Winter is upon us. Not officially (2 weeks, 3 days & counting...), but try telling that to the weather. With our recent chilly temps and current dreary, grey drizzle, it feels like the perfect time to stay inside and cozy up with a mug of tea and a good book. With that in mind, I offer up a curated selection of Swansons' literary offerings, available in our conservatory gift shop. From cookbooks to gardening classics to gorgeous coffee table books, there are more than enough choices to while away the long rainy season.
This year, there are lots of new works I'm dying to read. Will I break last year's record number of cookbooks purchased in a one-month period? Probably. Have I created culinary delights from my new recipe books? Not nearly often enough. No matter. After perusing many a book, I've got my wishlist, with titles for everyone on my holiday shopping list.
Here are a few of my favorites, in no particular order:
The Beekeeper's Journal: an Illustrated Register for Your Beekeeping Adventures, by Kim Flottum. With illustrations, tips and checklists to guide you on your beekeeping journey.
Advanced Style, by Ari Seth Cohen. More proof that style knows no age limits. Fabulous photos and stories.
Edible Heirlooms: Heritage Vegetables for the Maritime Garden, by Bill Thorness. Info about unique and flavorful varieties with lovely hand-drawn illustrations by Susie Thorness.
Prune*, by Gabrielle Hamilton. Signature recipes from Hamilton’s celebrated NYC restaurant. A New York Times Bestseller.
Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour and Butter, by Kate Lebo. New Year's Resolution 2015: a pie a day.
The Indoor Plant & Flower Expert, by Dr. D.G. Hessayon. The BEST indoor plant reference we’ve seen in a long time.
Animalium, illustrated by Katie Scott and written by Jenny Broom. A coffee table book of whimsical full-color illustrations and fun facts about fauna for kids and adults.
Heritage*, by Sean Brock. New Southern cooking by a chef with a passion for preserving and reinterpreting America's heritage foods.
Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It, and Other Cooking Projects, by Karen Solomon. Make your own marshmallows. And bacon. Yum.
Pictorial Webster's Pocket Dictionary, by John M. Carrera. Where else can you find an accurate drawing of a Kleeneboc and a King Tody?
I’m so Happy it’s Happy Hour: Sinfully Delicious Cocktails For Any Occasion, by Anne Taintor. Witty artwork and quips paired with complementary cocktails. A personal favorite: The Brazen Hussy vodka cocktail, accompanied by this image:
*An Amazon Editor's Choice Best Book of 2014.