By Samantha Miller, Carmichael’s Bookstore and Carmichael’s Kids

ADULTS
 

THE FOXFIRE BOOK OF APPALACHIAN COOKERY
edited by T.J. Smith
University of North Carolina Press

Before there was farm to table, before eating local, there was Foxfire, the book series that taught a generation of homesteaders all they needed to know. This classic, first published in 1984, gets a 21st century update with more recipes and photos but with all the traditional Foxfire wit and feel intact.

THE GARDEN MISCELLANY
by Suzanne Staubach
Timber Press

Suitable for any level gardener, this volume offers an A-Y (no Z!) guide to common (and some uncommon) garden features paired with whimsical illustrations and historical tidbits. Great for perusing while dreaming of spring.

EAT JOY
Various
Black Balloon Publishing

In this new anthology 31 celebrated writers offer recipes and stories of their favorite comfort food. Arranged thematically, the pieces run the gamut from heartbreaking to hilarious to profound.

HEIRLOOM
by Sarah Owens
$35 Roost Books

This lovely volume, filled with gorgeous photos, encourages not just using vintage ingredients but an heirloom kitchen approach that is solidly traditional in technique but modern in outlook.

AMERICAN CUISINE AND HOW IT GOT THIS WAY 
by Paul Freedman
$39.95 Liveright Publishing Corporation

Working from the premise that there actually is an American cuisine, author Freedman delivers a sweeping overview of an exuberant and diverse, if not always coherent, cuisine that reflects the history of our nation itself. Great for readers who like both food and food for thought.

THINK LITTLE
by Wendell Berry
$10.00 Counterpoint

The first in the new Counterpoints series, Think Little is an evergreen, ever-urgent, and now pocket-sized argument for focused and inclusive climate change activism. First published in 1972 and now more pressing than ever, this is Wendell Berry at his best. Presented alongside the popular essay A Native Hill.

FOR THE HOG KILLING, 1979 
by Tanya Amyx Berry
$30 Fireside Industries

In 1979, Tanya Berry was asked by New Farm magazine to photograph Kentucky farmers. Those photographs, published for the first time, are a moving collection highlighting the culmination of a year’s labor raising livestock. The American agrarian tradition is portrayed in an honest and compelling way that is rarely part of the modern conversation about the sources of our food and the people we depend on to produce it. Tanya and Wendell Berry still reside on a farm in Kentucky.

KENTUCKY BARNS: AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE BLUEGRASS 
by Carol Peachee
$40 Quarry Books

Featuring nearly 400 full-color interior and exterior photos. Horses, tobacco, farming, and bourbon are all woven into the fabric of Kentucky’s history and all of these can be symbolized by the beautiful barns we see dotting the hillsides of our beautiful state. With foreword by Mary Berry.

KIDS
 

THE COMPLETE BAKING BOOK FOR YOUNG CHEFS
America’s Test Kitchen
Sourcebooks

The pros at America’s Test Kitchen have done all the testing and heavy lifting so young bakers (or beginners of any age!) can just have fun. More than just sweet goods, this easy-to -use guide also has recipes for soft pretzels, empanadas and more.

UNITED TASTES OF AMERICA
by Gabrielle Langholtz
Phaidon Press

Readers are invited to cook their way around the country in this oversized,and colorful collection. Each entry outlines famous food from that state complete with an easy recipe, (Spoiler Alert: Kentucky’s is Fried Chicken!).

APPLE CAKE: A GRATITUDE
by Dawn Casey
Francis Lincoln Ltd

In this simple rhyming book a girl and her dog say thank you for Nature’s gifts while collecting ingredients to make a very special cake. This lovely picture book is both a perfect introduction to the farm to table concept or a lovely gift for foodies of any age.

YUMMY YOGA
by Joy Bauer
Harry N. Abrams

Written by longtime health expert, Joy Bauer, this yoga primer encourages kids to eat right and exercise by having yummy fruits & veggies demonstrate the poses. Downward Dog has never been so delicious!

A IS FOR APRICAT
by Mauro Gatti
Walter Foster Jr.

This board book mashes together a cute critter and a tasty treat to help youngsters learn the alphabet, and the produce section, in a humorously yummy way.

Our friends at Carmichael's Bookstore suggest these books as excellent choices for edible readers. Carmichael's represents locally owned retailers where the benefits of buying local can be experienced.