Chicken and Egg: A Memoir of Suburban Homesteading with 125 Recipes

Janice Cole
Chronicle Books (2011)
ISBN 9780811870450
Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (5/11)

As much of our society is going back to the basics, many are setting up chicken coops on their suburban properties.  Raising chickens is an art in itself but the end result of having fresh eggs on a daily basis is the reward.  As well, freshly butchered chicken has a specific taste of its own.   Although I don’t have chickens in my backyard, I do remember the taste and smell from my childhood.

We are asked to test three recipes for the purpose of the review.  I purchased fresh chickens and eggs at a local farmers’ market and feel they are as fresh as I can get.  The chickens were plump and the fat was bright yellow as were the egg yolks.

The first recipe I tested was “Garlicky Butterflied Chicken.” The combination of 4 cloves of garlic and fresh parsley gave the chicken a wonderful flavor after grilled.  The recipe is very simple and grilling keeps the heat out of the house.

The second recipe I tested was “Raspberry-Swirl Angel Cake with Crème Fraiche.”  The recipe called for 12 egg whites.  The cake was awesome with the fresh raspberries swirled throughout the cake.   I was reluctant to put 1 - 1/4 cups into the batter because it seems like too much and the cake would fall.  It didn’t. Topped with crème fraiche and more raspberries make a desert to remember.  This cake took a little extra time to make but well worth it.

Okay, so now I had 12 egg yolks to dispose of.  Unfortunately there is no recipe in “Chicken and Egg” to help me out so I resorted to making my mother’s recipe for Devil’s Food Cake which used up all the yolks. 

The third recipe I tested was the “Deep-Dish Mushroom Egg Bake with Applewood-Smoked Bacon.”  The flavors blended well, the egg/bread/milk mixture was puffy and the taste of mushrooms (I used some wild) were good on the palette.   The smoked bacon added to the flare, as did the topping of Gruyere cheese.  This recipe is huge and we had leftovers for several days.  It tasted great cold as well as heated.

Browsing through the rest of the book, I noted many recipes I would like to make.  The ingredients are simple and can be found at any local grocery store.  Throughout “Chicken and Egg” are highlighted boxes of interesting information such as “The Brooder: Replacing Mother Hen,” “Which Comes First - The Chicken or the Egg?” and personal stories. 

I enjoyed reading the stories and insightful information while waiting for the chicken to grill or the cake to bake.  I believe Janice Cole has a winner here, not only for the suburban family but for the urban as well.  Five stars for “Chicken and Egg: A Memoir of Suburban Homesteading with 125 Recipes.”

Make comment on weblog

FTC Disclosure