Decisions, decisions… I have a Powell’s gift certificate burning a hole in my pocket and I think this weekend is the one to spend it. I’m in a funk and nothing says instant-happiness than some good materialistic fulfillment. The seeds are still sprouting on my record player, so my vinyl can’t take the funk away.
A few months ago I added a new book to our ever expanding collection called the Produce Bible. I haven’t given it a fair shot yet, since I got it in late Fall, but I am having buyers remorse a little. There was another one sitting next to it packed full of smart recipes, but I got suckered into the staff recommendation and pretty pictures inside the Produce Bible.
But going back to buy the book I passed over raises the question: at what point do I stop buying cookbooks? Seriously, I am not even 30 yet and I already have about 50 cookbooks that I can’t part with. Several for sentimental reasons: I have the same edition of the cookbook my Mom made all our meals from growing up (including all her handwritten notes I duteously copied from her edition to mine), a copy of the cookbook my grandparents received from their wedding 65 years ago, etc.
I am pondering the Old Farmer’s Almanac. I always hear little pieces of advice, like “plant your peas before President’s Day”, that seem so simple and practical. Several seem to come from this book. What other wonderful treasures of advice lie awaiting inside?
Or is there a fabulous book on preserving or building a root cellar that I have yet to discover? More importantly, do I honestly need the project of building a root cellar right now? I don’t even know what that entails, but it sounds cool.
I would love recommendations if you have any to share! Otherwise I may end up wandering the halls of a full city block of books aimlessly for hours. Which, in itself, actually sounds pretty fun on a gray, rainy weekend.
Hi Renee,
I stumbled upon a book recently from the Bountiful Gardens website called Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables by Mike & Nancy Bubel. I also got a book from them called Preserving Summer’s Bounty: A quick and easy guide to freezing, canning, preserving & drying what you grow, edited by Susan McClure. The Bubels are supposed to be the experts on root cellaring and the other book has a section on how to root cellar your food, not actually how to build your root cellar.
If you end up with the Farmer’s Almanac, I’d love to hear what you think of it. I’ve always wondered if it is worth purchasing.
We just purchased a new property up here in Seattle with a huge 1000 sq. foot veggie bed and a what seems like a small orchard. LOTS to learn on top of what little I already know!
Good luck at Powell’s – such a fabulous Portland establishment.
Claire