel the seasons and adjust our diet accordingly. Not that I’m a saint regarding this matter. It can be because of lack of knowledge; when are oranges in season? Or because I really feel like having strawberries on a dark December night. Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert come to the rescue with a cookbook full of seasonal recipes, including a guide with when to eat which fruit or veggie.

Recipes are divided up between the seasons, which by themselves are divided again between courses. The book is following the philosophy that seasonal food availability should guide us in deciding what’s for dinner. The Spring section gives recipes like the Strawberry Spinach Salad and the Dandelion Bacon Salad. What an original combinations! And the recipes themselves still use basic ingredients, a must for everyone not having a huge pantry.

Beautiful short stories on a variety of topics are spread out through the book. From the perks of growing your own vegetables, to the love for nature. These stories are a nice variation on the recipes and reflect the love of the authors for this lifestyle.

The photography is stunning, I love it! Very stylish and elegant, and yet with the feeling of the countryside, it is a feast for the eyes. The only downside is that very little photos are actually of the prepared dishes, more of the beautiful and fresh ingredients.

So, to conclude, Simply in Season is a perfect guide for anyone who would like to live and cook by the seasons. You won’t find any haute cuisine in here, but easily accessible recipes that work for every day and everyone.

[Serena · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had to choose one cookbook to use for the rest of my life, not counting family recipes (that wouldn't be fair, now, would it?), I would choose Simply in Season. This book is a wonderful kitchen resource for those of us in temperate climates interested in eating with the seasons.

All of the recipes are organized by season and then by category (i.e. salads, main dishes, desserts, etc.), and each section ends with sample menus and "invitations to action" for supporting sustainable local agriculture and healthy lifestyles. Besides the recipes, my favorite part of this book is an 18-page fruit and vegetable guide that provides tips for selecting and storing many of the types of produce highlighted in the recipes.

Unlike many healthy-eating cookbooks I've come across, this one does not require unfamiliar or hard-to-find ingredients that must be hunted down in a specialty health food store. Most recipes require only what can be found at your local farmer's market (or the garden in your backyard) and among your kitchen staples.

My favorite recipe, "Secret Chocolate Cake," does seem a little strange at first glance. You see, the first two ingredients are beets and applesauce, and somewhere in there is plain yogurt, as well. But the result? Beautifully rich, moist chocolate cake without even a hint of beets or that pesky "healthy" flavor that doesn't belong in desserts--and I can assure you that I take both chocolate and cake very seriously, so know that this is truly a delicious dessert.

*This review was originally posted on poetree.

[Lynn Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd give this more of a 4.5 stars. I do wish it had even more recipes.

However, since I buy most of my produce at the farmers' market and I try to cook with what's in season, I find this book very helpful. There's a general year-round section with various recipes primarily involving grains and kitchen staples, and the rest of the book is broken down by seasons. If you live in a tropical climate or up in the far north, your results may vary, but for me here in Virginia, the book's description of what should be available in each season is pretty much dead on. This book has been a great reference for me when planning my market trips, and pretty much everything I've cooked from this book has been delicious. I also really appreciate that many recipes come with several suggested variations and hints on tailoring them to fit your own tastes.

For summer, the Stoplight salad with fresh tomatoes, corn, pepper and herbs has been a huge hit, and I love the various winter squash dishes that kick in for the fall and winter. I would never have thought up Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake on my own, but it's now a staple at my aunt's Thanksgiving dinner. Definitely a book for the cookbook keeper shelf!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE this cookbook-- it is great for anyone who is interested in environmental stewardship, intentionally living apart from corporate farming's lies about food and health, and wants to learn to eat seasonally! It has a section in the beginning that "profiles" different fruits/vegetables w/ info about what season they grow in North America, how to select, store/handle, and prepare them. The recipes are divided into four chapters: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and All Seasons. Each chapter has recipes for breads, soups, salads, sides, main dishes, and desserts, inspired by fruits and vegetables that grow in that particular season. All are personal recipes submitted by people from all over North America, often attached with anecdotes and reflections on eating with the rhythms of the earth and supporting local farms and sustainable agriculture.

Some favorites: strawberry vinaigrette (spring), berry muffins (summer), chard utopia, pear custard bars (autumn), and sweet potato soup (winter). There's also good recipes for tofu, lentils, salmon, halibut, venison, beef, chicken, pork, etc.

[Sara Q · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of our top go-to cookbooks. I found it at the Ten Thousand Villages in Champaign and picked it up because of the focus on eating seasonally. The recipes are divided by season, with a handy list of that season's foods at the beginning of each section. The layout of the recipes is very nice -- the ingredients are in bold, in order of what gets used first, and the relevant instructions come immediately after them. There are plenty of recipes for both vegetarians and meat-eaters.

The only downside of this cookbook is that the recipes are collected from lots of different families, and the editors didn't clean them up as much as they should have. So, for example, you'll get a recipe that just calls for 2 cups of beans but no indication of whether these are canned, baked, dried, or what. If I was a more experienced cook, the distinctions might be obvious but for us beginners, a little more description would go a long way.

