The Lost Kitchen: Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine: A Cookbook

by Erin French

From the New York Times bestselling author and founder of the beloved restaurant The Lost Kitchen comes a stunning collection of 100 Maine recipes for every season. “A sensory joy . . . simple seasonal fare, creatively elevated and beautifully photographed . . . The recipes in The Lost Kitchen beckon you to keep returning for more.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer Erin French grew up in Freedom, Maine (population 719), helping her father at the griddle in his diner. An entirely self-taught cook who used cookbooks to form her culinary education, she founded her acclaimed restaurant, the Lost Kitchen, in the same town, creating meals that draws locals and visitors from around the world to a dining room that feels like an extension of her home.  No one can bring small-town America to life better than a native, especially when it comes to Maine, one of the country’s most off-the-beaten-path states, with an abundant natural bounty that comes from its coastline, rivers, farms, fields, and woods—a cook’s dream. Inspired by her lush locale and classic American cooking, Erin crafts deliciously satisfying and easy-to-make recipes such as Whole-Roasted Trout with Parsnip and Herb Hash, Maine Shrimp Rolls, Ramp and Fiddlehead Fried Rice, and Rhubarb Spoon Cake. Erin’s food has been called “brilliant in its simplicity and honesty” by Food & Wine, and it is exactly this pure approach that makes her style of cooking so appealing—and so easy to embrace at home, wherever you live.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Foodie, Memoir, Reference

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 9, 2017

About the author

Erin French is the owner and chef of The Lost Kitchen, a 40-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine, that was recently named one TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places and one of "12 Restaurants Worth Traveling Across the World to Experience" by Bloomberg. A born-and-raised native of Maine, she learned early the simple pleasures of thoughtful food and the importance of gathering for a meal. Her love of sharing Maine and its delicious heritage with curious dinner guests and new friends alike has garnered attention in outlets such as The New York Times (her piece was one of the ten most read articles in the food section the year it was published), Martha Stewart Living, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and Food & Wine. She has been invited to share her story on NPR’s All Things Considered, The Chew, CBS This Morning, and The Today Show. Erin was featured in a short film made by Tastemade in partnership with L. L. Bean, which won a James Beard Award, and The Lost Kitchen Cookbook has been named one of the best cookbooks by The Washington Post, Vogue.com, and Remodelista and was nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erin French is the owner and chef at The Lost Kitchen restaurant in Freedom, Maine. People from all over the world have come to dine at The Lost Kitchen! Erin's cookbook contains lots of flavorful recipes from her restaurant’s menu. She uses fresh ingredients - herbs, vegetables, berries, and meat from farms in the area around Freedom. Seafood from the nearby Atlantic Ocean are included in many of the recipes.

The cookbook’s recipes are geared toward seasons of the year when the various ingredients are plentiful and at their peak. For people who live outside of New England and don’t have access to some of the ingredients, Erin suggests substitutions.

Beautiful photos of the Maine countryside as well as of the yummy food add to the appeal of this best selling cookbook!

[Sherrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely fell in love with this book from the moment I looked at the cover, and I was not disappointed as I devoured every page and beautiful photograph. I think that a large part of why I enjoyed it so much is because I live in Nova Scotia, and the seasons, foods, and experiences in my daily life mirror the author's to a large degree. I forage the same wild edibles and have a freezer full of venison for the winter, and easy access to fresh seafood. That said, there are alternatives recommended with most recipes, and even if you read it from a completely different climate, there is plenty to enjoy.

[Jennifer Spiliakos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Torn between three and four stars. I love the idea of most of the recipes, and will try out quite a few of them, but there is definitely a bit of a pretentious tone to the writing. To be fair, the cooking world in general frequently comes off as a bit pretentious as well. The photos are gorgeous, and I love when a cookbook is separated by seasons.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This cookbook came wrapped in newsprint, with hand-drawn illustrations of an airstream trailer, chickens, butter & salt, and an old watermill. As a "blind date with a book" promotion at my local library, it called my name.

I'd never heard of Erin French or her seasonal, farm-to-table restaurant in Maine that is apparently so popular they have an annual lottery (via postcards) for reservations. She's definitely selling a lifestyle in this book with its gorgeous photographs, both of her food and her life.

