The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How: Field-to-Table Cooking Skills by Andrea Chesman

The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How: Field-to-Table Cooking Skills Reviews

• 
  Jami Balmet

  If you want a “homestead”, garden, or are interested in raising and growing things in your backyard...this cookbook manual is a must have!! So much great teaching and education and a bunch of fantastic receipts for putting your garden to good use!
• 
  Lara

  This book is written for those who are interested in living closer to the land, even if they are in town. While the Backyard Homestead concept is for those who have a larger lot and can have a small 'farm,' some may struggle with what to do with their bounty. It can be easy to get excited by all of the options, then be overwhelmed with a fridge and pantry full of food, with more on the way. This book is designed to help with that, and it gives a brief overview to each type of food you may grow (or purchase) and some basics for how to store and prepare them. For instance, there are chapters on vegetables an fruits which provide a description of storage techniques and best cooking techniques for each. There are chapters on dairy, eggs, fowl, and meat. There is a section on canning and pickling, and on setting up a root cellar. I liked the discussion of ordering and storing all or parts of a livestock animal, such as half a cow. There are a number of useful tips, even if you aren't growing much of your own food.
  
  There are a few recipes scattered through these chapters, most of which are general formulas to give you an idea of what to do without providing a prescription of specific ingredients. There are also a number of recipes provided in a separate section. This section was surprising to me as it had so many recipes that were taken from cuisines around the world.
  
  I made three recipes from the book. The first was the generic granola recipe from the grains chapter. That turned out very well, and is actually much less sweet than I expected (which is good). The second was baked eggs from the eggs chapter. I hadn't made them before, and have been wanting to try a recipe. I wasn't certain when I pulled them out of the oven, but they turned out to be very tasty. And it's such a simple recipe. The third recipe was the Char Siu Pork from the recipes section. That was also quite simple and very tasty.
  
  Overall this is a comprehensive guide to the many homesteading food management activities one may perform. While it is broad,it cannot go too deeply. So, it provides general guidance, but not a lot of specific ideas for any given topic. It would be a handy reference for anyone who gardens, shops a lot at the farmers' market, or participates in CSAs.
  
  I received a copy for review from the publisher through NetGalley.
• 
  Jeannie Zelos

  The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How: Field-to-Table Cooking Skills,  Andrea Chesman
   
  Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
   
  Genre: Non Fiction, Cooking, Food and Wine
   
  I was brought up in a family where we grew as much food as possible to save money, and summer harvests were preserved by means of jams and jellies, pickles, salted veg, eggs preserved in an ising-glass mixture, and of course fruit and veg heat preserved in Kilner jars. That way come winter we had an excellent variety of home grown produce to enjoy and make varied meals. We lived in a local authority house with a medium size garden, and dad rented two large allotments. Mum had a couple of greenhouses made from old plastic feed bags and rescued window frames.  Using these we grew all manner of fruit and veg, plus we raised rabbits, chickens for eggs and meat, turkeys to sell at xmas, and he had a couple of goats for milk. So  self sustainability is something that feels natural to me, although current circumstances limit what I can do, but the drive for information is always there.
   
