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Sweeter off the Vine: Fruit Desserts for Every Season [A Cookbook]
A cozy collection of heirloom-quality recipes for pies, cakes, tarts, ice cream, preserves, and other sweet treats that cherishes the fruit of every season.Celebrate the luscious fruits of every season with this stunning collection of heirloom-quality recipes for pies, cakes, tarts, ice cream, preserves, and other sweet treats. Summer's wild raspberries become Raspberry Pink Peppercorn Sorbet, ruby red rhubarb is roasted to adorn a pavlova, juicy apricots and berries are baked into galettes with saffron sugar, and winter's bright citrus fruits shine in Blood Orange Donuts and Tangerine Cream Pie. Yossy Arefi’s recipes showcase what's fresh and vibrant any time of year by enhancing the enticing sweetness of fruits with bold flavors like rose and orange flower water inspired by her Iranian heritage, bittersweet chocolate and cacao nibs, and whole-grain flours like rye and spelt. Accompanied by gorgeous, evocative photography, Sweeter off the Vine is a must-have for aspiring bakers and home cooks of all abilities.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 22, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
February 5, 2016
4.5 stars
Sweeter off the Vine by Yossy Arefi is a cookery book that focuses on fruit desserts - my favourite type of dessert. The recipes are broken up into season, highlighting the most suitable fresh ingredients for that time of year, although of course, you can still make them all year around. It ensures that there are a good selection of recipes for spring, summer, fall (autumn for us in the UK!) and winter, with an additional "seasonal larder" for basic supplies. Full page, high quality photographs pop out on you - focusing on vivid colours, unusual textures and of course, the finished product. The photos are very artistic, as well as being demonstrative, so make this a lovely book to flick through or have on the coffee table.
Each recipe contains a full list of ingredients, and then very easy to follow instructions. Measurements are provided both in metric and imperial, those who like me get very tired of books only giving you "cups" will be very glad to know the exact grams and ml are provided. The recipes are unique and interesting, focusing on complimentary flavours as well as a dessert that looks amazing, with some fantastic ideas I've never considered. They vary from simple to complex, but I think that they all seemed viable for me to replicate at home. I've already tried out a few, and look forward to getting through many more, but my waist line limits how fast I can try them out!
Between recipes, you get a sense of the author's personality, with little personal snippets of information, tips and stories about the fruit you're going to be using.
If I was going to criticize, it's a shame that no nutritional information was provided and with our health-conscious society, it would have been handy to have a quick overview of the calories, carbs, fat and fiber. That being said, sometimes nutritional data isn't the most useful, since different countries and brands will vary, and these days with apps that scan the exact items we use, it's easy enough to calculate the intake ourselves. Some of these recipes are far more healthy than others, and it would have been nice to see this at a quick glance.
Overall I think this is a wonderful recipe book full of great ideas for desserts made with fruit, highlighted with amazing photography. A book for the kitchen, for the coffee table, or to discuss with friends. 4.5 stars from me!
Sweeter off the Vine by Yossy Arefi is a cookery book that focuses on fruit desserts - my favourite type of dessert. The recipes are broken up into season, highlighting the most suitable fresh ingredients for that time of year, although of course, you can still make them all year around. It ensures that there are a good selection of recipes for spring, summer, fall (autumn for us in the UK!) and winter, with an additional "seasonal larder" for basic supplies. Full page, high quality photographs pop out on you - focusing on vivid colours, unusual textures and of course, the finished product. The photos are very artistic, as well as being demonstrative, so make this a lovely book to flick through or have on the coffee table.
Each recipe contains a full list of ingredients, and then very easy to follow instructions. Measurements are provided both in metric and imperial, those who like me get very tired of books only giving you "cups" will be very glad to know the exact grams and ml are provided. The recipes are unique and interesting, focusing on complimentary flavours as well as a dessert that looks amazing, with some fantastic ideas I've never considered. They vary from simple to complex, but I think that they all seemed viable for me to replicate at home. I've already tried out a few, and look forward to getting through many more, but my waist line limits how fast I can try them out!
Between recipes, you get a sense of the author's personality, with little personal snippets of information, tips and stories about the fruit you're going to be using.
If I was going to criticize, it's a shame that no nutritional information was provided and with our health-conscious society, it would have been handy to have a quick overview of the calories, carbs, fat and fiber. That being said, sometimes nutritional data isn't the most useful, since different countries and brands will vary, and these days with apps that scan the exact items we use, it's easy enough to calculate the intake ourselves. Some of these recipes are far more healthy than others, and it would have been nice to see this at a quick glance.
Overall I think this is a wonderful recipe book full of great ideas for desserts made with fruit, highlighted with amazing photography. A book for the kitchen, for the coffee table, or to discuss with friends. 4.5 stars from me!
August 20, 2016
The book is divided into seasonal sections featuring produce from each. The “Spring” section starts out with herbs, rhubarb, strawberry and cherries. “Summer” contains recipes for stone fruit and berries; “Fall” includes grapes, apples, pears, and pumpkin; and “Winter” rounds out the collection with cranberries, citrus, and dates.