The recipes call for a lot of fresh produce and seafood, which is fantastic, but not always realistic for the home cook. I made her Rhubarb Spoon Cake recipe with rhubarb that I chopped and froze last summer. (The 15 y.o. declined seconds, so the 13 y.o. and I split the rest.) I bristled a little at her suggestion that if you can't buy fresh squid, you just shouldn't buy it. (I live in the desert, so...)

Overall, the food is simple and lovely. I'll probably try some more of her recipes, but I don't think I'll be buying my own copy of the book.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only way to secure a reservation at Erin French's farm-to-table restaurant in Maine is by a lottery held once a year, so it doesn't look like I'll be going anytime soon. Her inspiring story is told in her first cookbook, and also includes amazing recipes focusing on fresh ingredients. Comfort food at its best!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have become a bit obsessed with Erin French; watching all of her series The Lost Kitchen on Discovery, on reading her memoir, Finding Freedom. This is more than a cookbook; French talks about her experiences in opening the restaurant and stories behind the recipes. Some that stood out were Gingerbread with Salted Caramel Whipped Cream, and Peach and Ginger cobbler. The recipes are arranged by season, and the photography is gorgeous.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book -almost- makes me want to start eating meat; this is the kind of meat I'd eat if I did. As it is, though, the desserts are mainly what I can/want to make for myself. Also, the aesthetics and feel for the seasons are everything I love about New England.

(Summer reading: a cookbook.)

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a bit conflicted with this one. Just like her memoir, this book is beautifully written and I can hear her narrating as if I am talking with an old friend. But the recipes, while they all sound divine, aren't anything I would ever make. And isn't that what cookbooks are for? I think... Or maybe just the feel-good experience of the read is enough to warrant a cookbook as fantastic? Quite thought provoking. So it's a 5 star for the stories and the pure reading pleasure and 2 stars for the actual recipes.

[SEY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent story, great photos. if only we all could learn to cook local like Erin does. A hardworking New Englander, turned her life into a success story. Someday, if I'm lucky, I'll get to visit the Lost Kitchen shhh (I know right where it is!) Now who will I bring?

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. This book has it all and is more than it seems by its description. I started yesterday at 5 and finished it this morning. It's heartbreaking and redemptive. Totally worth your time.

[Michele B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll probably never cook with flowers, but Erin’s storytelling and pictures of Maine are irresistible.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Radishes and butter [this might be a recipe, it might also not be one]
radishes - butter

Quail eggs and celery salt [I did not see this coming]
quail eggs - celery salt

Fried chive blossoms [lemons is new to me]
vegetable oil - flour - sparkling water
chive blossoms - egg yolks
lemons - chives

Periwinkles in a skillet with garlic and parsley [perfect meal if you just got over the flu]
garlic - periwinkles - parsley

Bread salad with asparagus, radishes, peas, and mint (page 28)
Ingredients: asparagus - peas - adishes
bread - mint - pea tendrils
chives - shallots - rice wine vinegar

Razor clam ceviche with from-scratch saltines [I've read stuff like this]
razor clams - shallots - rice wine vinegar
lime - jalapeno chiles
cilantro - pea tendrils
flour - coconut oil - milk

From-scratch saltines
flour - coconut oil - milk

Lemon chive mayo [feels like 1979]
egg yolks - vegetable oil
lemons - chives

Caper mayo
egg yolks - vegetable oil - apers in brine

Spinach salad
shallots - rice wine vinegar - bacon
crusty bread - spinach - eggs

Ramp and fiddlehead fried rice
black rice - ramps - fiddlehead ferns
rice wine vinegar - eggs

Spring-dug-parsnip hash [extraordinarily strange]
parsnips - carrots - shallots
butter - dill - chives - thyme

Applewood-grilled spring chicken [strange]
maple syrup - butter - juniper berries
black peppercorns - bay leaves
[goes with - Ramp and fiddlehead fried rice]

Maine shrimp roll
hot dog buns - egg yolks
vegetable oil - pickles - baby lettuce
Maine shrimp - milk - semolina

