The Herbfarm Cookbook

After visiting the Herb Farm quite a few times, I was very excited to hear that Jerry Traunfeld was writing an Herbfarm Cookbook. I waited patiently for what seemed like years, and finally the wait paid off. Jerry Traunfeld is the Executive Chef at the Herbfarm Restaurant, which has actually changed locations since the publication of this book. Jerry still relies on herb-inspired menus and has penned one of the most useful books about cooking with culinary herbs. This is the book you will turn to for inspiration and for a whole new world of fresh herb flavors.Most of us are content to use dried herbs until we discover fresh herbs. The bonus in Jerry's new book is that he also explains the growing process. You will love the charts of Latin herb names, real-life herb names, family life cycles, heights, pruning requirements and special growing requirements. I loved the in-depth information on angelica, anise, hyssop, basil, bay, chervil, cilantro, dill, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, lovage, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, scented geraniums, sorrel, sweet cicely, tarragon and thyme.To find these wonderful plants, all you have to do is order seeds or plants from the sources on page 434. You will also see an address for the Herb Farm which was founded by Lola and Bill Zimmerman. Their son Ron Zimmerman and his wife Carrie first had the idea to start a world-class restaurant. Jerry Traunfeld helped to make their dream a reality.If you do start to grow your own herbs, you might be wondering what to do with so many fresh herbs when you take them into the kitchen. With The Herbfarm Cookbook, you will find yourself enchanted by recipes for soups, salads, pastas, vegetables, poultry, fish, meats, breads, desserts, sauces, chutneys and vinegars. Information on how to make candied flowers adds a fun creative touch to an already extraordinary compilation.The first recipe I tried was the Lavender Shortbread on page 288. The recipe is simply butter, lavender, sugar and flour. The taste...much more complex. If you love lavender half as much as I do, you will love Jerry Traunfeld's new cookbook. He makes the best lavender cookies and is also under lavender's spell as he includes many recipes using the intoxicating purple flowers.I made the dough simply by grinding the lavender into the sugar and then creamed it with the butter. I used a wooden spoon to stir in the flour. The whole experience of grinding lavender into sugar with a mortar and pestle is seductively primal. The scent of the lavender is almost intoxicating even when using dried lavender. A heady scent of warm lavender will fill your whole kitchen as the cookies are baking. Sometimes cooking is more fun if you use just a wooden spoon and a bowl to make cookies. Making lavender cookies should be more romantic and old fashioned."I'm addicted to it." --Jerry Traunfeld, admitting his addiction to Lavender. He continues by saying: "I find it nearly impossible to walk by a lavender plant in full bloom without bending over to pick a stem, roll it around in my fingers, and inhale the heady scent."The cookies may also be packaged and given as gifts. I use a round biscuit cutter with a curly edge. It gives the cookies a nice shortbread look. The dough seems suited for a cookie mold, which would be very pretty. I found the recipe is also good with chopped pecans pressed into the top of the cookies before baking them. Now, dipping them in chocolate makes them even better! You can also use the recipe without the lavender or substitute anise seeds or lemon thyme for the lavender buds.Lavender seems to almost have a savory flavor which was in a way quite surprising, given you would expect a flower to have a more sweet flavor. I was pleased to find a recipe for "Potatoes with Lavender and Rosemary." Page 396-398 also contains information on how to grow and cook with lavender.This cookbook is filled with 200 herb-inspired recipes. You could serve the "Coriander-Orange Scones" for breakfast. "Tomato and Fennel Soup," Pumpkin and Shrimp Bisque" and "Herbed Clam Chowder" are delicious examples of the soups in the first chapter. Green Goddess Grilled Chicken salad contains creamy avocados, garlic and a mesclun mix (young salad mix). If you are looking for a great basic "Fresh Egg Pasta" recipe, Jerry supplies one on page 99. You can then toss your freshly made pasta in the "Classic Basil Pesto." Say goodbye to boring vegetable side dishes and say Hello! to "Snap Peas with Mint and Chervil" or "Grilled Marjoram-Scented Corn."For a taste of the Northwest, there are recipes for Salmon Fillets. The one with tarragon looks especially tempting. For dinner, you might want to try the "Rosemary Gilled Chicken." Rosemary is a classic herb to pair with roast chicken. Just when you think you have made pork every way you can imagine, you will find a "Maple-and-Herb brined Pork Roast." The "Lemon Verbena Ice Cream" looks just yummy.As I sip a cup of peppermint tea, I salute you Jerry Traunfeld. Thank you for the gift of your knowledge. I hope your cookbook will be the most sought after cookbook in the year 2001. Your book had found a permanent place of honor in my kitchen! It is not often that you find a chef whose writing is as delicious as their cooking! There are 11 beautiful color pictures in this book, but the true beauty of this cookbook is in the writing. Jerry has translated his excitement for life and cooking into delicious prose. This is a true book collectors dream cookbook. If you love to cook with fresh herbs, you will love it even more! I can't wait to try more of the tempting recipes.~The Rebecca Review