Sweeter Off the Vine is a beautiful cooking collection. Although it did not have the plethora of preserving recipes I was hoping for, it was chock full of delicious and seasonal-inspired dishes.
Sweeter Off the Vine is a beautiful cooking collection. Although it did not have the plethora of preserving recipes I was hoping for, it was chock full of delicious and seasonal-inspired dishes.
May 20, 2022
Love her books!
I can always find a great recipe in her books. They are no fuss and easy to prepare. Dessert doesn't have to be hard or intimidating. They should be mini celebrations for just living.
I can always find a great recipe in her books. They are no fuss and easy to prepare. Dessert doesn't have to be hard or intimidating. They should be mini celebrations for just living.
August 18, 2019
There are not enough stars to give it to this book. I loved the writing, the fine photography but first and foremost, the incredible mixture of ingredients suggested to create unique desserts. Organised based on seasonal fruits, it creates incredible combinations. For example: chocolate sesame tart with grapefuit, sticky toffee pudding with cranberries, butternut squash tea cake, pear-packed chestnut cake, persimmon sorbet with ginger and vanilla. Those are only some of the most appealing examples.
Should I add that I've read it more than once, which is a one in a lifetime experience for me. I simply enjoyed to let my imagination run through exotic ingredients, mysterious flavours and amazing desserts.
Even though I've found that the search for some of the ingredients is a challenge in itself, the overall preparation is relatively not problematic and can be reproduced on your plate. Good for your sweet tooth and your palate, but equally when you want some tasty experience out of your foodie comfort zone.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Should I add that I've read it more than once, which is a one in a lifetime experience for me. I simply enjoyed to let my imagination run through exotic ingredients, mysterious flavours and amazing desserts.
Even though I've found that the search for some of the ingredients is a challenge in itself, the overall preparation is relatively not problematic and can be reproduced on your plate. Good for your sweet tooth and your palate, but equally when you want some tasty experience out of your foodie comfort zone.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
April 17, 2018
Everything in this book looked and sounded good, even the stuff with the dates. I hate dates. The book was divided into little sections, grouped together with like. Most of the recipes seem a little intensive, but I think that in this case it would be worth it. The ingredients seem more wholesome and simple. As to whether I would make these recipes, I think that they are doable, however, I don't know it I would make any of these things. There are plenty of pictures, I would say almost a picture with every recipe. 99%
April 12, 2022
Library checkout; full disclosure: I haven’t tried any of the recipes. I like the way this book is organized seasonally, by fruit. It’s very inspiring to see all the different flavor combinations, but some are a little more labor-intensive than others.
Also, an ice cream maker is needed for the frozen treats :( The use of whole grain flours makes me happy, though. Been meaning to try spelt or rye ever since I read her second book, Snacking Cakes (which I bought after reading the library copy).
Also, an ice cream maker is needed for the frozen treats :( The use of whole grain flours makes me happy, though. Been meaning to try spelt or rye ever since I read her second book, Snacking Cakes (which I bought after reading the library copy).
July 19, 2019
Everything single recipe from this book is fantastic. I have not made a single dessert that has been less than delicious. The only drawback is that some of the ingredients can be a bit difficult to find (it took me three weeks to find lemon verbena). That being said, when you do find all the right ingredients, you end up with a wonderful dessert.
June 24, 2017
Every single thing that I've made from this book has been delicious.
June 29, 2018
Beautiful and full of nice recipes for baking with fruit in any season.
June 30, 2020
This goes to my permanent collection ! In <3 with this book ! Will try to go through each recipe whole year !
November 12, 2020
Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 24, 2021
A delightful modern dessert cookbook full of timeless recipes.
February 1, 2023
Yummy sounding fruit-focused desserts.
April 10, 2023
This is a great cookbook celebrating the best of seasonal produce in somewhat recipes tweaked with international flavors (like saffron) and modern twists (like spelt or rye flour crusts).
February 13, 2025
Interlibrary loan ILL via NC Cardinal
May 10, 2025
Marvelous book, chapters concentrating on specific fruits and berries. Delicious recipes.
November 7, 2025
I love the fruit forward focus but there wasn't really anything mindblowingly interesting- just classic flavors with some variations.
November 18, 2020
Sweeter Off the Vine Fruit Desserts for Every Season by Yossy Arefi
9781607748588
256 Pages
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Release Date: March 22, 2016
Cooking, Food & Wine, Fruit Cooking, Dessert, Baking, Organic Cooking
The book is divided by the seasons. For the spring, herbs are used in a panna cotta, ice cream and olive oil cake. In the summer there are apricots, rhubarb, strawberries, mixed berries, melons, cherries, stone fruits, raspberries, and figs. For the fall there are grapes in a pie and a butter. In the winter there are cranberries, persimmons with pomegranates, apples, pears, citrus, quince, dates, and squash with pumpkins.
Each recipe has a photo and easy to follow directions. Also, most recipes have readily available ingredients. What I like about the recipes is that they not only include the measurements in cups but also by grams.
