Garden Greens

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Organization is a beautiful thing. And beautiful organization is the
first of many comforts offered by Jean Paré books. Thanks to the
careful selection and grouping of recipes, the one-recipe-per-page
format, the clarity of the ingredients listings and the preparation
method, the index, and the thumbnails of the photos with page
references, the cookbook series glows with organization—all of which
translates into a very high rate of success in the kitchen.

Garden Greens and Year-Round Grilling have a lot in common. All the
recipes use ingredients readily available at any large supermarket. None
require complicated or difficult cooking techniques, and all give both
imperial and metric measurements. As well, a detailed nutritional
analysis is given for each recipe. Both books are enhanced with
full-page colour photos, have lie-flat bindings, and are sprinkled with
humorous quotes and gentle jokes.

Garden Greens includes some recipes for vegetable side dishes and
soups, but mainly it is a book about salads. In addition to interesting
variations on the traditional tossed salad, there are chapters on
today’s arranged salads, layered salads, and salads as complete meals.
Salads have changed dramatically and Paré presents a road map to the
new approach.

Year-Round Grilling introduces grilling/barbecuing with a quick review
of equipment and fuel types, marinating how-to, and notes on maintaining
food safety in the summer sun. Recipes are included for all the
classics—burgers, ribs, steaks, shrimp, fish, hot dogs, chops, corn,
wings, pizza—as well as a selection of appetizers, desserts, breads,
and a few smoked dishes. Newer culinary trends are represented by
grilled portobellos, wraps, polentia, and kabobs.

While not for the dedicated foodie or gourmet, Company’s Coming
cookbooks are perfect for the low-budget, time-challenged cook who wants
predictable results with just a hint of something special.