Cook This Now

The Spice House was recently proud to host acclaimed food writer and James Beard winner Melissa Clark, author of the New York Times column "A Good Appetite", for a booksigning with her new book, Cook This Now. This book is a collection of her favorite recipes arranged by season, so it's easy to make delicious meals around ingredients at the peak of flavor. It's the perfect book for cooks exploring the seasons of food, or anyone who wants to add new flavors to their repertoire.

Ms. Clark was nice enough to sign our copies, making these books wonderful presents for the cooks in your life.

From the publisher: "Melissa Clark, New York Times Dining Section columnist, offers a calendar year's worth of brand-new recipes for cooking with fresh, local ingredients--replete with lively and entertaining stories of feeding her own family and friends.

Many people want to eat well, organically and locally, but don't know where or even when to begin, since the offerings at their local farmers' market change with the season. In Cook This Now, Melissa Clark shares all her market savvy, including what she decides to cook after a chilly visit to the produce section in the dead of winter; what to bring to a potluck dinner that's guaranteed to be a hit; and how she feeds her marathon-running husband and finicky toddler. In addition, she regales us with personal stories about good times with family and friends, and cooking adventures such as her obsessive cherry pie experimentation and the day she threw out her husband's last preserved Meyer lemon.

In her welcoming, friendly voice, Melissa takes you inside her life while providing the dishes that will become your go-to meals for your own busy days. Recipes include Crisp Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas, Lemons, and Carrots with Parsley Gremolata; Baked Apples with Fig and Cardamom Crumble; Honey-Roasted Carrot Salad with Arugula and Almonds; Quick-Braised Pork Chops with Spring Greens and Anchovies; Coconut Fudge Brownies--and much more.

Melissa delivers easy, delicious meals featuring organic, fresh ingredients that can be uniquely obtained during each particular month. It can be a real challenge to feed families these days, but Melissa's recipes and inviting writing encourage home cooks to venture outside of the familiar, yet please everyone at the table."