British Columbia from Scratch: Recipes for Every Season

by Denise Marchessault, Caroline West

A celebration of British Columbia through a cook s palate and a photographer s lens, this cookbook highlights the province s diverse edible landscape, from the Pacific Ocean s seafood to Okanagan fruit. The seasonal layout pairs an eclectic collection of made-from-scratch recipes with evocative images, paying tribute to wholesome unprocessed foods and the skilled farmers who grow them.Seafood lovers will find plenty of ideas for enjoying the Pacific s bounty with recipes for halibut, salmon, oysters, mussels, clams and spot prawns. B.C. s prized fruits are featured in summer pies, tarts, meringues and ice cream while fall and winter recipes showcase local pears, apples and cranberries. The Fraser Valley s meats appear throughout the book, as do the region s vegetables that make up vegetarian dishes like the award-winning Ratatouille Pie.

There s even a section for getting back to basics with everything from stocks, to pasta, to honest-to-goodness real mayonnaise.British Columbia from Scratch features the province s most commonplace market ingredients, making this book as practical as it is beautiful.

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Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Canada, Culinary

312 pages, Hardcover

First published November 15, 2016

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so beautiful, so tasty.
This is the book that made me into one of those people that take pictures of their food and post it on social media. It’s just.... it made me so proud of myself for making food that was SO yummy and so pretty looking.

(Note: I actually read all of this book and all of the recipes, from beginning to end, or else I wouldn’t have counted it for my Goodreads challenge. Just more proof of how great it is!)

[Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

To my way of thinking, there are a few major factors in the best cookbooks. First, they must have photos for each recipe. Second, the recipes must not contain difficult-to-obtain specialty ingredients. This book combines those critical aspects and adds the wonders of local cuisine and achievable recipes. Delicious!

[Sandra Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not spent much time in British Columbia, but having lived in Alaska years ago, I definitely made multiple trips through it. I can clearly remember the breathtaking scenery, and now I get to enjoy their delicious food through this gorgeous book.

There is so much to love in this cookbook, from the delightful recipes to ingenious tips and tricks. I love to make my own bone broth to use, but I'd never though of using flexible muffin tins to freeze it into more manageable portions. Love this idea! Or how about Garlic Poached in Oil. You can use the garlic just as you would fresh garlic in recipes, and the now flavored oil is perfect for salad dressings, bruschetta, etc.

As for the recipes themselves, they're divided by season and from there they are divided into savory and sweet. We're heading into winter, so it's a perfect time for a Rustic Beef Stew--soooo good! Or how about what is probably my favorite recipe in this book, Chocolate Hazelnut Tarts for dessert?

Baked Eggs are popular in my house, and these kick it up a notch with a multitude of seasoned fillings to choose from. Gougeres (Cheese Puffs) are amazing and well loved at my house as well. Of course, for comfort food, you can't miss with classic Chicken Pot Pies.

British Columbia From Scratch is an absolutely delightful book. I've loved reading it and cooking from it and I am more than happy to recommend it. Give it a try--I'm sure you'll love it!

I received a copy of this book from Whitecap Books for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous book! I wish it were mine - unfortunately it's a library book. I may have to do something about that!

[Nancy G · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a foodie you will love this! Seasonal fruits, vegetables and seafood. The recipe for buns is amazing and is the only one I use!

[Eniko Rozsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful cookbook, will be a great addition to my cookbook shelf.

[Madelyne! · Rating 5 out of 5]

superb food writing and recipes