Shrimp stew with toasted fennel, lemons, and chives [getting stranger]
fennel seed - heavy cream
milk - shallots
Maine shrimp; - emons - chives


Garlic scape and mint pesto [horridly strange]
garlic scapes - pine nuts - pecorino - mint

Rhubarb spoon cake
butter - flour - sour cream
rhubarb - heavy cream

Chamomile creme brulee
heavy cream - sugar - honey
chamomile tea - egg yolks

Parsnip Needhams [coconut improves the hard gassy and bitter parsnip]
parsnips - icing sugar - coconut oil
flaked coconut - nsweetened chocolate

Rhubarb elderflower sorbet [rhubarb only goes with strawberries and possibly this]
rhubarb - elderflower liqueur - sugar

Apple cider and rosemary sorbet [so creepy Vincent Price would hesitate]
rosemary - apple cider (alcohol-free)

Thyme simple syrup [a real shocker]
thyme - sugar

Cilantro simple syrup
cilantro - jalapenos - sugar

Sweet parsnip cake with hazelnuts and mascarpone [parsnips related to the brick]
flour - cinnamon - eggs
oranges - parsnip - hazelnuts
butter - mascarpone - apricot jam

Fried squash blossoms [the ricotta is new to me]
vegetable oil - ricotta - pecorino
marjoram - dill - lemon
squash blossoms - chives
flour; - sparkling water

Chilled golden beet and buttermilk soup [really strange]
golden beets - shallots - buttermilk
dill fronds - basil - sour cream

Spicy tomato and tomatillo soup
tomatoes - tomatillos
cilantro - jalapeno - rice wine vinegar

Squid stuffed with sausage [it's new at mcdonalds actually]
rice wine vinegar - shallots - squid
sausages - mustard greens - spicy mustard

Fried green tomatoes with buttermilk and chives
vegetable oil - mayonnaise
sour cream - buttermilk - dill
green tomatoes - flour - semolina

Cornflake fried chicken with perfect potato salad
chicken pieces - flour - cornflakes
vegetable oil - buttermilk - sugar
rice wine vinegar - ketchup - blueberries
baby potatoes - shallots - dill
juniper berries - black peppercorns - bay leaf

Blueberry sweet and sour sauce [so freakin odd]
blueberries - sugar
rice wine vinegar - ketchup

Perfect potato salad [maybe too many ingredient
baby potatoes - shallots - dill

Skillet mussels with rosemary, lavender, and lime [oh sure spoil the surprise]
mussels - rosemary - lavender
lime - butter

11-minute lobster
whole lobsters - lemons - apple cider vinegar

A classi clam boil [hot dogs?]
baby red potatoes - baby shallots - thyme
bay leaves - hot dogs - breakfast sausages
clams - corn - butter

Maine halibut Nicoise
baby potatoes - green beans - heirloom tomatoes
shallots - rice wine vinegar - halibut fillets
Bibb lettuce - eggs - lemon
Greek olives - anchovies - parsley

Rib eye with herb butter and frites [interesting]
beef rib-eye steaks - butter - marjoram
dill - thyme - vegetable oil
potatoes - lavender flowers - herbes de Provence

Lavender frites
thyme - vegetable oil - potatoes
lavender flowers - herbes de Provence

Pork burgers with grilled peaches, bacon, and blue cheese [odd enough]
ground pork - peaches - mayonnaise
bacon - blue cheese - arugula
milk - heavy cream - yeast
flour - poppy seeds

Black bass with summer beans and bee balm bread salad [so freakin odd]
bread - green beans - shallots
dill - bee balm
black sea bass fillets - lemons

Summer berries with ginger-cream shortcakes
flour - lemon - butter
candied ginger - heavy cream - raw sugar
strawberries - raspberries
blueberries - blackberries

Elderflower fritters
vegetable oil - elderflower blossoms - flour
lemons - sparkling water

Fresh blueberries with basil custard cream [i've seen weird basil stuff like this in books before]
milk - heavy cream
basil - egg yolks - blueberries

Peach and ginger cobbler
peaches - ginger - lemon
flour - sugar - candied ginger
buttermilk - raw sugar

