National Network for Equitable Library Service

Great artists and great cooks have long been inspired by gardens and the many sensory gifts they provide. Artist Claude Monet took inspiration from his gardens and the lily ponds at Giverny. Van Gogh, Manet, Matisse and Cezanne created still life masterpieces of fruit and flowers. Similarly, cooks from Julia Child and Alice Waters, to Patricia Wells and Jamie Oliver have taken culinary inspiration from homegrown or fresh local produce. Artist Maryjo Koch explores this centuries-old connection in a new cookbook inspired by her studio garden. The garden not only provides the artistic subjects she and her many students paint, but it also serves as the culinary toolbox for the delectable and visual feasts she prepares for her family, guests and painting classes throughout the year. Divided into four chapters and inspired by the seasons, artists, cooks, and gardeners alike will find tips, recipes and painting projects centered on seasonal food pairings. For example, the winter garden focuses on soups with offerings like Minestrone with Crumbled Bacon and Butternut Squash-Apple Soup. Springtime brings culinary attention to leafy greens such as Flower Petal Salad and Spring Asparagus Fritttata with Peas and Peppers. As the seasons’ bounty progresses, the painting subjects and menus change as well, invented with whatever is freshest and most beautiful in the garden. Whether you find yourself more at home with an artist’s paint brush, a cook’s wooden spoon, or a gardener’s spade, you’ll find a trio of artistic, culinary and gardening inspirations inside Maryjo Koch’s lavish cookbook.