The Kitchen Ecosystem: Integrating Recipes to Create Delicious Meals

I wish I had read the reviews before I bought the book, because I would have looked for it at the library and saved myself the money. Some of the recipes are ones I would use but many probably not - kids and husband would eat some (to be polite and respectful of the time, effort and money required) but decline to add it to our menu rotation. The idea of using everything is not new - those of us who grew up in the demographic of Depression-era parents are already fully aware of the sin of wasting anything. We also ate the meat off the chicken, turned the bones and skin into stock and used the leftover vegetables and meat for casseroles and soup. I thought everyone cooked that way. (Or were lucky enough to marry into families with sharecropper parents/grandparents who ate food fresh, canned and preserved for later, used the scraps for other meals or fed them to the pigs/cow, and composted the rare remains for the family garden). However, not all of us live that way anymore. And though I have two refrigerators and a full size freezer, I'm not sure I've got the space to keep everything. And while I no longer work outside the home, I still have two boys living at home who keep me busy.The pictures are beautiful, some of the recipes are keepers and I enjoyed the book as a reference, but if I wish I had read the reviews before I bought it. It's really more slanted to aspirational cooks who have access to CSAs and farmers markets. If you can find it on your library shelves, borry or interlibrary loan first. And while you're there, look for Amy Dacycyzn's book The Complete Tightwad Gazette". While you may not agree with all of her philosphy she does go into the concept of using what you have completely.I bought it, have read it and will keep it. It just won't sit next to Joy of Cooking and Americas Test Kitchen on my kitchen bookcase, it will join the others in the library.

The most disappointing thing about this book is that I didn't think to write it myself! Eugenia Bone has brilliantly outlined for home cooks a great path to making the most of seasonal ingredients at their peak. Where some books focus on cooking with seasonal produce, and others on preserving it. Eugenia provides recipes that allow the cook to enjoy some peak season produce at its pinnacle of ripeness and preserve some for later use. The author further expands upon this to provide recipes to actually put those preserves to use and even lists some creative recipes for "scraps" like corn husks that typically are tossed in the compost (or trash) heap. One huge pro of this book over others for preserving is Eugenia's focus on small batch preserves, a jar or two is typically all I want or need of a given preserved fruit or veggie and it makes for an easy afternoon canning session as opposed to a full day labor of putting up cans upon cans of peaches or tomatoes. I love the diagrams that Eugenia provides at the onset of each mini chapter that allow the user to visualize how they can best put their market find to use. What a great book, Bravo!

I love the fresh, new-again approach to wise and creative cooking and meal planning.This is a unique cookbook that teaches and inspires you how to manage your meals and encourages you to make it your own using your preferred foods and recipes. While her recipes are very well written and complex enough to be delicious, many are not for me. There are about 6 mussel recipes, many gourmet mushroom recipes, oso buco etc. But also many that look amazing. I haven't tried any yet, but am looking forward to it.Ms. Bones also includes instructions on preserving, picking, smoking, drying, cordials etc. and recipe techniques.

This is for us. How many times have you gotten overly excited by some particularly lovely offering at the farmer's market, brought it home and said 'What am I going to do with all this?'I should probably have given this five stars but I've only just gotten the book and haven't had much time to try out more than a few of the recipes. The ones I have tried have been great.Plus the whole thrust of the book satisfies my love of process and using things well.

So glad I ordered this cookbook..Excellent!!

I am really enjoying this book! I especially like the way the author offers multiple uses for each master recipe. These are tasty looking recipes I'm likely to actually maje. I live in a community near hers and love her ideas for the fruits, vegetables and meats that are raised in our area.

I love this cookbook because she shows how to create what my friend Marion calls a "continuous kitchen", where one can create a meal, while planning for the next 3 courses at the same time. Create a meal, preserve some, dry some and create stock for the next meal. Very well done, Eugenia. Thank you.

Bought for my mom and she says its the best book and worth the money

Eugenia presents us with a practical and "old school" understanding that nothing should be wasted. What a concept in our throwaway fast food culture! She is in love with what she does. Someone to admire and to emulate. Good on ya!