Ripe canteloupe and ruby Port ice
ruby Port wine - canteloupe - mint

Rhubarb and rose gin fizz
rhubarb - sugar - gin - egg white - half and half cream - rose water - sparkling water

Maple Manhattan [reminds me of Gypsy Rose Lee's maple syrup cocktail in the Esquire book]
rye whiskey - sweet vermouth - maple syrup
Angostura bitters - Maraschino cherries

Sea rose and cucumber gin and tonic
cucumbers - gin - tonic water
rose water - limes - rose petals

Blackberry basil mojito
blackberries - basil - superfine sugar
limes - light rum - sparkling water

Spicy cider and cilantro margarita
lime - tequila - orange liqueur
hard apple cider - cilantro - jalapenos

Cider-Prosecco cocktail
hard apple cider - rosemary
Cognac - Prosecco wine

Warmed olives [oranges and bay leaf?]
mixed olives - olive oil - rosemary
thyme - bay leaves - oranges

Sunchoke soup with creme fraiche and marigolds [the ultimate in weird]
onions - sunchokes - bay leaves
thyme - half and half cream
heavy cream - nutmeg
creme fraiche - marigold petals - dill

Apple, fennel, and candied walnut Waldorf salad
apples - fennel - celery
walnuts - mayonnaise
parsley - radicchio

Warm mushroom toast with Port, herbs, and ricotta [really odd]
mixed mushrooms - thyme - rosemary
Port wine - sourdough bread
ricotta - arugula - pecorino

Roasted butternut squash cups with apple slaw [even weirder]
buttercup squash - nutmeg - shallots
rice wine vinegar - apples
maple syrup - thyme - arugula

Sweet and sour apple cider wings with cilantro
chicken wings - juniper berries
black peppercorns - bay leaves
apple cider (alcohol-free) - apple cider vinegar
ketchup - cilantro - lime

Fried rabbit with charred radicchio and mustard vinaigrette [definately unusual]
rabbit legs -rosemary - thyme
shallots - duck fat
seasoned rice wine vinegar with garlic
radicchio - pears

Rosemary-brined pork chops with apples, potatoes, and brandy
juniper berries - bay leaves
black peppercorns - pork chops
baby potatoes - rosemary
shallots - apples - Calvados

Slow-roasted pork picnic shoulder with cinnamon and rosemary [nice spicing]
rosemary - cinnamon - pork picnic shoulder

Apple cider-glazed duck
apple cider (alcohol-free) - honey
apple cider vinegar - chili powder
dried red pepper flakes
apple pie spice - apples;
shallots - whole duck
sage - onion

[Accompaniment: Parsnip puree]

A stew of moose with parsley dumplings [icky]
moose - shallots - bay leaves
oregano - basil - beer
celery -carrots - potatoes
frozen peas - flour - parsley

Rustic plum and honey pie with vanilla bean soured cream [strange, very strange]
flour - butter
sour cream - vanilla beans

Apple cider doughnuts
apple cider (alcohol-free)
flour - ground ginger - nutmeg
ground cinnamon - sugar - vegetable oil

Sweet nutmeg custard
milk - nutmeg
ground cinnamon - egg yolks

Caramelized pear and cornmeal skillet cake [twilight zone weird]
pears - flour
stone-ground cornmeal
butter - sugar - sour cream

Spiced squash chiffon pie [Kolchak the Night Stalker weird]
flour - butter - gelatin powder
evaporated milk - squash
nutmeg - ginger
cinnamon - ground cloves - heavy cream

Chicken liver mousse
applewood smoked bacon - chicken livers
shallots - Calvados - apples
thyme - allspice
heavy cream - apricot jam

Pork and chicken liver terrine
bacon - fatback - ground pork
shallots - heavy cream - Calvados
thyme - parsley - chicken livers
prunes - pistachio nuts

Winter kale Caesar with skillet croutons and duck egg [most definitely freaky]
white anchovies - duck egg yolks
pecorino - baby kale
bread - lemons

Chowder of sweet clams with shallots and fingerlings [woo its odd]
clams - baby potatoes
shallots - heavy cream - milk
lemons - parsley - dill

