Rosehips On A Kitchen Table

The latest book I've been asked to review is Rosehips on a Kitchen Table by Carolyn Caldicott. This book has recently been published by Frances Lincoln (www.franceslincoln.com , @Frances_Lincoln).

Subtitled Seasonal Recipes For Foragers & Foodies, the book looks at ways to turn foraged and unusual ingredients as well as gluts into delicious meals and desserts, as well as jams, jellies, chutneys, pickles, pesto and cordials.

The book is divided in to different sections:- Rich Pickings, Gleaning, Grow Your Own, Gluts and What On Earth Can I Do With This? I particularly like the fact that not only does the book cater for the forager, but also for people who grow their own.

Each ingredient is introduced with information about it and tips on how to use, cook and eat it.

This is followed by several recipes where the featured ingredient is the star of the show.

I was pleased to find wild garlic featured in the Gleaning section. This grows in abundance in my local wood, though I've never used it before. The recipe for Wild Garlic Dauphinoise may just tempt me to give it a try, it looks delicious.

The Grow Your Own section covers such things as rhubarb, sorrel, chard and chillies, amongst others. The Chilli and Cider Mussels recipe may just encourage me to grow chillies again, I have a penchant for mussels.

Gluts covers such things as strawberries, runner beans and the thing we all must have been overrun with at one time or another, courgettes. It's good to have some new recipes to have a go at when the gluts return.

The What on Earth do I do with This? chapter is a very good idea. Vegetables such as beetroot and brussels sprouts are featured as well as fruit such as gooseberries and quince. Some of these things get a bad press, but it's probably because we just don't know any enticing recipes to use them in. Take brussels sprouts, boiling or steaming is as far as I go with them, but Creamy Brussels Puree With Walnuts, or Brussels Stir-Fry With Ginger, Cumin and Chilli sounds much more appetising.

All in all, this is a very nice little book which looks at over twenty ingredients and contains over fifty recipes. I wouldn't try all the recipes covered but I'd certainly have a go at some of them.

The publishers are offering a copy of this book as a giveaway prize, so if you'd like to be in with a chance of winning it, just leave a comment on this post before twelve noon on Tuesday the 25th of February 2014, after which, a name will be drawn at random. Please note that this giveaway is open to UK/EU only and that I will be passing on the winner's name and address details to the publishing company in order for them to send out your prize.

To order Rosehips on a Kitchen Table at the discounted price of £7.99 including p&p* (RRP: £9.99), telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG97. 

Alternatively, send a cheque made payable to: 

LBS Mail Order Department, Littlehampton Book Services, PO Box 4264, Worthing, West Sussex, BN13 3RB. 

Please quote the offer code APG97 and include your name and address details. 

*UK ONLY - Please add £2.50 if ordering from overseas.