Liana Krissoff

I got a fab new cookbook for Christmas: Whole Grains for a New Generation, by Liana Krissoff. This is the young woman who did such a great job with Canning for a New Generation, one of my absolutely favorite recipe books, for both recipes used for canning and recipes for using what gets canned (could that be a more awkward sentence--ha!). In the canning book she has a lovely sense of humor that I'm not seeing so much of in this one; however, if a person is looking for excellent recipes using show more whole grains, this is the book. The book is filled with beautiful colored photographs of the food. And excellent explanations about the grains and how to use them (who knew millet was the "filler" used in birdseed and can be cooked with cauliflower to make something that's better-tasting than mashed potatoes?). Do you know how to make almond milk--and better yet, what to do with it?

The recipes in this book are definitely "out there" and are not for the faint of heart. I would say they are also for those who are comfortable in the kitchen and who like spending time there--in other words, for those who like to cook. In my earlier life, I would have been attracted to but also put off by the recipes in this cookbook; however, I find that as other things in my life drop away, I feel a stronger pull towards spending a lot more time in the kitchen. I also have all the kitchen tools I need, which of course is a big help. For example, if she tells you to use a non-reactive saucepan for the spicy red-tomato chutney, then yes, you really need to use a non-reactive saucepan.

In a perfect world, I would have had a mother like Krissoff's. I love her stories of how these recipes came about, like the time she took her visiting family to a funky semi-vegetarian cafe in Louisville, Kentucky and they ordered a dish called "A Thousand and One Lentils." Krissoff writes: "I'm thankful that my mom had the foresight to take notes {typical of her mother, if you read the other recipes in this book and the canning book}. What follows is her rendition, made many times since the Kentucky days, and it may well be the most comforting, satisfying meal in this book"--1,001 Lentils and Brown Basmati Rice with Cucumber-Tomato Salad. Her mother (and grandmother) sounds like a gem, and they taught her well--and here she is, passing it all along to those of us whose mothers thought "cooking" was heating up a Swanson frozen pot pie. Thank you, Liana (and your mother and grandmother)! show less

My sister-in-law earns an A+ for this birthday gift, largely because she had no idea I had this book on my wishlist; we were recently talking about my new desire to try canning, and so for my birthday she bought me canning supplies and Krissoff's beautiful book - only to realize later I had it tagged on Amazon.

I have not yet had the opportunity to try any of the recipes, so I don't feel that I can give the book a proper rating, but I wanted to share my initial response to Canning for a New show more Generation as a straightforward text.

First of all, the book as a whole is visually pleasing. In my limited experience I have found that some cookbooks are either too cramped or use too much white space, but this particular book has an excellent layout with easy-to-follow text and clear directions. The images that are included are very enticing.

Secondly, I am thrilled with the organization of the book as a whole. Krissoff breaks her recipes down into seasons to make the best of good, fresh produce, and to share ideas for canning throughout the entire year. Each season is then broken down into fruits and vegetables, making it easy to navigate even if you choose not to use the table of contents.

Thirdly, Krissoff includes recipes in each seasonal chapter that use the canned goods described! This is another winning feature of the book, and a great advantage for a novice such as I. Sure, I want to learn canning, and I want to try all sorts of new and wonderful things ... but what do I do with all of these preserves once I have them sitting smugly on my shelf? Krissoff provides some ideas, and everything seems perfectly scrumptious.

In her introduction Krissoff describes her methods for choosing the recipes she includes - some of which are family favorites, and others are of her own invention - and one of the key requirements seems to be ease of preparation. All of the recipes are for water bath canning, and all are for foods with a high acid content, which apparently means there is no risk of botulism.

Now I can't wait for spring and summer produce to start rolling in so I can start my canning adventure! show less

I think this girl's life somewhat mirrors mine -- I always helped with the garden but stayed out of the way for canning. Now I find myself with a garden and the desire for fresh food in the winter. This is an easy read and helps you see that canning isn't difficult at all. Thanks Liana for helping me can my first batch of tomato sauce ever!

Amazing book. The author has a great sense of humor and good taste. The recipes are all for water bath canning so you need no special equipment to get started. I love how not only are there recipes to can, but also recipes to use the things you canned. Really glad I bought this one!