These are a few of my favorite recipes in the book (so far):
sticky toffee pudding with dates and cranberries (great with or without the cranberries and the brandied toffee sauce is also great over bananas or sweet potatoes)
caramel swirled roasted squash ice cream (it’s like butternut squash bisque but frozen with caramel)
caramelized apple fritters (so much better than the ones in the grocery store)
small batch apricot jam (so easy and small batches are easier to handle)
chamomile honey panna cotta (light and delicate)
pistachio pound cake with strawberries in lavender sugar (who doesn’t like pistachios and strawberries. Great combination!)
blueberry skillet cobbler with whole wheat biscuits (can be made with a variety of fruits)
watermelon granita with chile and lime (So easy to make and tastes great!)
If you like fruit, I highly recommend this book. The pictures alone will make you hungry.
9781607748588
256 Pages
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Release Date: March 22, 2016
Cooking, Food & Wine, Fruit Cooking, Dessert, Baking, Organic Cooking
The book is divided by the seasons. For the spring, herbs are used in a panna cotta, ice cream and olive oil cake. In the summer there are apricots, rhubarb, strawberries, mixed berries, melons, cherries, stone fruits, raspberries, and figs. For the fall there are grapes in a pie and a butter. In the winter there are cranberries, persimmons with pomegranates, apples, pears, citrus, quince, dates, and squash with pumpkins.
Each recipe has a photo and easy to follow directions. Also, most recipes have readily available ingredients. What I like about the recipes is that they not only include the measurements in cups but also by grams.
These are a few of my favorite recipes in the book (so far):
sticky toffee pudding with dates and cranberries (great with or without the cranberries and the brandied toffee sauce is also great over bananas or sweet potatoes)
caramel swirled roasted squash ice cream (it’s like butternut squash bisque but frozen with caramel)
caramelized apple fritters (so much better than the ones in the grocery store)
small batch apricot jam (so easy and small batches are easier to handle)
chamomile honey panna cotta (light and delicate)
pistachio pound cake with strawberries in lavender sugar (who doesn’t like pistachios and strawberries. Great combination!)
blueberry skillet cobbler with whole wheat biscuits (can be made with a variety of fruits)
watermelon granita with chile and lime (So easy to make and tastes great!)
If you like fruit, I highly recommend this book. The pictures alone will make you hungry.
May 5, 2020
Oh my goodness! I adore this cookbook. Yossy Arefi’s recipient and the way she writes makes me want to travel across the states to buy seasonal fruit from wisened old farmers and ask them about the secrets of the galaxy. Her full and double page pictures are truly decadent and had me practically drooling on the page. I was overjoyed to find that some of the recipes in Sweeter off the Vine were gluten or dairy free. I loved the way she said that every the smallest amount of a certain ingredient should not be left out and how to make some substitutions for hard, or time consuming, ingredients. The way she was brought up truly reflects in her baking and flavor combinations. I love this book, and I want to make every single recipe in it. If you are thinking about getting Sweeter off the Vine, buy it because it is worth it.
March 18, 2016
I am in love with Sweeter Off the Vine by Yossy Arefi. Arefi grew up in Seattleand moved to New York, but she has the Pacific Northwest orientation toward fresh, seasonal vegetables. As a transplant myself, I will never forget the revelation of eating a fresh peach, picked ripe right off the tree. I thought peaches were relatively flavorless, tough fruits until that moment. There was no turning back.
Arefi organizes Sweeter Off the Vine by season and by fruit. If you wished, you could cook your way around the calendar with this cookbook and now would be a good time to start since it begins in spring. Her Persian heritage ensures that the flavor profiles of her recipes are balanced with contrasting flavor elements and infused with aromatic herbs. These are not Persian desserts, though. These are traditional fruit deserts elevated with Persian-influenced flavor combinations.
These are not treacle-sweet recipes. She also uses a lot of alternate grains like buckwheat, spelt and my favorite, rye. My aunt made these amazing Swedish Rye Cookies and I am so glad to see someone else using rye in desserts because really, rye belongs everywhere, not just with ham and cheese.
Another thing I love about this cookbook is that she uses the same basic elements in many of her recipes and has a section of the back with all of these essentials like pie crusts and tart shells. In addition to the basics, she adds instruction for making homemade vanilla extract, cranberry juice and preserved lemons. She has a recipe for vanilla sugar as well. I make vanilla sugar all the time, I love it for my morning tea. It is also a great Christmas gift.
I am eager for the blueberries to arrive so I can make the cobbler and will love to try the lime bars when winter returns. and wow, I will definitely be trying the watermelon granita with chile and lime in the summer. I know I like lime with watermelon and lime with chile, but watermelon, lime and chile sounds fabulous. As a squash lover, I am pleased that she included squash in its rightful place as a fruit.
