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From the Earth: World's Great, Rare and Almost Forgotten Vegetables
2019 James Beard Award Nominee From the Earth is a celebration of approximately 50 unique and exotic heirloom vegetables and plants through the seasons. Some the author grows himself in his experimental home garden, while others come from suppliers he has developed close and lasting relationships with over his 15 years as executive chef at Quay restaurant in Sydney, Australia.
The book includes full-color photography by Brett Stevens alongside botanical illustrations heroing each vegetable, as well as key information (family group; history and origin; traditional cooking uses; growing conditions; anecdotal stories; and why the author loves them!) and a recipe inspired by the vegetable.
The recipes range from very simple – about the cooking technique with little adornment – to more complex dishes that may feature at Peter's restaurants Bennelong or Quay. All are approachable and achievable in the home kitchen. The key, always, is celebrating the organic beauty of the vegetables and allowing them to shine. In the chef's 'Simplicity is key, with a little bit of complexity thrown in'.
Recipes include Fried puntarelle chicory, Kyoto red carrot salad (sheep's milk feta, smoked almond, sherry caramel), Slow braised roveja peas (fermented mushroom and black garlic purée) and Slow cooked galeux d' eysines pumpkin (aged comte cream, truffle).
In addition, the book profiles, in words and pictures, chef Gilmore's home garden and the evolution of his now abiding passion for it, as well as a handful of his most loyal growers and seed suppliers.
The book includes full-color photography by Brett Stevens alongside botanical illustrations heroing each vegetable, as well as key information (family group; history and origin; traditional cooking uses; growing conditions; anecdotal stories; and why the author loves them!) and a recipe inspired by the vegetable.
The recipes range from very simple – about the cooking technique with little adornment – to more complex dishes that may feature at Peter's restaurants Bennelong or Quay. All are approachable and achievable in the home kitchen. The key, always, is celebrating the organic beauty of the vegetables and allowing them to shine. In the chef's 'Simplicity is key, with a little bit of complexity thrown in'.
Recipes include Fried puntarelle chicory, Kyoto red carrot salad (sheep's milk feta, smoked almond, sherry caramel), Slow braised roveja peas (fermented mushroom and black garlic purée) and Slow cooked galeux d' eysines pumpkin (aged comte cream, truffle).
In addition, the book profiles, in words and pictures, chef Gilmore's home garden and the evolution of his now abiding passion for it, as well as a handful of his most loyal growers and seed suppliers.
248 pages, Hardcover
Published October 16, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 10, 2023
This large, sumptuous coffee table book would be an excellent gift for slow food connoisseurs and heirloom vegetable aficionados. The author, executive chef at two inner-city Sydney restaurants, and a keen gardener, shares his enthusiasm for interesting and unusual vegetables, and introduces us to some growers.
About 50 vegetables are featured. Each vegetable is honoured with an elegant photo, a story about its origins, growing and culinary uses, then a gourmet recipe and stylish photo of the dish. Some are not so unusual, like daylily, elephant garlic scapes or Oxheart tomatoes, but others I’d never heard of: pin-striped peanuts, black chick peas or the Gagon cucumber, for example (the latter looks similar to a Sikkim cucumber).
The only thing missing from this book was a contents list for an overview and easy navigation. I have to confess I haven't tried any of the recipes, and can't imagine propping up this oversized hardback in my kitchen!
About 50 vegetables are featured. Each vegetable is honoured with an elegant photo, a story about its origins, growing and culinary uses, then a gourmet recipe and stylish photo of the dish. Some are not so unusual, like daylily, elephant garlic scapes or Oxheart tomatoes, but others I’d never heard of: pin-striped peanuts, black chick peas or the Gagon cucumber, for example (the latter looks similar to a Sikkim cucumber).
The only thing missing from this book was a contents list for an overview and easy navigation. I have to confess I haven't tried any of the recipes, and can't imagine propping up this oversized hardback in my kitchen!
October 8, 2020
Purchase From the Earth here for just $20!
What a beautiful cookbook! From the Earth is Peter Gilmore’s fresh take on vegetable cultivation and cookery. Included with each recipe is a wonderful bit of info of the vegetable and gorgeous photographs. This book will certainly impact on how you serve vegetables in your household.
Alicia, The Book Grocer
What a beautiful cookbook! From the Earth is Peter Gilmore’s fresh take on vegetable cultivation and cookery. Included with each recipe is a wonderful bit of info of the vegetable and gorgeous photographs. This book will certainly impact on how you serve vegetables in your household.
Alicia, The Book Grocer
December 9, 2018
Vegetable information good. Seed sources great. Photography wonderful. Recipes utterly silly.
February 21, 2019
This is a lushly photographed book. This is about rare/heirloom vegetables. The photography is amazing. There is a short description and then a (generally) fancy recipe. This is a book to look at.
October 17, 2019
More thought was put into the design of this book than the content. And yet, it's annoyingly huge, making it even more frustrating. Love the concept, learned a couple things, but hate the execution.
June 5, 2024
Fascinating review of rare vegetables, their history, tips how to grow, with chef-level recipes by author (Australian chef) included. Will probably change the face of my garden - next year!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews