Bob & Lenore's Cookbook

INTRODUCTION

The farm and our stove are connected in a way that takes us to a higher level of cooking consciousness. What makes the difference is to meet as many of the farmers and vendors who produce our ingredients as we can. You see, we have personally touched the noses of Jersey beef cows in the pasture. We don’t see a cute animal or pet, but rather a proud example of their breed, being raised sustainably for market. So for us at EVOO a food source with a conscience is just a required segment of the circle that continues in our kitchen. If our cooking experiences and shows can do that for our guests, we have reached one of our business goals.

Selecting ingredients that are produced sustainably and are in season will provide the best basis for any of the recipes you find here. Being as fresh as they can be means you do not need to work hard at making them taste good. We strive to make recipes that work. If you tasted it in one of our shows and are motivated to make it at home, it is our obligation to write in a way that makes you successful.

Furthermore we encourage your own innovation when making our recipes.  Recipes can provide a structure if you are pretty new to cooking, but for those with more experience and an understanding of flavors and the purpose of ingredients, your substitutions and/or additions can make cooking even more satisfying for you. Our hope is that you learn techniques so that you can apply them to any season or combination of ingredients when you cook. 

Nourishment is what we need from the food we eat, and manipulating the raw ingredients to make recipes that you and your family enjoy enhances the entire meal. There is measured satisfaction when doing it yourself and knowing that your eating habits are improved when starting with quality raw ingredients instead of processed foods. When cooking is part of the experience of eating, we tend to eat less. When we throw something together or purchase a quick meal, eating it is less satisfying and may leave us wanting more. We can get up from a meal in the car or at our desk and actually not even remember the process of eating, which can lead to craving more; next thing you know we stop at the vending machine to satisfy the vacancy.

Yes, we believe the enjoyment of cooking whole foods from scratch can enhance the pleasure of eating and our nutrition.
May the recipes in this cookbook provide inspiration and pleasurable dining experiences around your table.