January 20, 2015

Giveaway of Sean Brock's New Cookbook!

Even though the holidays are long gone, I'm still indulging in one of my favorite seasonal activities: sitting by the wood stove with a big pile of new cookbooks to read through. Joy. And there's one that continuously captures my attention: Sean Brock's hot-off-the-press new cookbook, Heritage. And lucky you, Artisan Publishing is giving away a copy to a Kitchen Vignettes reader (Canadian residents only are eligible for this one), so be sure to enter the giveaway below!




My guy and I developed a huge foodie crush on Sean Brock this fall, when we became obsessed with the PBS show The Mind of A ChefAt the top of our resolution list is a trip to one his celebrated restaurants in Charston or Nashville. As growers of heirloom grains (aka, major seed nerds), we love this man's commitment to sourcing regional, traditional ingredients, many of which have almost gone extinct in the race for big monoculture crops that simply yield, yield, yield. This excerpt from Mind of A Chef shows Sean preparing a dreamy Farro Verde Succotash. It makes me yearn for summer. 



This cookbook probably has the best cover of all time. The tattoos, the beans, the colors, I mean, you don't even need to open the book and you've already had a visual feast. But lift the cover and you're swept away to a land of pure elegance and inspiration, a place where practical recipes for Skillet Roasted Chicken or Corn Grits live side by side with more elaborate ones such as Stone Crab with Cucumber Juice, Fennel Jelly, and Raw Apple or Rabbit Andouille with Braised Peppers and Lady Pea Gravy. Every photo inspires me to get more creative about food presentation and even in this old farmhouse, to give some of these fancy chef plating tricks a try, for the fun of it.

The first thing I made from the book was the Farrotto with Acorn Squash and Kale (because yes, we STILL have kale standing strong out there), a perfect winter dish, warm, filling, and deeply flavourful. Next up on my list are the Einkorn Biscuits, the Brown Oyster Stew with Benne, and the Tomato Jam. As a Canadian, I didn't know a whole lot about Southern cuisine. This book is a perfect introduction and I love how Sean walks you through the step by step process of "How to cook grits like a Southerner" and "How to build a pit and cook a whole pig like a champion pitmaster". I'll warn you, some of the recipes in the book do look complicated and some of the ingredients are hard to come by, but the spirit of this book is to inspire and challenge us all to try new things, to learn the value of sourcing local ingredients, to get in touch with our own heritage and learn to adapt recipes to our own regions, based on what is available in our part of the world. After all, even before you get all the pots and pans out, the heart of a recipe begins with finding the best ingredients one can possibly find. 


I will announce the winner of the cookbook this weekend! Bonne chance! (This giveaway can only ship within Canada, but I promise some exciting giveaways for you non-Canadians later in the year!)


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22 comments:

  1. I would love to win the cookbook because I need all the help I can get with cooking!

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  2. I love cooking and growing heirloom veggies, and would love to explore Southern cuisine!

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  3. When I first caught a glimpse of this cookbook I didn't know what to think. My mind whirled imagining what type of recipes could be within such a "colorful" tatooed cookbook. I must admit my first thoughts were on the negative side. Oh was I wrong. This is a creative, well-written collection of great recipes and I would love to have the chance to win a personal copy. My hands have been in the soil for more than 50 years...great insight by a great chef. Another lesson of not judging a book by its cover1

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  4. I cook with beans a ton, and any inspiration to do so in a more creative way is welcome. And I love the opportunity to get exposed to Southern food!

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  5. McCrady's remains in my top 5 lifetime meals. Would love to win the book

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  6. I feel like just owning this book would make anything I cook ten times cooler. :)

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  7. I LOVED Sean's episodes of Mind of a Chef... I would love to cook with him - his book is one step closer ;)

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  8. What better way to warm up in the North than to enjoy some cooking from the South?

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  9. I was mesmerized when I watched Sean on PBS, "Mind of a Chef" He was so very down to earth, yet extreme passion and talent. My husband and I found our new favorite chef that day!

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  10. I honestly am not familiar with Sean Brock - though, I do watch PBS's Mind of Chef on my streaming ROKU player and will locate his episode. I have become a huge fan of Kitchen Vignettes by Aubergine. I recently prepared the Amaranth Corn Fritters - delicious. You cook the way I like to eat so your posts are wonderfully instructive.

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  11. I really enjoy cooking and learning about food, and this includes cookbooks. I have made a lot of recipes from Kitchen Vignettes, and it is unique & inspiring. I hope to have my own blog soon. Thank you.

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  12. This looks like a great book to expand my recipe collection for whole grains. Love the idea of the farrotto.

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  13. Have admired Sean Brock's food and philosophy since I ate at McCrady's years ago and watched his episodes from Mind of a Chef. I would love the opportunity to be able to make some of his dishes myself!

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  14. I would love to win this book. Big fan of Brock and his cooking style.

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  15. I would love to win because, like you, I enjoy reading and collecting cookbooks that speak to my heart...and because anything that you have ever suggested has been a winner in my book! I love you videos, recipes, website, and blog!

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  16. Dreaming of owning this book! <3

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  17. Looks like a beautiful book and I've never been fantastic at cooking beans :)

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  18. I love cookbooks! I love reading them, looking at photos, making new recipes, trying new techniques. I don't make a lot of southern food. I'd love to win this cookbook!

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  19. I love having new cookbooks to discover new recipes!

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  20. I really enjoy Mind of a Chef and have adapted his soggy bean recipe for vegetarians. I have been exploring southern cooking for some time and would love this book!

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  21. Greetings from Michelle @ http://vinamy.com/copycat-cookbook/

    I enjoy collecting cookbook! Exploring in the world of food is one of my favorite!

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  22. That cookbook is definitely a must have! Isn’t it exciting to have access to one of the most respected chef's recipes? Just looking at those delectable creations makes me crave for them! Haha! Anyway, I’m curious on how the contest went. Keep us posted!

    Lucius Cambell @ Skild

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