Product Description

'What we like most is to produce foods ourselves from start to finish -- from farm to table, the Riverford way. Food should tell a story and, because we know what it is, we can tell you.' Guy Watson began farming at Riverford in 1985 on three acres of land on the Watson family farm based in Staverton, South Devon. With the land fully converted to organic status in 1987, Guy began delivering his vegetables to local shops, including his brother's farm shops. With a locally successful box scheme, home delivery was the next logical step, with local distributors setting up to operate the home delivery box scheme in individual locations, with all the vegetables being packed at Riverford Farm. Riverford has now become one of the country's largest independent growers, certified by the Soil Association. This book charts the rise of Riverford and ethical eating, the new concern for 'food miles' and local food production, and is a must-have guide to growing, sourcing and using the best-quality produce in the most effective and environmentally aware manner.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4873 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
`I like Riverford's fruit and vegetables, I like their recipes, and I like their philosophy. This is a super book.'

From the Inside Flap
`It is a nutritional and culinary tragedy that our traditional greens have been maligned in a national capitulation to the bland, seasonless, overpriced, overtravelled broccoli, peppers and mange tout that have replaced them. Never mind the latest exotic or wonder food. You are being taken for a mug. A Savoy or January king cabbage with help you live longer at a fraction of the price.'
Long before it was fashionable to do so, Guy Watson's Riverford Organic Vegetables was delivering vegetables and fruit in weekly boxes direct from the fields of South Devon straight to kitchens up and down the country.
Pioneering in promoting ethical eating and passionately dedicated to quality local produce, Riverford aims to put fresh, flavoursome food back onto people's plates. In the Riverford Farm Cook Book, Guy uses his twenty years' experience of growing vegetables to give a farmer's unparalleled insight into choosing the tastiest and best fruit and vegetables for your table, in opposition to the bland fare most often on offer in our supermarkets today.
Lamenting the falling standards in the production of British food, Guy explains why our mass-produced celery is now stringier; our carrots watery; the flavour of our broccoli nondescript. Guy's practical tips on seasonality, storage and preparation, along with a range of original, easy recipe ideas for each vegetable from Jane Baxter, chef of Riverford's celebrated Field Kitchen, will help you rediscover the many ways in which you can cook good quality vegetables as well.
These distinctive and delicious recipes will bring out the best f your organics box, whether that's creating spiced celeriac with lemon, wet and wild garlic risotto or a comforting rhubarb crumble.

About the Author
By Guy Watson and Jane Baxter

Customer Reviews

As inspiring as the place itself
The Riverford Farm Cook Book does what it says on the tin. Providing a gorgeous range of recipes from Jane Baxter, accompanied by writing from Guy which provides a background to the Riverford ethos. There is also guidance on vegetables you may wish to grow yourself - and how to store them - and when they're in season.

Recipes are organised by the main ingredient, maybe 3 or 4 recipes for each ingredient, but then there's a long list of 'quick ideas' - mini recipes which you can knock up speedily, and directions to the other recipes in the book which involve that ingredient (I know the index could do the same but I think it's a really nice touch!). Ingredients range from apples to celeriac with everything in between.

Brussel Sprouts (some might hate them but I don't!)

Bubble and Squeak Soup with Wensleydale
Crisp Brussels Sprouts with Pine Nuts and Balsamic Vinegar
Wok fried Brussels Sprouts with Ginger

Onions and Shallots

Red Onion Salad with Beetroot, Lentils, Feta and Mint
Pissladiere
Sausages with Onion Gravy
Caramalised Shallots
Twice-cooked Belly Pork with Spring Onions and Ginger

Recipes are unfussy and don't have hordes of odd ingredients - but you know they'll be good just from reading them. Guy's writing is accessible, interesting and thought provoking! 5 stars and well deserved.

I will eat, eat and eat again from this!
I can only echo other reviewers, a GLORIOUS book (even though the occasional meat/fish ingredient will mean adaptations for those not of a carnivorous turn of tum and tooth!)

The arrangement by the fruits and vegetables which Riverford sell is excellent (and to anyone who doesn't use their box scheme I would recommend this too as highly as the book - organic foods from supermarkets are NOT in the same league - nor are inflexible box schemes which land you with ancient mountains of sad cabbage - Riverford food is so alive and vibrant i expect it could deliver itself!) - try Riverford Home Delivery in Google

I do agree that perhaps a hardback version would have been useful as this book will certainly be well thumbed in my kitchen.

As well as the great recipes, the information about each fruit and vegetable reminds me of the living, vital nature of our food (well,proper food, not the ersatz stuff loaded with a thousand additives) Certainly, as I go through my Riverford box i really enjoy relating the food to its history. A passion for life shines through these pages, food as a bounteous gift from Gaia!

Amazing Book
I bought this after visiting the farm and having a meal in their field kitchen. The meal at the field kitchen was truly stunning and it is brilliant that I can recreate some of their wonderful recipes at home. My partner has called it "restaurant quality food".

It's organised into sections which relate to the veg (and some fruit) in alphabetical order. Around 4 recipes are given for each plus extra ideas at the end. The index is also very helpful in also listing ingredients which comprise part of the dish but may not be the main ingredient (eg if you are looking for cheesy dishes you don't have to flick through the whole book if you have some cheese to use up).

I made the chocolate beetroot Brownies for work and they were a huge hit. The baked courgettes with chilli and mint worked wonders in persuading my other half to eat courgettes, not usually his first choice veg.

Also good are the hints at the end for using up the bits and bobs lurking in the bottom of the fridge and I also liked the commentary on subjects like supermarkets and food miles which I wholeheartedly agree with.

If you are still pondering whether or not to buy this book you can download some of the recipes from this book from the Riverford web site which gives you an idea of how great the book is.

I love cooking and own a lot of cook books, but this has to be one of the best. I'm veggie and whilst a few of the recipes aren't there is plenty of veggie content to make it well worth the money.