Fried oysters with root cellar slaw and horseradish mayonnaise
vegetable oil - oysters
semolina - flour
egg yolk - horseradish
beets - Chioggia beets
purple carrots - purple cabbage
shallots - herbs of your choice

Mignonette sauce
shallots - seasoned rice wine vinegar with garlic

Hibiscus mignonette
shallots - seasoned rice wine vinegar with garlic
dried hibiscus flowers

Scallop crudo with pickled shallots and lemon [odd]
shallots - jalapenos
seasoned rice wine vinegar with garlic
scallops - lemons

Seared scallops and grapefruit-fennel salad [seems like 1982 again]
fennel - grapefruits - shallots
mustard greens - sea scallops

Cod with rutabaga-vanilla bean puree and clementine relish [oh man]
cod fillets - rutabaga - heavy cream
butter - vanilla beans - clementines
thyme - shallot - rice wine vinegar

Clementine relish
clementines - thyme - shallots

Saturday night baked beans with New England brown bread
dried beans - salt pork
onions - ketchup - molasses
maple syrup - apple cider vinegar - dry mustard
light brown sugar - rye flour - cornmeal
milk - dark molasses - golden raisins

[Accompaniment: Apple, fennel, and candied walnut Waldorf salad]

Duck confit with celery root remoulade [oh boy]
garlic - shallots - herbes de Provence
duck legs - duck fat
mayonnaise - heavy cream
celery root - cornichons - parsley

Celery root remoulade
mayonnaise - heavy cream
celery root - cornichons - parsley

Dad's meatloaf with parsnip puree and root cellar slaw
ground beef - ground pork - carrots
shallots - pecorino - bread
thyme - ketchup
beets - Chioggia beets
purple carrots - purple cabbage
herbs of your choice - parsnips - heavy cream

Root cellar slaw
Chioggia beets
purple carrots- purple cabbage
herbs of your choice

Corned brisket New England dinner
pickling spice - garlic beef brisket
potatoes - carrots
turnips - green cabbage
parsley - cilantro - apple cider vinegar

Tea-brined duck breast with fried potato and warm lentil salad [wo0]
Lapsang Souchong - duck breasts
Puy lentils - bay leaves
shallots - garlic
baby potatoes - lemons
dill - ricotta salata cheese

Fried potato and warm lentil salad [freaky]
Puy lentils - bay leaves
shallots - garlic
baby potatoes
lemon - dill - ricotta salata cheese

Cast-iron chicken with roasted lemon and rosemary
whole chicken - juniper berries
bay leaves - black peppercorns
lemons - rosemary

Roasted cauliflower with olives and red pepper flakes
cauliflower - red pepper flakes
Kalamata olives - lemons - parsley

Cider-braised Brussels sprouts
bacon - Brussels sprouts - apple cider (alcohol-free)

Nanny's candied ginger-molasses cookies
flour - ginger - cinnamon
cloves - shortening - sugar
molasses - candied ginger

A glass of warm milk [oh oh]
milk - raw honey - nutmeg

Apricot and cardamom bread pudding
Sauternes wine - cardamom pod - vanilla beans
dried apricots - white bread - eggs
heavy cream - cinnamon
ground cardamom - maple syrup

Ricotta fritters with custard sauce and preserves
cinnamon - nutmeg
lemon - ricotta cheese
vegetable oil - fruit preserves
milk - heavy cream
vanilla bean - eggs

Frozen lemon terrine with pistachio brittle [icky!]
sugar - corn syrup
pistachio nuts - lemons
eggs - heavy cream

Chocolate tart with chocolate wafer crust
chocolate wafers - butter
dark chocolate chips - heavy cream

Gingerbread with salted caramel whipped cream
butter - flour
fresh ginger - ground ginger
ground cinnamon - ground cloves
molasses - sugar
heavy cream - Maldon salt

Salted caramel whipped cream [ooh that's strange]
heavy cream - Maldon salt

---

lots of strange crap in this one

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, simple recipes. I plan to try a few!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erin French grew up helping cook in her father's diner in a small town in Maine. French never went to culinary school, but between growing up cooking and cookbooks she became a self-taught chef. Now in this cookbook she shares some of her favorite recipes based on local, seasonal ingredients. Because not all of her local ingredients would be available everywhere, she gives possible substitutes where needed. Arranged by season, there are lots of recipes I'd like to try. Plus, there are lots of beautiful photographs of both the food and also her Maine landscape. Definitely a solid cookbook.

