This book has been in my “to review” pile for quite some time; it came out more than a year ago. Written by Susan Clemente of Spring Lake, who also did the photography, this book is a delight for anyone with the slightest interest in cooking local in Michigan.
When reading cookbooks, sometimes it’s tempting to skip the introductory chapters and head right for the recipe sections. After all, it’s the lists of ingredients and photos of food that get most cookbook fancier’s juices flowing. However, while the recipes are fine, I found the introductory chapters much more interesting.
They include such topics as why one would want to eat locally from small scale farmers; what terms like organic and pastured mean and what to look for; information on fish that’s local to Michigan; Michigan’s crops (including a handy reference chart that shows when things are in season), and lots of resource listings.
The recipe section is divided into the following sections: small plates, soups, pasta & pizza, protein, sweets. While the recipes look delicious, they are not overwhelming for beginning cooks.
Overall, Michigan’s Guide to Local Cooking is a nice homage to our fair state. To find out where to buy it locally, or to learn more about the book, visit http://www.michigansguidetolocalcooking.com/
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