The Feast Nearby

The Feast Nearby: How I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally by Robin Mather
Source: Purchased
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I started reading this book, I was surprised by how many recipes it contained.  The sheer number of them made this an extremely quick read.  Essentially, it is a collection of essays that shows us how Robin figured out how to support herself (and her local economy) at a little lakeside cabin in Michigan.  She finds happiness and security by putting up food, making new friends, and enjoying the company of her dog, bird, kitten, and chickens.  She weathers the four seasons and shares her experiences the first year she lives alone in her cabin.

This was an informative read with delicious sounding recipes and lots of canning and preserving tips I plan on making good use of (someday).  I found it well written with one glaring exception, which may be personal, you can judge for yourself.  Instead of saying she liked or enjoyed something, Robin said over and over again that "such-and-such pleased her," or "it pleased her neighbor" or "it pleased her neighbor more than it pleased her."  For whatever reason, that wording just grated on my nerves.  Glossing over that one failing, I found the book educational and interesting and I will definitely hold onto it for future reference.