[Laura B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has beautiful photographs and I loved seeing pictures of the area and the food. The narration of her life and history of the restaurant was a great summary of her full memoir that I just read.
But I gave this a low rating of 3 because it would be difficult to use as a cookbook with the way it is organized into seasons rather than by category of food. And many of the ingredients would be hard to find for the average cook.

It does really make me want to experience Erin's restaurant. It sounds fabulous.

[Babs Wheelden]

It's all good, essential skills with excellent recipes, great photos, heartfelt.

[Weatherly Webb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Razor Clam Ceviche with From Scratch Saltines? Periwinkles? Although the food pictures are beautiful and I would be delighted to eat this food at her restaurant, these ingredients are hard to get or way too much work for a home chef. Also in the cover recipe, the picture has pieces of honeycomb in it but it just lists honey as an ingredient. This cookbook is a little too fussy for me.

[Nancy Noble · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book! So lyrical and fun to read - I was picking out in my mind what I would order if I ate at the Lost Kitchen, if I ever get the opportunity. Wonderful photographs and beautifully written. Well done!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous seasonal recipes created by a self-made chef and restauranteur from Maine. Her story is wonderful and the recipes (I've tried many) quite good without being complicated. Even if you don't like to cook, it's a wonderful book.

[Connie Harkness · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've used several of the recipes, and they have been very good.

[Nick Staples]

The Lost Kitchen is quite aptly named. The most obvious reason is its location in the middle of nowhere, Freedom, Maine, population 719. The second is its location in a restored 1830s mill, harboring the long history of industry in Maine within its walls. And lastly, the art of eating the products of the season has all but disappeared with the options to source tonight’s dinner internationally from your local grocery store.

Admittedly, sourcing the ingredients for a lot of the recipes are challenging without a combination of a local farm stand, farmers market, foraging skills, or owning your own farm. Wait, almost everyone has access to one of those…nevermind! The recipes are eccentric and refreshing, and Erin’s dedication to using the foods Maine provides, where and when it’s harvested, makes them even better! It’s a true celebration of Maine!

Things I didn’t know I could eat OR had just never eaten that I learned from this book:
- pea tendrils
- chive blossoms
- periwinkles
- quail eggs
- celery salt
- razor clams
- smelts
- dill fronds
- ramps
- fiddleheads (okay, I’ve had these, but leaving this out seems like robbery to Maine foragers)
- parsnips
- Maine shrimp
- semolina flour
- rhubarb
- mascarpone cheese
- squash blossoms
- marjoram
- golden beets
- young mustard greens
- milkweed shoots
- Queen Anne’s lace
- spruce tips
- purslane
- sunchokes
- dandelion greens
- sea rose
- day lilies
- juniper berries
- wild mustard beans
- rose hips
- tapenade
- nasturtiums

And this doesn’t even mention the classics: lobster, mussels, halibuts, maple syrup, and blueberry-based desserts!

[Paige Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful seasonal cookbook with a mix of simple and elegant dishes perfect for hosting dinner parties. Her story is thoughtfully woven into the headnotes and those stories inspire you to make the recipe even more.

Just whipped up the From Scratch Saltines, and although they were a bit tedious to roll out, cut, and bake, the flavor and texture is very reminiscent of oyster crackers / saltines (especially when you bake them until they are indeed a little toasty).

I've made the Sweet Parsnip Cake with Hazelnuts and Mascarpone and look forward to an abundance of parsnips so I can make it again.

I'm looking forward to cooking the Spinach Salad, Rhubarb Spoon Cake, Chamomile Creme Brulee, Sorbets for All Seasons, Squid Stuffed with Sausage, Pork Burgers with Grilled Peaches, Summer Berries with Ginger Cream Shortcakes, Fresh Blueberries with Basil Custard Cream, Sweet Nutmeg Custard, Scallop Crudo, Cod with Clementine Relish and Rutabaga Vanilla Puree, and the Tea Brined Duck.