  For a long while people have relied on shop bought produce, but the past couple of decades have seen a move for produce sustainability, for meat to be raised humanely, naturally and organically where possible, for fruit and veg to have as few chemicals used and all that means that once again people are looking at growing their own foods where they can.  The knowledge I grew up with though, and that was quite limited to basics, isn’t widely known anymore.
  My own children now have families and are becoming more interested in food origins, but know very little of how to do it.That’s mirrored by most people in their 20’s and 30’s I think, just at the time when they have growing families and need to ensure their food is as full of goodness as it can be. Meat reared intensively is full of antibiotics that are used to prevent infections that stay in the meat, ditto fruit and veg which keeps a residue of chemicals. Is that really want you want your children to consume? We’ve had some horrific food scares too in recent years that show just what is being done, and much of it has proved distasteful to consumers.
   Shops are now looking at consumer tastes ( pocket power is very strong) and the drive for more “natural” grown foods is coming, but if you’ve a bit of space and want to do more yourself this book is the most comprehensive I’ve come across. I’m an addict for cookery and gardening reads and this book combines both along with some fabulous easy practical methods of preserving, some of which is familiar to me but many of which I’d heard of but never tried. If I’d had this book when my children were young we’d have eaten very differently.
  I had this book in epub form which isn’t the most readable format I find for non-fiction books, and I’d recommend it in paper/hardback so that its easy to browse through. It’s inexpensive too considering just how much info it contains.  Its so packed with info but divided so that its easy to find what you are looking for. It doesn’t just cover cuts of meat but how to butcher them if you home rear, and of course how to turn that huge carcass into roasts, chops and steaks, and how to make bacon and sausages and cure other cuts for preserving. Those rearing chickens will find the butchering and egg preserving info useful, and of course there’s cheese making, butter making and a host of pickle and preserves for fruit and veg. I’d have loved to try some of the meat cures and sausage making when my kids were younger and consumed food like locusts. Anyone with three teenagers will know just how huge a quantity of food they can devour in a short while – it’s like living with a plague of locusts! There’s also lots of handy recipes and those involving the sour dough culture; bread, biscuits, pancakes, really caught my eye. I tried to make bread using a home made sour dough starter years ago but it wasn’t a success. Reading this I think I know where I went wrong and would love to try again, especially for the biscuits and pancakes which I’m sure the grand kids would love.
   This is a US aimed book, but it relates easily to other countries. I’m in UK and was able to follow recipes etc easily. I think the biggest difference is perhaps land availability, its pretty scarce here, so many people will only be able to use part of the book, but the whole makes for really interesting reading never the less.  
   
  Stars: Five, a fabulous resource book that will be used over and over for those interested in self sustainability, even in a small way. As I said This book really does cover everything IMO
  
  ARC supplied by Netgalley and publishers 
  
• 
  Dana

  Quite comprehensive and informative, this book has a great deal of information about most things to do with having a homestead kitchen. From how to set up your homestead kitchen to harvesting, handling, preserving and storing produce, to the various cuts of meat and how to handle, store and preserve meats and eggs, this book contains a cornucopia of advice. There are lots of recipes as well as helpful hints and illustrations. I think that readers will find this book quite helpful! I received this book free to review from Netgalley.
• 
  Pam Kennedy

  Why five stars for this and four for Boys in the Boat, an excellent book. I guess I am very subjective and this book was filled with useful information that was presented in an engaging format; a book I will keep and refer to, part of my life-boat of possessions. So it is not the writing, although that was fine. It was the relevance to my life and the inspiration for a homestead's mundane tasks that earned the elusive fifth star. But definitely put Boys in the Boat on your list! I hope to write a real review of it soon.
• 
  Tera

  Loved this book for the ideas inside. True I'm not the biggest cook, nor have i previously been overly concerned with farm-fresh cooking. This has good ideas for those with their own garden on the best way to prepare those foods for the best processing and tastes.
  arc from NetGalley
• 
  Sherri

  This takes you on a journey of preparing and preserving fruits, vegetables, dairy, and animal. This is written in an easy read format with good pictures/drawings for those that want to live closer to the land; but not in a old west, back woods way. The author does mention the use of modern elements like blenders, slow cookers, etc. Not written just those with large or small hobby farms but what to do with the bounty you reap. I like that she stresses safety such as canning and preserving guidelines, storage, etc. There are recipes at the end as well. This is a great resource to have on your shelf.
• 
  Alisa Kester

  Wow. This book. Even though I already thought I knew a lot of the subjects in this book, I still found amazing tips and suggestions that I am absolutely going to put into practice! Very clear instructions for everything, including multiple ways of doing things, which is helpful if you happen to lack a certain ingredient or piece of specialized equipment. First things first: I need some pickling cucumbers, a pork belly, and some rice wine. And a copy of this book for my personal library - so glad I discovered it on Hoopla!
• 
  Rambling Killeen

  Love. This. Book!
  
