"Root to Leaf is not a vegetarian cookbook--it's a cookbook that celebrates vegetables," as well as a stunning collection of 300 photographs that could rest proudly on any coffee table. Steven Satterfield, the chef at the Atlanta restaurant Miller Union, has been called the "Vegetable Shaman" by the New York Times for his simple, elegant approach to even the most basic produce. In the spirit of butchers who make use of the whole animal, nose to tail, Satterfield thinks vegetables deserve the same respect and utility, root to leaf: "Americans have been conditioned to believe that more is better. It is a first-world problem to have everything you want, anytime you want it, and this type of thinking has done some serious damage to our food systems and collective health. Unlimited options... stifle our imaginations."
The nearly 200 recipes are organized by season and vegetable. Each vegetable garners two pages of description--including what to look for, how and where it grows, as well as how best to prepare it. For example, asparagus (Spring), member of the lily family, is one of the first vegetables to emerge and needs cold winters to regenerate; its size dictates its preparation. Recipes include Roasted Asparagus with Green Garlic and Radishes, and Grilled Asparagus with Brebis and Bread Crumbs. Cucumbers (Summer) are originally from India and naturally maintain a temperature up to 20 degrees cooler than the air, even without refrigeration. Recipes include Cucumber and Crab Salad and Sautéed Cucumbers with Dill. Satterfield makes clear that each season has a bounty of offerings, both familiar and surprising. --Kristen Galles from Book Club Classics