Coloring the Seasons Cookbook - A Cook's Guide

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Description: What makes tomatoes red and why is that redness so good for you? Why does nature flood us with dark, forest-greens in late winter and save the orange of the beta-carotene laden pumpkins for later in the year? This is definitely not rocket science -- eating what nature tells us with her simple color-coded system gives us all we need in terms of flavor and health. An asparagus that's travelled 5,000 miles to get to us in midwinter has roughly one fifth of the vitamins and minerals of a homegrown one. And that's without even thinking about all those nasty sprays to keep it looking good, or the air miles involved, let alone the flavor. 

Whenever you go to your local store you are confronted by the same spectrum of hyper-real colors, but head.to your local farmers' market and you become aware of seasonal shades; early in the year it's all about powerful greens, strong enough to withstand the full force of winter. Then as the deepest cold moves on we see touches of color in the form of early purples -- artichokes, and native cabbages. When spring kicks in, yellow shoots turn into adolescent greens (asparagus, peas, homegrown lettuce), such a different, paler green from the one before. Eat these young tender shoots raw, or near as dammit, and get the most out of what they have to give. Summer is all about the sun: she starts a little coy, blushing the pink of innocence then, as the heat progresses, she warms up a little. With the heat comes increased color and nutritional value (now is the time for those ruby red tomatoes, loaded with lycopene), and by the end of our hottest months the fruit is ripe, laden, and mature. Time to hand over to the blazen, golden oranges of autumn, also saturated with stupendous seasonal powers. 

Color is the most important factor we judge our food by, long before taste or smell. These recipes are designed not only to make the most of the season's produce, but to capitalize on the goodness locked up in the corresponding tones. 

Use this book to see how eating by color and season will make you, and those you cook for, feel bouncier and healthier than ever before. 

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Condition: Good condition. Book's cover under jacket has two tiny spots of worn cover material.