This book is transcendent. In the age of bloggers and Pinterest it’s easy to get sucked into the idea of a dish and then find it lacking. Lacking in heart, flavor, oomph. But the Herbfarm Cookbook is different. It reminds you of the value of a well designed cookbook written by a chef with insurmountable experience.The first introduction I had to this book was when a friend shared a meal with me and made the seared scallops with carrot marjoram sauce. I can still taste the herby, tart, flavorful sauce and buttery scallops now. I bought the book for myself and I’m now a complete convert. I trust every dish and I have never been let down.I decided to write this review tonight when I licked the spoon I was using to stir the pumpkin tart filling. I sighed with satisfaction.As a non herb farm owner, I can say that most of the recipes in this book are accessible to me. It may require a trip to the hipster corner store but I’ve been able to snag most of the herbs listed. Also, I love the segregation of seasonal dishes. Being able to combine fresh herbs and produce for a seasonally appropriate dish is so rewarding.

I've found this book after eating at Poppy in Seattle (owned by the Author) 10-20 times in the past year.After eating so well, I did a little online research and found this book by Jerry. If you read the other reviews here and love cooking - you would come to realize that you must have this book. Yes - you must.Me and a friend of mine are cooking from this book in the past few months and the dishes were always exquisite! So good and flavourful.The carrot salad is to die for, the lavender rhubarb pie is divine, the slow roested tomatos are so good that it became a house favorite.All the dishes' ingredients are full with herbs joy, I've never heard of some of them before the book but I'm so glad I cook with them now (e.g. Sorrel, Angelica, Lovage etc').You would learn to cook, to grow your herb garden and all about the priciples of cooking with herbs (matching, cutting, growing etc')Worth every penny - you will not regret this buy - it became the one and only cooking book for me.Oh, and you can find it used, so it's even a greater deal.Enjoy

It is so nice to find so many new uses for herbs we grow. This is a book worth having over and over again.

The author of this book has a great talent with words. He truly writes stories that tell you the background of the recipes, bringing you the sights and smells and sounds. You can tell that he absolutely loves food in all its forms.I have really enjoyed this cookbook and have tried several recipes. While some of them have been more "gourmet" than I usually cook, most of the recipes have actually sounded fancier than they are (which is a good thing - I meant they weren't as difficult to prepare as it might appear).I love to read this book just as much as I enjoy cooking from it. I feel transported to the herb gardens of Seattle when I settle down to read it.

I recently sent this cookbook to a friend in Australia - arrived totally without problems - and have had one of my own since it was first published. It is probably the easiest cookbook to follow I have ever run across and we have never made anything from it that wasn't fabulous. The idea of being able to eat Herbfarm food in your own home is worth buying the book in itself. Of course you don't get the attentive wait staff and wine selections but you and your guests (do share the food with others!) can tour your own herb garden and relax in your own congenial setting.

I have liked every recipe that I have made from this book. The recipes are well laid out and I haven't had any questions about the procedures. I appreciate that alternatives are suggested if you don't happen to have that herb or don't care for that particular one. It also inspired me to add some herbs to my garden that I hadn't previously grown. I plan to continue to expand my herb garden and do more experimenting with fresh herbs.

This book is packed full of information on how to grow, store and use herbs. The only drawback is that most of the recipes are for 6 people and as I am single, it's a question of adjusting the quantities and the taste to suit. A wonderful book for a family though and despite the drawback I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

I just received this book from my husband as a Christmas gift. I devoured it in a week, reading it almost like a novel. Now I am bursting with ideas I can't wait to test when spring arrives and I can begin to harvest my backyard herbs. I have never heard of the Herb Farm but last year I was lucky enough to dine at Sooke Harbour House on Vancouver Island, which is a fine restaurant that relies heavily on its extensive surrounding herb gardens. I have been growing herbs in large and small pots and here and there in my yard for several years (Richter's Herbs is a super source here in Canada) because I like their fragrances and how they look. But I have been a bit afraid of cooking with them. My trip to Sooke Harbour House started to build my confidence. Jerry Traunfeld writes with such an easy, confident and passionate style you know these are recipes he has cooked many times and they will work, and his gardening advice rings true as well! Now with this book handy on my shelf, I am ready and eager to really get cooking! I strongly recommend this book to all cooks and gardeners!

Although the book arrived late, due in part to the Canada Post strike, when received, the book was like new! It really exceeded my expectations for a used book.