Vegetable Harvest by P. Wells

This book by Patricia Wells is for all of us who think it's normal to eat vegetables at every meal and don't count parsley as "the vegetable" either. The premise of this book was to start meal planning with the vegetable instead of the protein or starch, which for this human-rabbit, was a godsend.

Her years of cooking and living in France are impeccably displayed in this soon-to-be-very-tatered-but-essential-in-my-kitchen tome. Not only does she outline simple and often seasonal recipes but she also graces her pages with wine pairings as well as some nutritional information. The recipes I have made from this collection have made me look like a superstar (zucchini, avocado and pistachio carpaccio comes to mind) and were ridiculously easy to execute, making them perfect also for entertaining. The real deal-sealer for me however was finding a recipe for a simple cream-based salad dressing that had eluded me for years. Light and delicately flavoured with lemon and chives, I was right back in my Grossmami's kitchen, eating with gusto those just-barely coated fresh Bibb lettuce leaves from Grosspapi's garden...

Vegetable Harvest Cookbook by Patricia Wells

HarperCollins Canada, Hardcover, 324p

Available on www.amazon.ca

Outremont Organic Market

A fantastic little organic market in Outremont, every Sunday from 9am to 4:30pm, until October 7th.

This is a great place to find pristine organic produce, meat and baked goods. Word to the wise, since this is organic, don't expect your fruits and veggies to last a week - free of preservatives means they have to be eaten quickly.

Be on the look out for the truly organic meat products from the Morgan Farm (www.fermemorgan.com). I highly recommend the smoked duck and wild boar sausages.  Having been to the farm, I can attest to the quality and the commitment to the movement of this establishment. I especially love the approach of John Bastien (the owner of the Morgan Farm) to food - it is your first medicine.

For those who take the metro, it's at the Outremont Station on the Blue Line.