Arefi does not bring a lot of specialized knowledge of fruit. This is not a book for learning new things, just new recipes. Her introductions for the different sections and chapters are short and focus on suggesting specific varieties of a fruit and occasionally providing tips on picking the best, juiciest or ripest fruit. She introduces each recipe, making them all sound delicious
This is a fun and visually exciting cookbook. The recipes are fresh and exciting. Many of them are quite simple recipes that beginning bakers can handle. The pictures are gorgeous, large and generous. There are so many pictures! She is also the photographer, which is unusual, except she is a food blogger and usually food bloggers are their own photographers. What I liked about her photos is that they made her food accessible. There were little drops of cream on a plate here and some crumbs from the tart there. There is none of the intimidating perfection that makes a home baker feel like nothing they make will be good enough. Her donuts were not all perfect! I think recipe book publishers have no idea how encouraging it is to see slight imperfections, not quite regimented slices and a crumb here or there. The only thing that would make this book better would be more recipes.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
I shared a photo of one of recipes I had for supper tonight on my blog
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
Arefi organizes Sweeter Off the Vine by season and by fruit. If you wished, you could cook your way around the calendar with this cookbook and now would be a good time to start since it begins in spring. Her Persian heritage ensures that the flavor profiles of her recipes are balanced with contrasting flavor elements and infused with aromatic herbs. These are not Persian desserts, though. These are traditional fruit deserts elevated with Persian-influenced flavor combinations.
These are not treacle-sweet recipes. She also uses a lot of alternate grains like buckwheat, spelt and my favorite, rye. My aunt made these amazing Swedish Rye Cookies and I am so glad to see someone else using rye in desserts because really, rye belongs everywhere, not just with ham and cheese.
Another thing I love about this cookbook is that she uses the same basic elements in many of her recipes and has a section of the back with all of these essentials like pie crusts and tart shells. In addition to the basics, she adds instruction for making homemade vanilla extract, cranberry juice and preserved lemons. She has a recipe for vanilla sugar as well. I make vanilla sugar all the time, I love it for my morning tea. It is also a great Christmas gift.
I am eager for the blueberries to arrive so I can make the cobbler and will love to try the lime bars when winter returns. and wow, I will definitely be trying the watermelon granita with chile and lime in the summer. I know I like lime with watermelon and lime with chile, but watermelon, lime and chile sounds fabulous. As a squash lover, I am pleased that she included squash in its rightful place as a fruit.
Arefi does not bring a lot of specialized knowledge of fruit. This is not a book for learning new things, just new recipes. Her introductions for the different sections and chapters are short and focus on suggesting specific varieties of a fruit and occasionally providing tips on picking the best, juiciest or ripest fruit. She introduces each recipe, making them all sound delicious
This is a fun and visually exciting cookbook. The recipes are fresh and exciting. Many of them are quite simple recipes that beginning bakers can handle. The pictures are gorgeous, large and generous. There are so many pictures! She is also the photographer, which is unusual, except she is a food blogger and usually food bloggers are their own photographers. What I liked about her photos is that they made her food accessible. There were little drops of cream on a plate here and some crumbs from the tart there. There is none of the intimidating perfection that makes a home baker feel like nothing they make will be good enough. Her donuts were not all perfect! I think recipe book publishers have no idea how encouraging it is to see slight imperfections, not quite regimented slices and a crumb here or there. The only thing that would make this book better would be more recipes.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
I shared a photo of one of recipes I had for supper tonight on my blog
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
March 6, 2017
Beautiful photographs along with simple recipes that showcase the fruit. I can't wait to try some of the recipes.
April 11, 2016
I would like to thank Ten Speed Press for providing me with a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an open and honest review.
As unprofessional as it sounds – and I do unprofessional reviews SO WELL – Oh my Gosh I want this book!!!!
What can I say? From the title I thought it was going to be all about using natural sweeteners to cook and bake with, skip the sugar, go for the beetroot sort of thing. Boy was I wrong… but in the best possible ways!
‘Sweeter off the vine’ is... sublime! It takes cooking to a glorious, lush, and wholesome new level! I moaned and groaned throughout reading it as each new page and recipe brought more fabulous ideas.
I don’t want to use ‘old style’ or ‘traditional’ as some people - silly people – tend to be put off when these words are used to describe a modern cook book… but it’s hard to not use them so please just hear me out and don’t dismiss the book if you have problems with those words.
Okay, ‘Sweeter off the vine’ takes the traditional styles of cooking whole, in season and local foods from scratch and tips it in its side. All the good old principles for decent, healthy and wholesome cooking are there… but with modern twists, flavours and presentations. Did that do it?
Yes I admit to not being able to, or wanting to make every recipe in the book… but I can say that about pretty much every cook book I read, own, etc. – And I own a few… hundred. Food intolerances, allergies and just plain pickiness on the part of the reader makes this happen. But the recipes in there that I do want to make… they look DIVINE! Roasted rhubarb Pavlova… Bring on spring in Australia so I can put my chickens and rhubarb to work!!! That is a high priority recipe to make – in season!
Time for the boring bits… well, not that boring to me but not about the book but about how it presents. Formatting is clear, concise, easy to read and easy to follow. Gorgeous pictures of most of the items you can make. All measurements, temperatures, etc. are in Imperial as well as Metric and an all-round internationally useful cook book. The seasons aren’t linked to specific months and so can be seen as southern or northern hemisphere and all in all just a beautiful book to read, own and - most importantly – use.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. Oh yes indeed I would! If you are looking for a luxurious, simple and all round tasty way to cook and eat sweets within the seasons – this is the book for you. The recipes may look or feel complicated at a glance, but they are not. They are basic cooking skills put to good use to show you exactly how clever you are in the kitchen.