I only wish there were gram measurements for the baking recipes.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the series on the Magnolia Network so I knew I needed her cookbook. If you live in Maine, almost all of the recipes will work in your kitchen including the ones for fresh seafood. If you, like me, live in the middle of the United States, a bunch of the recipes for vegetable dishes and desserts and meat main dishes will work. I’m very excited about her pear upside down cake where she also uses cornmeal as an ingredient. If you’re an experienced cook, you will also be able to do the fish dishes because you can substitute fish that is locally available. I really like how Erin uses herbs and other seasonings to put a twist on her food. I was also excited to get her cornflake fried chicken recipe I know I’m going to make that one first.

[Margie Adler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some cookbooks have good recipes made from great local ingredients by passionate, local chefs And they tell a darn good story. This one does just that. Erin French is a self-taught, self-made chef, restaurateur and a darn good storyteller. Her Lost Kitchen is just the kind of place you dream about happening upon in your travels. I’ll be spending the year cooking cooking my way through the seasons with these recipes, many with the twist of local ingredients from the local farmers and fisher-people in my tiny northern CA coastal community. From the the fish and lamb dishes to the foraged mushrooms and enticing desserts, this book is a prize. I recommend you join me in my quest to serve up as many Lost Kitchen recipes as authentically as I can.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered this author/chef after watching a little documentary piece on a recent flight. I love Maine, as well as her concept for her restaurant. I appreciated the details of her life and Maine and the use of fresh, local ingredients in the recipes, but the recipes themselves were not things I could see making. Am jotting down Macerated Shallot Vinaigrette though:
1 shallot, finely diced
2 Tbsp seasoned rice wine, or just enough to cover the shallots
1/4 cup olive oil
A couple twists of pepper
Combine shallots & vinegar and macerate for 20 minutes or overnight. Whisk in olive oil and pepper. Lasts a week but best within 24 hours.

[Peyton Hines · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best cookbook I have ever read. I’d recommend this book for new cooks; Erin goes into the basics and provides a wealth of practical knowledge that can lead you to create your own methods. In addition, it is organized by season — this will help you narrow costs related to the meals you cook. I will warn you that this is very New England - focused. Many of the ingredients are unavailable in other parts of the United States, but Erin typically provides a substitute.

The knowledge she provides (outside of the actual recipes) is enough to read this book time and time again. I recommend this to anyone new, poor, and ready to learn how to cook. Happy Cooking.

[Jodie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I happened to have been surfing the many channels on the tv and I saw this program. I was so intrigued that I watched the entire series and even got my family to watch an episode or two. I received The Lost Kitchen with a post card for Christmas. How sweet was that!! Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be a win. Will bring my book for an autograph. Loved the book, so warm and welcoming not tedious….it’s almost Rhubarb time getting excited about the Rhubarb Spoon Cake to satisfy my sweet tooth.

[Mary C · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Star cookbook in my eyes. Yes, I actively read the whole book, and can't await to start trying some of her fresh ideas for each season.I have seen quail eggs recently two places and couldn't imagine what to do with them, now I know. Erin suggests hard boiling them and having guest shell them and munch with a little sprinkle a celery salt on them while she is busy finishing up dinner details in the kitchen. Imagine your guests the first time they have them on your charcuterie board!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cookbook reminded me of Amy Thielen’s Midwestern cookbook. Lots of recipes using local ingredients and history. The main difference is organization: Thielen’s focus on meals while this book is by season, I appreciate the sentiment because in the midwest too we have to purchase in-season ingredients to cook. Still, some ingredients were too weird to find here. Still an interesting collection of local ingredient recipes.

[X · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overall enjoyable read.

I don't quite know what I expected coming into this, but I found a very thoughtful and evocative description of the author's life in the countryside and how she integrates foraging and local ingredients into her cooking.

Living on the other side of the world and in a city, it was really hard to imagine how to integrate many of her ideals and methods into my everyday cooking life, though.

Overall, this didn't quite make me yearn nor make me learn, thus I have to give it a rather middling rating.