Weekend Book Reviews

From the Farmhouse Kitchen by Dawn Stoltzfus and Carol Falb features seasonal recipes from the mother daughter pair.  The book also has stories and several faith based sections.  I appreciated that the recipes use basic ingredients that can be found at almost any grocery store.  I marked several recipes that I thought my family would enjoy such as the fruited tapioca and the slow cooker Philly steak sandwiches.  The only downside to this book is the lack of pictures.  I would have appreciated seeing a few of the finished recipes at least.

Matthew Biggs' Grow Something Different to Eat covers a variety of crops from fruiting vegetables to herbs to fruit.  My list of things to grow in the garden has grown since reading this book.  I appreciated the in depth growing information and the cook's tips on how to eat these unusual items.  I found some of my favorite suppliers in the resource section and discovered a few new ones.  I can hardly wait to add honeyberry and goji berries to my garden.  I got some good information on cucamelons, which I already grow in my garden.  This book is full of useful information.  Beware though!  You will probably need to expand your garden after you read it.

The Life of Death by Ralph R Rossell is a look at his time in the funeral business.  The book is a collection of stories that range from funny to sad to shocking.  It was not at all morbid.  I expected to enjoy the book, but I loved it more than I imagined.  I found myself stopping over and over to tell my husband "listen to this".  I then noticed he was repeating the stories to others later on.  This is easily one of the best books I have read this year!

disclosure:  I received these e-books through NetGalley but was not otherwise compensated for these reviews.  All opinions are my own!