Would I buy this book for myself? Just try and stop me! I loved this book, it is on my Amazon wish list and it WILL be mine. ;-) Now excuse me while I go see if I have all the ingredients for Caramel-Swirled roasted squash ice cream!
In summary: A fantastic cook book for those with a sweet tooth who want to cook and eat what is fresh and in season. I highly recommend it!
As unprofessional as it sounds – and I do unprofessional reviews SO WELL – Oh my Gosh I want this book!!!!
What can I say? From the title I thought it was going to be all about using natural sweeteners to cook and bake with, skip the sugar, go for the beetroot sort of thing. Boy was I wrong… but in the best possible ways!
‘Sweeter off the vine’ is... sublime! It takes cooking to a glorious, lush, and wholesome new level! I moaned and groaned throughout reading it as each new page and recipe brought more fabulous ideas.
I don’t want to use ‘old style’ or ‘traditional’ as some people - silly people – tend to be put off when these words are used to describe a modern cook book… but it’s hard to not use them so please just hear me out and don’t dismiss the book if you have problems with those words.
Okay, ‘Sweeter off the vine’ takes the traditional styles of cooking whole, in season and local foods from scratch and tips it in its side. All the good old principles for decent, healthy and wholesome cooking are there… but with modern twists, flavours and presentations. Did that do it?
Yes I admit to not being able to, or wanting to make every recipe in the book… but I can say that about pretty much every cook book I read, own, etc. – And I own a few… hundred. Food intolerances, allergies and just plain pickiness on the part of the reader makes this happen. But the recipes in there that I do want to make… they look DIVINE! Roasted rhubarb Pavlova… Bring on spring in Australia so I can put my chickens and rhubarb to work!!! That is a high priority recipe to make – in season!
Time for the boring bits… well, not that boring to me but not about the book but about how it presents. Formatting is clear, concise, easy to read and easy to follow. Gorgeous pictures of most of the items you can make. All measurements, temperatures, etc. are in Imperial as well as Metric and an all-round internationally useful cook book. The seasons aren’t linked to specific months and so can be seen as southern or northern hemisphere and all in all just a beautiful book to read, own and - most importantly – use.
Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. Oh yes indeed I would! If you are looking for a luxurious, simple and all round tasty way to cook and eat sweets within the seasons – this is the book for you. The recipes may look or feel complicated at a glance, but they are not. They are basic cooking skills put to good use to show you exactly how clever you are in the kitchen.
Would I buy this book for myself? Just try and stop me! I loved this book, it is on my Amazon wish list and it WILL be mine. ;-) Now excuse me while I go see if I have all the ingredients for Caramel-Swirled roasted squash ice cream!
In summary: A fantastic cook book for those with a sweet tooth who want to cook and eat what is fresh and in season. I highly recommend it!
April 11, 2016
Title: Sweeter off the Vine - Fruit Desserts For Every Season
Author: Yossy Arefi
Published: 3-22-16
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Pages: 256
Genre: Cookbooks, Food & Wine
Sub Genre: Fruit; Desserts
ISBN: 9781607748588
ASIN: B010K2B8SU
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
My Rating: 5 Stars
.
I eat fruit for almost every meal. I grew up in Florida and fruit comes in a great variety of available fruits year round. We often went out to pick berries, blackberries, gooseberries, mulberries and blueberries and strawberries that grew wild around the Glades. Add to that Oranges, Peaches, Pears, Apples, Lemons and Limes, Melons not to mention Cumquats, Bananas, Cherries and you get the idea. I have many dessert cookbooks, but none of the others specialize in fruits except those that have jam and jelly recipes. Sweeter off the Vine - Fruit Desserts For Every Season is perfect for me and my household who like myself love fruit. If you have never tried the combination of cranberries and pears you definitely need to try the pear & cranberry pandowdy. Wine-roasted figs with whipped honeyed ricotta. Then there is the Cranberry Bread Pudding and the Black Tart. All of the recipes sounded delicious but these are some of my favorites that I have actually made.
Next to salads, fruits are my favorite food. Sometimes I get luck and can combine the two and have the perfect meal. But I favor desserts as well and Yossy Arefi has provided me with an outstanding Cookbook to inspire me. There are also substitutions offered if a certain fruit is not available, allergy restrictions or taste preferences. The time has come to embrace our love of fruit and indulge in the many easy to understand and reproduce recipes offered in Sweeter off the Vine - Fruit Desserts For Every Season. In my book this is a definite 5 out of 5 stars and will hold a place of honor among my cookbooks.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet...
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Author: Yossy Arefi
Published: 3-22-16
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Pages: 256
Genre: Cookbooks, Food & Wine
Sub Genre: Fruit; Desserts
ISBN: 9781607748588
ASIN: B010K2B8SU
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
My Rating: 5 Stars
.
