Apples for Jam is a celebration. The book is filled with recipes that are not only comfort food, but also recipes that express an appetite for life. In the short introduction, the author conjures a world of life lived in the moment and a child’s perspective of wonderment and joy. The author offers recipes that indulge pleasure. She also offers her own childhood memories in brief stories through out the book, as well as beautiful photos that celebrate the details of every day life. The book is filled with recipes that show a mother's mastery of ingredients and the anticipation of childhood whim. Remember those magical appearances of your favorite foods at just the right time? Our author does too, and she does so with love and reverie.
The book foregoes the tradition structure of Appetizers, Vegetables, Meats, Desserts, and is creatively grouped according to color. These chapters function as a treasure hunt, and the reader is urged to discover new and old favorites. Jams, Pastas, Sorbets, Chicken and Meringue show up side by side in the same chapter. The recipes are easy to follow, use few ingredients and are all thoroughly enticing. The author’s global vagabond childhood is represented in the recipes offered, though since she is currently raising a family in Italy, we are treated to a beautiful repertoire of Italian comfort food for children and adults alike. This books offers recipes to satisfy children who have been doing cartwheels and somersaults all day, who have been existing in their imaginations, their bodies and the magic of each moment. Parents who remember the joy of childhood will happily roam these pages and feed their families with food that both nourishes and indulges.
Recipes:
Rosehip semolina puddings
Winter squash pizza
Roast rack of pork with fennel and honey
Orange juice and olive oil cake with pine nuts
Greek yogurt with condensed milk and oranges
Chicken sautéed with cheese and milk
Beet gnocchi
Spinach and ricotta cannelloni
Lemon rice puddings with roasted peaches
Cottage Pie
The photographs by Manos Chatzikonstantis throughout are a delight. Styled by Michail Touros with Art Direction by Lisa Greenberg and Illustrations by the Mice, the book is as captivating to look at as the recipes are enticing to make.
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