Description:
At 31, Doug Jones was broke and back living with his parents in suburban New Jersey. Finding that working on his brother's farm in upstate New York did not suit him, he borrowed a suit from a friend, and took a job in New York City, which turned out not to suit him either. (My Brother's Farm is delightful, but you will have to tolerate similarly arch prose and heavy-handed humor at times.) Finally, inspiration struck. Instead of bringing produce from his brother's farm to coworkers as a favor, Jones decided to do it as a business. He and his girlfriend turned this brainstorm into My Brother's Organic Produce and Tasty Morsel Delivery Service, adding a newsletter with recipes to the weekly parcels of food being dropped with doormen and provided to posh investment bankers all over the city. Thanks to a mention in a local magazine, the business took root. While working hard, Jones met great chefs who shared recipes using brother Guy's heirloom tomatoes and Brussels sprouts. The 40 recipes in this book also showcase seasonal ingredients in colorful Goat Cheese and Beet Salad with Arugula and Balsamic Vinaigrette; the velvety, lean, and aromatic Nicolle's Pumpkin and Basil Soup; and Local Fish Roasted with Herbs and Seasonal Vegetables, which includes fresh rosemary, zucchini, and root vegetables. Jones learned about foraged wild foods like ramps. His chapter on harvesting this pungent relative of leeks and garlic is a hoot. He also takes you to a family-run oyster farm on idyllic Fisher's Island, off the coast of Connecticut, and spends time gardening with underprivileged youngsters in the often abandoned dirt of New York City. City dwellers and everyone who dreams of dumping their present life for a simpler, more satisfying one will enjoy My Brother's Farm. Even if you do not yearn for Yukon Gold potatoes or tomatillos, it is nice settling down to enjoy the often irreverent and loopy stories in this sweet yet serious book about living well, working hard, and appreciating life. --Dana Jacobi
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