Organic Cook's Bible: How to Select and Cook the Best Ingredients on the Market »

JEFF COX was an editor of Organic Gardening throughout the 1970s, when that magazine led the fledgling organic movement from a fringe idea to a mainstream lifestyle choice with a following of millions. He's written seventeen books and countless magazine articles about organic produce, gardening, and wine, and serves as a national judge for the James Beard Foundation's annual awards. He has hosted public television's Your Organic Garden and Grow It! on HGTV.

The most comprehensive, authoritative organic foods guide available



Flavorful, nutritious meals begin with flavorful, nutritious ingredients. They also begin with knowledge. If you want to learn about and enjoy the benefits of organic foods, this book is an essential resource that will make it easier to "go organic" by helping you "know organic."

Covering fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, spices, and more, The Organic Cook's Bible expertly addresses the what, where, when, how, and why of choosing and using more than 150 types of organic foods. It includes:
* Easy-to-find entries, organized alphabetically within categories
* Information on selection, storage, nutrition, uses, and preparation
* More than 150 color photos for easy identification
* A special section listing 900 top varieties of organic produce
* A useful list of organic food suppliers and organizations


"This is an amazing book! Jeff brings together the essentials of gardening and cooking with delicious, approachable recipes and a discussion of what it means to eat in an ethical, sustainable, and healthy manner—and manages not to be preachy. It's a great read for those just beginning to explore good food as well as old pros."
—John Ash, chef, food and wine educator, and author of the award-winning book John Ash Cooking One on One

"The Organic Cook's Bible is a fantastic resource to guide both home and professional cooks through a greater understanding of what to consider when using organics."
—Jesse Z. Cool, owner of jZcool Eatery and Catering Company and other restaurants and author of six cookbooks, including YourOrganic Kitchen

"The Organic Cook's Bible is a great book and an important tool to spread the good news of organics and inspire us all in the kitchen."
—Ronnie Cummins, National Director, Organic Consumers Association

Publishers Weekly

Cox (Cellaring Wine), a veteran organic gardener, provides an encyclopedic guide to organic ingredients from fruits and vegetables to meats and dairy products, plus "kitchen staples" like coffee, bouillon and flour. Unlike most reference books, his is filled with personal touches: sidebars like "My Favorite Cherries" and "Keep an Eye Out for Black Walnuts" tell about Cox's encounters with foods, and even within the technical portions of the entries-which give information on nutrition, seasonality, storage, preparation and so on, as well as brief, fascinating histories of a food's cultivation-Cox often takes a personal approach. There are recipes using nearly every ingredient, most prepared simply to highlight a particular flavor, as in potent Rosemary Pesto, but others incorporate a food into heartier fare, like Caraway-Infused Pork. Though Cox's frequent pauses to extol organic food's virtues are of the preaching-to-the-choir variety, his abundant, knowledgeable advice on how to find and use the best products, and his presentation of special varieties of the ingredients make this a helpful resource for shoppers who are both bewildered and excited by the offerings in an ever-expanding field. Color photos not seen by PW. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Acknowledgements.

Introduction.

How This Book is Organized.

Discovering Organic Food.

Why Go Organic?

Talking with Farmers.

Vegetables.

Fruits.

Nuts, Seeds, Beans, and Grains.

Herbs and Spices.

Meats, Dairy, and Eggs.

Kitchen Staples.

Top Varieties of Organic Produce.

Recipes by Category. 

Sources.

Bibliography.

Index.