Even with that, I still give the book five stars since it has proven so helpful and reliable. We're even making soups - a section I usually don't even look at in other books since they sound like too much work. Highly recommended!

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good all around cookbook for those interested in healthy cooking. If this is your first foray into healthy cooking this book deserves at least four stars.

On the other hand, the recipes felt somewhat basic/generic so if you already have several healthy cookbooks you might not find much new here. In this case, the book is more of a 3 star candidate.

I didn't find the seasonal organization particularly helpful, but that's just me. I usually buy foods based on what looks fresh and look for recipes by ingredient. I suppose that if you didn't know when foods were in season this might be more useful to you.

Lastly, this book had a decent amount of flour based recipes so it probably isn't great for people following strict paleo diets.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is my current favourite. Vegetarian/vegan-friendly, and divided into seasons, with anecdotes and info about buying local, supporting growers, and appreciating fresh food. It is written by the Mennonite Central Committee with contributions from members. It has a mildly religious slant but ultimately praises the bounty of mother nature.

Downside: no nutritional info is included with the recipe.

Current favourites: southwest corn chowder, and white chili. Nut ring loaf is a great sub for meat at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Also just made winter squash bars (yes, in the summer, so much for seasonal cooking).

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you re a gardener or a advocate in supporting local farmers, you will love this book of recipes to eat seasonal produce you buy or better yet, raise. This book is a must have for organic, wholesome, healthy cooks and gardeners. It is just what I was looking for as I venture into my new methods of gardening and cooking. It is much more than a cookbook, , as the authors offer not only recipes, but inspiration and methods based on their Mennonite backgrounds and university of Oregon education in nutrition and biology. I'm very happy that I happened across this and I am very excited to use it as a daily reference and cookbook.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook is amazing! It is what the title says... It's separated by season with the produce that is typically available then. In the index, you can either search by recipe name, or by ingredient. Each recipe has a short story with it- I got this recipe from..., this is wonderful served with... Etc.
all of the recipes are full of flavor and lots of vegetables. There are also some salads and desserts which have all been good. The salad dressings are now our go-to recipes. We don't buy store bought anymore. There is a tahini dip that is amazing for vegetables!
I highly recommend this to anyone!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mennonites have been hawking this book for years and I always passed it by, thinking it was some crunchy-granola-type cookbook, using only things like lentils and spelt. Totally prejudiced of me, I know. Then I saw it referenced in something else so I checked it out from the library. What to do with the zillions of tomatoes exploding in our garden? Tons of seasonal recipes in here! Each season contains loads of recipes using the produce ripest at that point, and everything is healthy and fresh. Lentils and spelt recipes not withstanding, this is going on my Christmas list.

[viola · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I can only speak for the vegetarian friendly recipes (which maybe is part of the problem? But veggies should be delicious too)

This is a wonderful concept and presentation and I have tried very hard to really enjoy it, but the taste falls flat nearly every time. Even recipes with a decent amount of spice and flavor never seem to quite hit the spot. I find myself not entirely disappointed, but almost never revisit recipes either. I firmly reject the idea that simple=bland.

That being said: the dill dip and veggie curry are both wonderful.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I love cookbooks. I'm amazed at how clever and imaginative some people can be in creating recipes. Since going Veg, I've been slowly replacing all my cookbooks. This one is not a vegetarian cookbook, but it is all about using foods that are fresh and in season. As the title implies, this book is laid out by season. I love how you can just flip through it and on the side it highlights what fruits or vegetables are in that recipe. I have bookmarked so many pages that I have to get cooking!

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite cookbook. Look up any vegetable and you'll find many recipes, some vegetarian, some not but adaptable. Mennonites who traveled the world compiled recipes with many different seasonings, and when I started making Liberian Pumpkin Pasta and other such wonderful recipes my family gobbled them up. I have given this book to family and numerous friends over the years. My own copy is dog-earred and stained enough that I've retyped favorite recipes and put them into plastic sheets in a 3-ring binder. Still keep discovering other recipes to try as my garden yields more crops...

[Nicolette · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do I love this cookbook? Let me count the ways! I like the variety of recipes -- even with the seasonal limitation. There's something for the meat eater and the vegetarian. The recipes (I've tried) are straight forward and frankly -- very tasty; they are easy enough for even an inexperienced cook. I've renewed this cookbook from the library for the fifth time; I guess it's time I got my own copy.

The only con I have is that there's no nutritional content notes at the end of each recipe.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the original version of this cookbook and it's one of my all time favorites, so I was interested in checking out the updates. It's been freshened with more pictures and a couple of new recipes per section. Some of my favorites from this cookbook are the carrot curry soup, the salad dressings, black bean & sweet potato burritos. This is my go to book when I don't know what to do with something in my CSA produce box. If you don't have it, I recommend it as a good addition to your cookbook library.

[Kerrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic cookbook with lots of delicious recipes, arranged by season. When we joined a CSA, I wasn't sure what to do with some of the vegetables we received in our share. This cookbook provided me with a bunch of tasty recipes to use for things like kale that I had never cooked with before. Some of my cookbooks sit on the shelf & rarely get used. This one is at the top of the pile and I continue to find new recipes in it that I like.