Farm and Garden Picks: The Long-Legged House

First published in 1969 and out of print for more than twenty-five years, The Long-Legged House was Wendell Berry's first collection of essays, the inaugural work introducing many of the central issues that have occupied him over the course of his career.


As he later wrote, “What I stand for is what I stand on,” and here we see him beginning the acts of rediscovery and resettling.

The Long-Legged House

by Wendell Berry

Counterpoint, 2012

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Review ~ Gin: A Global History

A history of the enigmatic liquor known as gin belongs as much in a library of herbal medicines as it does at the bar. Derived from the aromatic juniper berry, which has been a curative for all mannner of ills dating back to the ancient Egyptians, gin (or its more potent ancestor, genever) was being prescribed as a preventative for scurvy, headaches and other disorders more than 400 years ago.

"Where modern gin is essentially flavoured vodka, genever is headier stuff, having more in common with fine whisky than the clear-coloured aromatics of English gin," food writer Lesley Jacobs Solmonson explains.

Published in The Edible Series of Reaktion Books, Solmonson's history of the liquor cabinet staple is full of surprises and insights, covering the beverage's medicinal origins, the gin craze that hit Britain in the 18th century, its decline in popularity in the 20th century, and its recent renaissance.

The types of gin are compared and described, from London Dry’s juniper-forward Tanqueray or Beefeater to the more citrus-forward gins such as Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray 10 and the new craft gins like Hendrick’s and Aviation. A dozen or so classic cocktail recipes are included along with a brief directory of today's available gins.

Gin: A Global History

by Lesley Jacobs Solmonson

Reaktion Books, 2012

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Review: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Seed Saving and Starting

A major benefit of saving seed and starting plants from saved seed rather than seeds or plants that have been shipped from another location is it allows you to grow plants that are better adapted to local environmental conditions.

This growers' guide starts off with a primer on pollination, gathers together tips on harvesting and storing seeds, collects advice on germination, stores details on vegetables and flowering plants, and sows the inspiration to save and to cultivate.

"What it really all comes down to is the pleasure of working with seeds - harvesting them, storing  them, sowing them, and nurturing the tiny seedlings that grow from them," says garden writer Sheri Ann Richerson, who also authored The Complete Idiot's Guide to Year-Round Gardening and 101 Organic Gardening Tips.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Seed Saving and Starting
by Sheri Ann Richerson
Alpha, 2012

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Farm and Garden Book List Addition: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Seed Saving and Starting

Mouthwatering heirlooms, exciting hybrids, sensational herbs, colorful flowers - you dream of a garden overflowing with vibrant, healthy plants. Turn your dream garden into reality with seeds you save and start yourself.

With easy ideas on harvesting, storing, sowing, and nurturing your seeds into flourishing plants, this helpful guide gives you a sure path from start to success.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Seed Saving and Starting

by Sheri Ann Richerson

Alpha, 2012

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The Best in Books: Tinkers

At the time Paul Harding’s Tinkers won the Pulitzer Prize in 2010 it had only sold about 1,120 copies, according to Publisher's Weekly

. Since then, more than 360,000 trade paperback copies have been purchased.

"The weekly spike is also astounding: in the week before the announcement, Tinkers sold only 40 copies. The next week, immediately following its Pulitzer victory, it sold 1,042 copies, doubling its total sales in a seven-day span. The following week, sales continued to climb, reaching 6,131 copies, and weekly sales remained steady around 5,000 until January 2011, 10 months after it won the Pulitzer," the trade magazine reports.

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Now Reading: The Nature Principle

Now reading with the Outrider Reading Group ~
The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age by Richard Louv

In this new book, Richard Louv presents a compelling case that the time has come to re-envision a future that taps into the restorative powers of the natural world.

Dubbed "The New Nature Movement," this future-oriented emphasis on environmentalism and sustainability challenges all of us to make changes to the way we live.

Louv presents evidence that exposure to and cooperation with nature can boost mental acuity and creativity, promote health and wellness, build smarter and more sustainable businesses, and strengthen human bonds.

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Review: Neurogastronomy

Why do we like or even crave certain foods and avoid others?

Named and defined by the author, a Yale neurobiologist studying how the brain creates images of smells, "neurogastronomy" is a new science of eating that focuses on food favors.

Drawing on brain studies and food studies, this book explains the new field of investigation and how it holds "the promise of putting healthy eating on a new scientific basis."

A key premise of this book is that "humans have a much more highly developed sense of flavor because of the complex processing that occurs in the large human brain." Gordon Shepherd dismisses the idea that foods hold flavor as a common misconception and asserts that while foods contain molecules, the flavor of those molecules is actually created in our brains.

Neurogastronomy 

How the Brain Creates Flavor and Why It Matters

by Gordon M. Shepherd

Columbia University Press, 2011

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