Launching the Skyelark Ranch Cookbook Library!
Knowing where your food comes from is one thing, but learning how to cook it is sometimes a frustrating exercise in unnecessary detective work. Don't you hate it when you buy good food, only to have it ruined by a bad recipe?
Blog recipes have been a blessing and a curse for me. I often have an idea for a meal, or take a cut of meat from the freezer and begin searching for an appropriate recipe. I can spend valuable time sifting through recipe blogs and foodie websites trying to find an appealing recipe. Most of the time the writers are unknown to me and picked completely at random (or not) via a well directed Google search. On choosing such a recipe, I am subjecting my family and the food I am cooking to a dangerous game of culinary chance - roll the dice, cook the food and see what happens! Sometimes I get lucky and find a recipe that comes out unbelievably delicious. However, there have also been times that I've bought a good cut of meat that turns out gnarled and tough after following a misguiding recipe. Granted, there are several good and reliable sources of inspiration and insightful recipes online such as in the New York Times, or via the Food Network. However, a well stocked kitchen bookshelf is a useful relief from screens and the endless chatter of internet recipes.
Team Skyelark has your back with the cookbooks that we believe to be no fail! Please send us your recommendations and we'll add them to the list which we plan to make available on our website.
Gillies recommends...
Oh, man, this is a difficult one for me........can I give two? No? Ok, then I'll go with 'The River Cottage Cookbook' by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. I don't refer to it too often any more but it provided huge amounts of inspiration in the time leading up to us starting Skyelark Ranch, and was a staple in our market stall box for years. It provides great guidance on the growing, sourcing and cooking of meat and taught us so much of the basics that we now take for granted as we cook our family meals and provide advice to our customers. A hugely inspiring and useful book to keep on any kitchen bookshelf. I cannot even begin to count how many times we have cooked his "Pot Roast Chicken and vegetables"!
Alexis recommends...
"Egg: A Culinary Exploration of the World's Most Versatile Ingredient" by Michael Ruhlman
Turns out an egg farmer can get sick of eggs. I grab this book when we have a lot of eggs to that need eaten and I am feeling uninspired. One of my favorite fancy meals is Egg Ravioli with Chevre, Brown Butter and Thyme - These are oversized ravs where you actually put a raw egg yolk on a bed of cheese and caramelized onion. If done right the egg yolks break in when you eat them.
Jenn recommends...
"Salt Fat Acid Heat" by Samin Nosrat! Samin is a balm for the soul; a bright light in the world. Her pure love of food translates into her cooking and her recipes enliven all the senses. Her cookbook held my hand and helped me move from stringent recipe follower to confident cook. I have not overcooked meat since reading her cookbook. She knows her stuff. She also has a Netflix special that will brighten your spirit. I can't recommend following Samin's work enough!
Leanna recommends...
"Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods" by Sandor Ellix Katz. This book is a great "Fermentation 101" with background information, history, stories, and of course, recipes for fermenting vegetables, dairy, grains, beans, and adult beverages. I love all the cheese recipes in this book and have attempted to make many of them. I also consult the kombucha instructions frequently!
Isla recommends...
"Momma's little notebook" by My Momma. I like that book the best because it has the cookie recipe, the pie recipe and my Grandpa's Special Chicken which is my favoite and it was my Momma's favorite when she was a kid too!! Also, Dadda, can I have a peanut butter and honey, please?
Our online inventory is updated and you can order meat and eggs for
pick up at market
or home delivery for a $5 fee.
Ashland: Please order by Thursday @ 10 am
Davis: Please order by Friday @ 10 am
Mt Shasta: Please order by Monday @ 10am
Shop the FARMSTAND