I eat fruit for almost every meal. I grew up in Florida and fruit comes in a great variety of available fruits year round. We often went out to pick berries, blackberries, gooseberries, mulberries and blueberries and strawberries that grew wild around the Glades. Add to that Oranges, Peaches, Pears, Apples, Lemons and Limes, Melons not to mention Cumquats, Bananas, Cherries and you get the idea. I have many dessert cookbooks, but none of the others specialize in fruits except those that have jam and jelly recipes. Sweeter off the Vine - Fruit Desserts For Every Season is perfect for me and my household who like myself love fruit. If you have never tried the combination of cranberries and pears you definitely need to try the pear & cranberry pandowdy. Wine-roasted figs with whipped honeyed ricotta. Then there is the Cranberry Bread Pudding and the Black Tart. All of the recipes sounded delicious but these are some of my favorites that I have actually made.
Next to salads, fruits are my favorite food. Sometimes I get luck and can combine the two and have the perfect meal. But I favor desserts as well and Yossy Arefi has provided me with an outstanding Cookbook to inspire me. There are also substitutions offered if a certain fruit is not available, allergy restrictions or taste preferences. The time has come to embrace our love of fruit and indulge in the many easy to understand and reproduce recipes offered in Sweeter off the Vine - Fruit Desserts For Every Season. In my book this is a definite 5 out of 5 stars and will hold a place of honor among my cookbooks.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet...
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
May 1, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for many reasons. This was a beautiful cookbook that has AMAZING pictures of the foods! All of them looked amazing and I really wanted to eat everything!
The recipes were very fancy and elegant, yet they were easy to pull off. This was one of the "healthier" dessert cookbooks, yet the recipes and recipe combinations really worked well. I think the two recipes that REALLY stood out to me were the Blood Orange Doughnuts (I have never heard of anything like that before), and the "Chocolate Celebration Cake With Fresh Raspberry Buttercream". The picture looked so nice and pink which made it look so appetizing, yet the recipe was so simple and seemed delicious to eat!
Review in GIF form:
Honestly, this book is great! One thing that I also loved is how there were sections of the book which had the recipes divided into what fruits were in for the season. Strawberries in the summer, squash in the fall/winter, etc. Each time that you got to a different type of fruit or vegetable staring in the dish, the author would put in some personal experiences with the fruits and what they liked about them.
I would recommend this cookbook to anyone in need of some simple, fruity, somewhat healthy desserts. Happy Reading!
-Madelyn
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Blogging For Books as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
March 11, 2018
Genre: Cooking, Food & Wine
This cookbook features wonderful desserts made from seasonal fresh fruits, berries, melons and herbs. Full page illustrations of each gourmet recipe are accompanied by vibrant, colorful pictures of the fruits. The clearly written recipes and easy instructions are arranged by the four seasons.
SPRING herbs: Fresh mint, chamomile and lemon verbena
SPRING fruits: Rhubarb, strawberries and cherries
SPRING recipe selections include:
"Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Cacao Nibs"
"Rhubarb and Rye Upside-down Cake"
"The Simplest Strawberry Tart"
"Cherry and Poppy Seed Yogurt Cake"
SUMMER fruits: Apricots, blueberries, currants, gooseberries, figs, cantaloupe, watermelon, nectarines, plums, blackberries and raspberries
SUMMER recipe selections include:
"Small-Batch Apricot Jam"
"Black Fruit Tart"
"Currant and Gooseberry Buckle"
"Plum Pie with Hazelnut Crumb"
"Nectarine and Blackberry Pie Bars"
"Chocolate Celebration Cake with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream"
FALL fruits: Concord grapes, persimmons, pomegranates, apples, squash, pumpkins, quince and pears
FALL recipe selections include:
"Caramelized Apple Fritters"
"Winter Luxury Pumpkin Pie"
WINTER fruits: Cranberries and dates, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes and tangerines
WINTER recipe selections include:
"Cranberry Bread Pudding"
"Browned-butter date Blondies"
"Tangerine Cream Pie"
"Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake"
I highly recommend this cookbook to all cooks and dessert lovers!
ARC courtesy of NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for a fair review.
This cookbook features wonderful desserts made from seasonal fresh fruits, berries, melons and herbs. Full page illustrations of each gourmet recipe are accompanied by vibrant, colorful pictures of the fruits. The clearly written recipes and easy instructions are arranged by the four seasons.
SPRING herbs: Fresh mint, chamomile and lemon verbena
SPRING fruits: Rhubarb, strawberries and cherries
SPRING recipe selections include:
"Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Cacao Nibs"
"Rhubarb and Rye Upside-down Cake"
"The Simplest Strawberry Tart"
"Cherry and Poppy Seed Yogurt Cake"
SUMMER fruits: Apricots, blueberries, currants, gooseberries, figs, cantaloupe, watermelon, nectarines, plums, blackberries and raspberries
SUMMER recipe selections include:
"Small-Batch Apricot Jam"
"Black Fruit Tart"
"Currant and Gooseberry Buckle"
"Plum Pie with Hazelnut Crumb"
"Nectarine and Blackberry Pie Bars"
"Chocolate Celebration Cake with Fresh Raspberry Buttercream"
FALL fruits: Concord grapes, persimmons, pomegranates, apples, squash, pumpkins, quince and pears
FALL recipe selections include:
"Caramelized Apple Fritters"
"Winter Luxury Pumpkin Pie"
WINTER fruits: Cranberries and dates, oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes and tangerines
WINTER recipe selections include:
"Cranberry Bread Pudding"
"Browned-butter date Blondies"
"Tangerine Cream Pie"
"Grapefruit and Meyer Lemon Bundt Cake"
I highly recommend this cookbook to all cooks and dessert lovers!
