"JaneGrigson" news and stories

I've always enjoyed reading cookbooks written by British cooks. There's something about the slight differences in vernacular and tone that makes the food seem brighter, more appealing and delicious than it appears to be in American writing. Jane Grigson is one of my favorite English food writers (I wrote about her Good Things book back in January), not only for her no-nonsense British wit, but also because she is deeply knowledgeable and really loved food.

Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book is a wonderful resource for anyone who cooks and eats vegetables (which means that everyone should really have a copy of this book on their shelves). Arranged alphabetically, it contains recipes for nearly every vegetable you can think of (because it was written in the UK, some of the veggies won't be where you think they should be. Look for Eggplant under Aubergine and Zucchini under Courgettes) and some you haven't ever thought of before. She doesn't just offer advice on how to prepare these foods, she also instructs on the way to grow or select the very best one.

Another nice thing about the Bison Books Edition (which is the one I have) is that there's an introduction written by food blogger/cookbook author Amy Sherman. She does a wonderful job of introducing Grigson to US readers who haven't heard of her and positions the book snugly into the local foods/Farmers' Market revival that is sweeping the country.

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I first heard of Jane Grigson in the pages of Laurie Colwin's Home Cooking. Colwin often references Grigson as the source of some of her most beloved and delicious recipes. Her affectionate description of the food in Good Things made me tuck it away in the section of my brain in which I store things I long to read and explore. I had the opportunity to browse the cookbook section of the main Powell's a couple of weeks ago and there it was, tucked away in the English cuisine section. I added it to my stack, internally crowing a little at my good fortune.

And good fortune it has been, as this is a wonderful book. Written in 1971, Grigson's voice is down to earth and helpful and her recipes are easy to follow. I also adore the way the book is organized. It is broken down into large sections that include Fish, Meat & Game, Vegetables, Fruit and a section simply entitled And...

Within each of those sections, the contents are further broken down into specific ingredients. There are a full ten pages of recipes devoted to carrots. That section begins with these words, "Carrots are sweet. And carrots are a beautiful colour. And they are cheap." How can you not fall in love with a cookbook that speaks that honestly and charmingly about this basic root vegetable? It might help slightly that I am somewhat partial to carrots.

As I looked around to see what other people have said about Good Things and Jane Grigson, I came across this blog entry. Written by a woman from the UK who has been cooking from this volume for years, the affection she feels for Grigson shines through readily. I hope you feel the same way if you happen to get your hands on a copy for yourself.

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