Minnesota’s Bounty: A Book Review

Minnesota is home to the oldest continuous retail farmers market in the country which is in St. Paul. The Minneapolis Farmers Market was once the largest wholesale produce market in the country. There is a plethora of history in this cookbook which I found interesting. My daughter, granddaughter, and I visited the Minneapolis Farmers Market a few weeks back. It has great diversity in vendors and food which includes produce, flowers, plants, products, and food vendors. The aroma and atmosphere were fun. My granddaughter especially liked the iron sculptures. I have lived in the Twin Cities area over 30 years and this was my first time to this farmers market.

The recipe portion of the book is divided into several sections which include fruits, vegetables, cheese, grains, and meat and fish. The fruit and vegetable sections include an alphabetical listing of items you will find at many Minnesota farmers markets. Each item includes a detailed description, varieties found here, cook’s notes, quick ideas, recipes for the item, and a photograph of the item. I found this really helpful and inspirational. The recipes are easy to follow. I tried a couple of recipes: Cucumber Lemonade and Roasted Rhubarb Sauce. The cucumber lemonade is a refreshing summer drink which you can sweeten to your own liking. I did use local honey instead of sugar. The roasted rhubarb sauce is good too. I usually make a sauce on the stovetop, but roasting gives a more caramelized flavor. There are a few more recipes I will be giving a try once the tomatoes and apples are in season.