Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life

By Jamie Oliver
Hyperion, 2008
Nonfiction, Cooking

This beautiful book by famed chef Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef)
celebrates simplicity in cooking, with an emphasis on home-grown
fresh produce and seasonal ingredients. The book's foreword,
written by the author, is an ode to his garden, and one of the most
unique aspects of this gorgeously produced book is Oliver's tips
on growing and harvesting your own fruits and vegetables. Jamie
at Home is divided into four sections, one for each season, with
each focusing on the different types of produce available during
the year. Oliver's recipes usually hone in on three to four basic
seasonal ingredients that create light, fresh entrees, appetizers,
desserts and drinks. For example, the book opens with "Spring,"
including recipes for dishes centered around asparagus, eggs,
lamb and rhubarb along with other ingredients. Full-color photos
on matte paper include finished dishes, Oliver in his garden, and
luscious fruits and vegetables in all their fresh-picked glory. His
tastes may not be for everyone - his "Autumn" chapter includes
information on hunting and preparing your own furred or feathered
game and there are some recipes more British than not ("bubble
and squeak, anyone?'). However, his attitude toward food and the
joy behind producing your own is a welcome one for fans of the
"Slow Food" movement or anyone who wishes to enjoy Oliver's
very tasty approach to living the good life.

Why You Should Read This Book: Serious eaters - and

gardeners - will find a feast for the senses in this down-to-earth(y)
cookbook. In addition to the recipes and gardening tips, Jamie
Oliver also thoughtfully includes a directory to his favorite types of
seed and plant varieties (in the "Useful Stuff" section in the back)
as well as resources where you can find them as well as organic
fertilizers, custom-built henhouses, copper Austrian garden tools
and other accoutrements for living the good life.