  The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How is a one-stop-shop for garden to kitchen information, preserving your bounty several different ways, homesteading info on livestock, and even includes recipes. I borrowed this book from the library, and have decided I need to add this to my library. A must-have book!
• 
  Kai

  Absolutely stuffed full of super useful tidbits broken down in a way that makes it easy to read and even easier to know how to pursue further knowledge on the subject. Loved reading it as a library check out so much that I'm now keeping an eye out for a used copy of my own!
• 
  Kalyna

  I borrowed this from the library to inspire my homesteading dreams. I'll be purchasing this book once I'm ready to act on that dream!
• 
  Sophie

  Good advice.
• 
  Janis Hill

  I would like to thank Storey Publishing for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an open and honest review.
  
  This truly is a book every household interested in getting back to the basics of growing, storing, cooking and eating their own foods needs. What a magical encyclopaedia!
  
  And I have to say I owe this book an apology. When I first started reading it I thought “ho-hum nothing new here for me” as I grew up in a family who is still very active in growing, storing, making and baking as much as we can despite our lives changing and moving away from the farm life. I then realised I was being very harsh on a book. The author is very much a woman after my own heart and this book is a brilliant reference guide to anyone of any level of food growing, prepping, cooking and eating who wants to get back to the basics as much as possible.
  
  Yes there were areas I already knew how to do hands down (and in some cases already do in a slightly different way) but I still learnt a lot of things and kept finding myself taking notes just in case I don’t end up buying it.
  
  Though I can see myself buying it. In fact, I can see this being the perfect gift for my kids, especially my girls who are already plotting to turn as much of our large backyard into vegetable and fruit gardens as they can. And as they are only 10 and 8, I can see this book being a fantastic reference guide to help them (and me) as this plan of theirs develops.
  
  Even if you don’t feel you have a big enough yard – or have any yard – or can’t have chickens or similar in your area, this book would still be helpful. Simply get what you can’t grow yourself from a lovely local organic farmer’s market and follow the storing, pickling, canning, freezing – ALL of the above – to preserve these foods for later. If you can’t grow it - buying local and in season and preserving as per the instructions given will make you a far healthier and happier person.
  
  Well, that’s what I got from this book. Yes we still do hope to grow as much as we can… but I can’t fit a cow in my yard. And so next time I see my butcher about half a cow there are so many more options, thanks to this book, for me to try. As weird as it might sound, I’ve always wanted to render my own animal fats for cooking and baking so see, even I learnt something new! And the best bit about it is the instructions in this book are simple, to the point and easy to follow. It doesn’t matter your skill level, the steps are so basic - while being so informative – that you just go at your own pace with them. And, in most cases, you won’t need overly fancy equipment or exotic ingredients to achieve them!
  
  The only reason I found I couldn’t give this book the full 5 stars is simply because I didn’t agree with all of it. That doesn’t mean it, or my own way of doing things, are wrong… it just means we do things differently. Plus, there was the usual America vs Australia differences in seasons, the names of things and so on that made me mark it down. Oh I know! I’m being terribly picky here! Though I will say I did like how both Fahrenheit and Celsius were used in the recipes.
  
  Would I recommend this book to others? Yes I would. The author is a woman after my own heart and has done a simply terrific job storing and sharing this essential knowledge that so many people of my generation and younger have lost. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone wanting to get these old skills back as we need to hold on to them and keep using them.
  
  Would I buy this book for myself? As mentioned above, I probably would. Running joke my husband has is I have to stop reviewing books put out by Storey Publishing as I seem to end up buying most of the ones I review I enjoy them so much!
  
  In summary: if you’re wanting to remember some of the skills our grandparents possibly had and want to use them to grow, store and make your own food – buy this book. I feel we all need to get back to the basics, no matter how fiddly and time consuming they can be compared to just going to the shops… the food we make for ourselves is better. You know where it comes from, how it was grown, how it was stored and how the dish they’re turned into was made. Our children need this book as they grow up and learn about food to ensure these skills aren’t lost.
  
• 
  Penmouse

  Author Andrea Chesman has written a thorough and complete cookbook called The Backyard Homestead Book of Kitchen Know-How. Her book covers just about anything you’d ever want to know about home food production. Her book details such things as how to clean a chicken to cleaning veggies for use. In fact, her writing reminds a lot of Carla Emory’s writing, as Emory was one of the pioneers when it came to living off the land and home food production. Chesman doesn’t focus on how to select cows or chickens but she does tell you how to prepare poultry, meat and produce. She also writes about how to preserve food safely.
  