ARC courtesy of NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for a fair review.
June 26, 2017
Sweeter Off the Vine is a collection of baked goods and sweet treats from author, food photographer and blogger Yossy Arefi. The first thing I noticed about this book is the beautiful color photographs that are scattered throughout. Arefi is a true foodie, capturing her dishes in the perfect muted light, making them look like you are standing in her kitchen or backyard.
This cookbook is divided into sections according to the season, starting with Spring in which she opens with "Spring begins not with a bang but a whisper: delicate green shoots begin to sprout up toward the sun, and herbs and flowers become plentiful. Mint pops up in its many varieties, from chocolate to pineapple to the delicately flavored Persian mint that threatens to take over my parents' garden every spring." It is this Persian home to which she devotes her love of cooking. She credits her father and his mastery of dishes from his homeland of Iran, with teaching her the delicate balance of both sweet and savory in each dish.
Arefi chooses select seasonal fruit and shares one or a few recipes for each, including one I'm dying to try: Apricot and Berry Galette with Saffron Sugar. The Blackberry and Sage Cream Puffs come in at a close second.
Overall, this collection of recipes is one of the best I've seen this year. I only have the digital advanced reading copy, but I will surely be picking up a hard copy the second it is released.
*I received an advanced reading copy from the publisher for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*
This cookbook is divided into sections according to the season, starting with Spring in which she opens with "Spring begins not with a bang but a whisper: delicate green shoots begin to sprout up toward the sun, and herbs and flowers become plentiful. Mint pops up in its many varieties, from chocolate to pineapple to the delicately flavored Persian mint that threatens to take over my parents' garden every spring." It is this Persian home to which she devotes her love of cooking. She credits her father and his mastery of dishes from his homeland of Iran, with teaching her the delicate balance of both sweet and savory in each dish.
Arefi chooses select seasonal fruit and shares one or a few recipes for each, including one I'm dying to try: Apricot and Berry Galette with Saffron Sugar. The Blackberry and Sage Cream Puffs come in at a close second.
Overall, this collection of recipes is one of the best I've seen this year. I only have the digital advanced reading copy, but I will surely be picking up a hard copy the second it is released.
*I received an advanced reading copy from the publisher for my honest review. All opinions are my own.*
March 27, 2016
If you could pick the fruit and food right from the page, you would, and that’s the glory of “Sweeter off the Vine: Fruit Desserts for Every Season” by Yossy Arefi. Written in a relaxed, personable style, this lovely book features homey color photos that showcase fruit-based desserts which make the most of the sweet harvest throughout the year. These amazing recipes are influenced by the author’s childhood in the berry-bountiful Pacific Northwest and her own Iranian heritage. Many years spent as a baker in a New York restaurant have added their own spin to Ms. Arefi’s kitchen creativity. As you follow the change of recipes along with the change of seasons, you will find yourself looking forward to each new day’s worth of delicious delights. Here’s a sampler of the fruitful harvest of dessert dishes: “Fresh Mint Ice Cream with Cacao Nibs”; “The Simplest Strawberry Tart”; “Cherry and Rhubarb Slab Pie”; “Apricot and Berry Galette with Saffron Sugar”; “Blueberry Skillet Cobbler with Whole Wheat Biscuits”; “Black Fruit Tart”; “Plum Pie with Hazelnut Crumb”; “Soft Chocolate and Fig Cake”; “Concord Grape and Plum Butter”; “Persimmon Sorbet with Ginger and Vanilla”; “Campfire Crisp”; “Pear Pie with Crème Fraiche Caramel”; “Butternut Squash Tea Cake”; “Winter Luxury Pumpkin Pie”; and “Cranberry Bread Pudding”. Yossy Arefi is a Brooklyn-based food photographer, cookbook author, amateur gardener and former professional baker. She is the creator of the blog: Apt 2B Baking Co.
Review Copy Gratis Ten Speed Press via Blogging for Books
Review Copy Gratis Ten Speed Press via Blogging for Books
May 9, 2016
Oh cookbooks...one of my greatest weaknesses in life..from the church paper printed ones to the fancy professional, I just love cookbooks. This one isn't any different.
Divided into seasonal sections, the author has filled this book with fruit recipes that go from the most basic to some quite advanced. Since it appears that Spring is finally here and cherries are popping up in stores and at the market, I'm really looking forward to trying out those particular recipes.
