Alana Chernila

Alana Chernila sounds like a woman I’d love to befriend. She’s open, hard-working, with amazing progressive values. She’s a selectman in Western Massachusetts and a wonderful mom to her two girls; she teaches cheesemaking and helps oversee the local farmers’ market. She makes her granola, catsup, salsa, candy, bread, pesto, soups, vanilla extract and cakes from scratch, naturally, but she doesn’t stop there. Chernila makes her own ricotta, crème fraiche, Pop-Tarts, veggie burgers, show more lavender chamomile tea, pasta dough, tortillas, crackers, marshmallows, Oreos and Twinkies. Yes, I just typed Twinkies and Oreos. She’s more amazing than Martha Stewart and Julia Child combined; I’m usually sarcastic, but I’m being dead serious. I have no end of admiration for her, especially with a job, two young daughters, a husband and an important elected position.

I cannot give a rating to this book, but you know if this is a five-star book for you. But even if you’re a slovenly klutz like me, this is definitely a three-star book. I’m never going to make my own cream cheese, buttermilk, catsup, pasta, vanilla, yogurt, tortillas, crackers or Oreos (which I don’t even like!), but Chernila has encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and stretch my cooking and save money and the earth. I wish I knew her in real life, and I wish every cook at the intermediate level or above would give this book a look. show less

I ordered my own copy before I even finished reading the copy I borrowed from the library.

Although it's not as extensive as [b:Make the Bread, Buy the Butter: What You Should and Shouldn't Cook from Scratch -- Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods|11510733|Make the Bread, Buy the Butter What You Should and Shouldn't Cook from Scratch -- Over 120 Recipes for the Best Homemade Foods|Jennifer Reese|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348419211s/11510733.jpg|16446748], nor as hilarious show more (although the subtitles and back stories are amusing), Chernila is much more laid back in her approach to making things from scratch.

I plan to make many of her recipes, including ketchup, hamburger buns, chai, crackers and pancake mix. show less

Everyone says “Eat more vegetables,” but cookbooks that focus on vegetables can be so frustrating. Often they feature complex recipes, running with the assumption everyone knows how to roast a green bean. More often, they feature unusual vegetables and ingredients that require a trip to one or more specialty markets. Alana Chernila, the author of Eating from the Ground Up, gives us a much more prosaic, and thus more useful, cookbook.

She assumes nothing, reviewing vegetable shopping and show more storage tips and the basic flavor combinations with vegetables, fat, salt, acid, and dairy, These basics are a solid introduction and lead into an opening chapter of simple, basic recipes that show respect for the ingredients. With two to five ingredients, these are the best kind of recipes with minimum fuss and maximum flavor.

The recipes are clearly written and explained. If there is a complex recipe, such as one for galettes, it is broken down into components that keep it clear, simple, and never overwhelming. The photos are beautiful and drool-worthy, though not every recipe is illustrated. This is a cookbook that can be enjoyed by a novice cook as well as an experienced one.

Chernila writes with a casual, friendly voice. She introduces her recipes with useful information about the featured vegetable that is honest and direct. For example, she writes that butternut squash needs our help. Boy does it ever! Another example of her directness and honesty, she tells readers they only need to plant one zucchini plant. Ain’t that the truth?

There is a lot to like in Eating from the Ground Up. I love that the recipes are realistic for home cooks. There are recipes that can be cooked from what is already at hand without a shopping trip required. I like the simplicity of many of the recipes. So many vegetables are best when simply roasted with olive oil, salt, and perhaps an herb or spice and Chernila is not afraid to keep it simple, suggesting the perfect spice to bring out the fullest flavor of a simple dish.

How chefs organize their recipes always fascinates me. So few organize their recipes as I would and Chernila is no different. She opens with a chapter full of simple recipes. Then she has a chapter of soup recipes. This is followed by two seasonal chapters for hot weather and cool weather. Her last chapter focuses on entertaining dishes you can eat with your hands. I prefer more structured organization, such as kind of dish (side dish, entree, salad, soup, or dessert), or type of meal (breakfast, lunch, tea, snack, dinner), or by season. I know where to look without the index. However, at the end of the book, there is an index and a very useful listing of recipes by vegetable.

I received a copy of Eating from the Ground Up from Blogging for Books

Eating from the Ground Up at Penguin Random House | Clarkson Potter
Alana Chernila Eating From the Ground Up cooking blog

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpress.com/2018/03/09/9780451494993/ show less

I love, love, love this book. Oh, sure, I wanted it, I asked for it as a gift... I thought I would like it well enough but I didn't expect to love it like I do. The author's voice, the glimpses into her life and the creation of each recipe struck just the right chord and went straight to my heart.