  Some of the things I really liked about Chesman’s book were the emphasis of using USDA cooking and/or food preserving methods. I also liked her inclusion of a list of resources to help find some of the ingredients discussed in her book.
  
  At the end of the book you will find a nice selection of recipes such as:
  
  *How to Make Butter (using Crème Fraiche)
  *Home-Cured Bacon
  *Spaghetti Carbonara
  *Herb-Roasted Rabbit and Potatoes
  *Char Siu Pork
  *Any-Frozen-Fruit Yogurt
  *Fresh Fruit Tart
  
  Recommend.
  
  Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.
  
• 
  Heather Brown

  The Backyard Homestead Guide tells you everything you need to know about food that is fresh. From how to harvest beets to the process of skinning and jointing rabbits, Andrea Chesman covers it all. There are even great recipes for readers to try out. The first section deals with setting up a homestead kitchen. Most things are the same as one would need in a regular kitchen, however the reasoning and purpose behind the items is really what makes this book a revelation. We all know we need a big pot to cook in, but who thinks about needing to scald a chicken before plucking it, unless they already have done so? Being self-sufficient means honing and sharpening your own knives, having a cold cellar for storage, butchering your own meat, keeping cultures for sourdough and yogurt, and canning or preserving the food you grow and make. This guide gives you that knowledge and more!
  A big thanks to Netgalley and Storey Publishing for the ARC of this great guide!
• 
  BookBec

  Great book! Andrea Chesman is a favorite cookbook author of mine, and while she broadens her focus in this book, her perspective is as spot-on as ever. This would be a perfect intro for anyone getting started with food preservation, eating seasonally, and home cooking of less familiar items (sausage, pickles, sourdough).
  
  I gained new insights into things I've been doing for a while now (like rendering lard), enjoyed some new recipes (tea eggs, chorizo skillet), and appreciated peeks into some things I'm unlikely to ever do for myself (like extracting honey). I don't think I'll purchase this book (thanks, library) because I own several more detailed books about subjects covered herein, but it was definitely worth the read!
• 
  Kristina Seleshanko

  If you are an urban or rural homesteader, or you just like to get your food direct from its source, this book is an excellent reference. Those of us who've long been cooking from scratch using ingredients from our backyard will undoubtedly find a lot of information we already know - but most of us will also discover some wonderful advice from a long-time homesteader in areas we are less familiar with. Yes, this book has lots of recipes, but in my view it's the rest of the book that's most exciting. Did the author cover everything I wished she had? Does she have some opinions I completely disagree with? Sure. But these are little issues that don't in any way overwhelm the majority of the book, which is something I think all homesteaders should read.
• 
  Jessica

  This is not as much a cookbook as a collection of helpful information relating to homesteading/growing and processing your own food. She divides the book into 3 sections - Getting the Most from Fresh Food, Food Preservation, and Homestead Cooking. There were a lot of really helpful information and tips and tricks for growing, processing, and storing food. There are recipes interspersed throughout, but 3rd section is all recipes. Overall, this seems like a really helpful book and there are a few recipes I'd like to try.
• 
  Erinne

  I love this book. I have always been looking for one book which encompasses all of this information, and I have finally found it. Easy to read, an abundance of information, this is one book I highly recommend to all.
• 
  Alexisa

  This a great book for any one who is interested in the how to of growing, storing or cooking their own foods. It's very informative and easy to understand.
  
  ** I was provided a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley. **
• 
  Paula Renee

  A good resource for using all the things you have grown. Sometimes all those fruits and veggies you harvested can be overwhelming. There are some very good ideas here. There is also a very nice section on meats that will help you when talking to your butcher.
• 
  KC

  I really got a lot of of this book that I went and purchased a copy for myself and will check out the others in this series as well.
• 
  Susan

  Lots of good stuff. A very thorough reference.
• 
  Fernleaf

  This is a great little (ish) book that combines a cookbook, preservation guide, and fresh foods treatment into one handy homestead volume.
• 
  Zaina

  its a good book