So, since we're talking recipes, let's break down the book a bit...The recipes are well written and easy to understand. If you have basic cooking knowledge, you'll be able to follow along easily and should end up with some scrumptious desserts.
The photos are absolutely delicious and call me to go to the market, pick up some goodies and to bury myself in the kitchen for a weekend. Sadly, life keeps getting in the way of me having a baking marathon, but it will happen!
If I had one complaint about this book it's that the pages are plain paper and in no way wipe-able. If you get something on this one...and you will, after all, you are baking...it isn't coming off. I'd suggest you get a sheet of plastic to put down over top so you can see the recipe, but still protect the book.
After that, happy baking and enjoying the fruits of your labor!
Divided into seasonal sections, the author has filled this book with fruit recipes that go from the most basic to some quite advanced. Since it appears that Spring is finally here and cherries are popping up in stores and at the market, I'm really looking forward to trying out those particular recipes.
So, since we're talking recipes, let's break down the book a bit...The recipes are well written and easy to understand. If you have basic cooking knowledge, you'll be able to follow along easily and should end up with some scrumptious desserts.
The photos are absolutely delicious and call me to go to the market, pick up some goodies and to bury myself in the kitchen for a weekend. Sadly, life keeps getting in the way of me having a baking marathon, but it will happen!
If I had one complaint about this book it's that the pages are plain paper and in no way wipe-able. If you get something on this one...and you will, after all, you are baking...it isn't coming off. I'd suggest you get a sheet of plastic to put down over top so you can see the recipe, but still protect the book.
After that, happy baking and enjoying the fruits of your labor!
March 24, 2016
I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes, as always, all opinions are my own
There are many things I look forward to after a long winter—sunshine is obviously one of them, but the new Spring cookbook releases may even beat out the prospect of warmer weather and flip flops. In the past few weeks I've had a slew of new titles cross my desk, but I've been looking forward to the release of Sweeter off the Vine, written by Yossy Arefi from the blog Apt2b Baking Company. I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peak a few months back and when the print copy finally arrived I couldn't wait to dig in.
Sweeter off the Vine joins the growing ranks of books dedicated to fresh, seasonal cooking—a trend I'm excited to see continue to grow and it definitely doesn't disappoint. It's broken up by season and then again by fruit, so if you happen to find yourself with a glut of fresh produce you'll have several recipes to choose from. Each recipe offers its own unique twist with bold flavor combinations like Chamomile Honey Panna Cotta, Rhubarb and Rose Galettes, Wine-Soaked Peaches with Lemon Verbena, and Raspberry Sorbet with Pink Peppercorns. If you've found yourself in a rut with your baking this book is sure to help spark your creativity in the kitchen.
There are many things I look forward to after a long winter—sunshine is obviously one of them, but the new Spring cookbook releases may even beat out the prospect of warmer weather and flip flops. In the past few weeks I've had a slew of new titles cross my desk, but I've been looking forward to the release of Sweeter off the Vine, written by Yossy Arefi from the blog Apt2b Baking Company. I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peak a few months back and when the print copy finally arrived I couldn't wait to dig in.
Sweeter off the Vine joins the growing ranks of books dedicated to fresh, seasonal cooking—a trend I'm excited to see continue to grow and it definitely doesn't disappoint. It's broken up by season and then again by fruit, so if you happen to find yourself with a glut of fresh produce you'll have several recipes to choose from. Each recipe offers its own unique twist with bold flavor combinations like Chamomile Honey Panna Cotta, Rhubarb and Rose Galettes, Wine-Soaked Peaches with Lemon Verbena, and Raspberry Sorbet with Pink Peppercorns. If you've found yourself in a rut with your baking this book is sure to help spark your creativity in the kitchen.
March 24, 2016
You know by now that I cook something from the cookbooks I receive for review and this is no exception. The hard part was deciding. The easy part was the fact we are between winter and spring and nothing is fresh yet. That made deciding what to make easy yet agonizing. Absolutely everything in this beautiful book looks delicious and I can’t wait for rhubarb season (about 6 weeks) so I can start on page one.
My choice for this book was the Tangerine Cream Pie. I make it a point to follow a recipe exactly the first time and then improvise or fudge things after that. Well, I was astounded to find there are no tangerines at our store! I really was looking forward to this! Plan B: Citrus Almond Thumbprints with Summer Jam. Plan B was a good choice. A simple cookie that is delicate, tasty, not over sweet and easy.
All of the recipes in this book are simple. There isn’t a huge list of complicated ingredients for each one, and that leaves the fruit to speak for itself. I can’t wait for spring!
I received this copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
My choice for this book was the Tangerine Cream Pie. I make it a point to follow a recipe exactly the first time and then improvise or fudge things after that. Well, I was astounded to find there are no tangerines at our store! I really was looking forward to this! Plan B: Citrus Almond Thumbprints with Summer Jam. Plan B was a good choice. A simple cookie that is delicate, tasty, not over sweet and easy.
All of the recipes in this book are simple. There isn’t a huge list of complicated ingredients for each one, and that leaves the fruit to speak for itself. I can’t wait for spring!
I received this copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
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