What on Earth am I Going to do With This Pile of Zucchini?

                                                                                                                               
by Marissa Creamer Rowan Public Library

                If you are fortunate enough to have a summer vegetable garden , you have probably been enjoying a bounty of fresh squash, butterbeans, cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, eggplants, and yes, zucchini. There’s nothing quite like a meal of fresh vegetables picked that very morning from your own garden. But after a while, the produce can begin to pile up and you may find yourself wondering what to do with your bumper crop. Before you resort to leaving bags of zucchini on your neighbor’s porch under the cover of night, visit Rowan Public Library for these helpful books.

                “Cooking From the Garden: Best Recipes from Kitchen Gardener” edited by Ruth Lively celebrates the season’s best with more that 200 innovative recipes. Made from the freshest produce, these tasty dishes highlight ripe, seasonal ingredients. You will find ideas for everything from appetizers and main dishes to desserts; including Eggplant “Sandwiches” on Crisp Greens with Sherry-Shallot Vinaigrette, which uses oven-roasted slices of eggplant in a twist on grilled cheese sandwiches. Or try Spicy Carrot Fritters with Fresh Salsa, Okra Tempura with Soy Dipping Sauce, Peach Crisp with Lavender, and Lemon Verbena Ice Cream.

                If you still can’t cook it all, then try preserving your bounty. The idea of canning may seem overwhelming, but you can start small with “The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving” by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard. This book provides over 300 recipes that yield just three or four jars of jams, conserves, pickles, relishes, mustards, marinades, salsas, desert sauces, and more.  There are also recipes for the freezer and for making low-sugar preserves. Sparkling Sweet Pepper Jelly, Summer Vegetable Ratatouille, Rosemary Wine Syrup, and Fresh Fig and Strawberry Jam  are just a few of the tasty recipes included.

                Preserving the harvest doesn’t have to stop with jams and pickles. Many fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be made into delicious beverages to drink fresh or preserve for later. “Drink the Harvest,” by Nan K. Chase and DeNeice C. Guest shows you how to turn your bounty into juices, wines, meads, teas and syrups. Make Heirloom Potato Wine, Strawberry Juice, Sensational-7 Vegetable Drink, Mixed Berry Mead, or Passionflower-Lemon Balm Wine. These delicious beverages will make wonderful gifts to share with your friends. Drink the Harvest will also teach you how to create your own beverage garden and how to harvest ingredients for maximum flavor.

                Come to Rowan Public Library to find these books and many other titles to help you make the most of your harvest.