I'm at the tail-end of the whole baby-making circle (though I guess if it's a circle, there's really no end, so that's a terrible metaphor...)
So, anyway -- cooking with the goal of getting pregnant is no longer my issue. Hallelujah.
BUT -- there's a clamoring horde out there who will do anything, and I mean ANYthing, to grab those pink-and-blue rings and bring that baby home. This review's mostly for them.
I may not be an active participant in the fertility arena, but creating things that taste good and keep my dependents chugging along -- big fan of that. So every now and then, my worlds collide (the one where I'm Followed By Sperm Banks and the one where I try to keep my abode's pantry stocked) and I find myself reading things like The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook.
Right off the bat, I connected with this book (not the first of its kind, by the way, but more options are always better than none) by way of the forward written by Dr. Philip Chenette. After explaining the threads between what we eat and how we conceive, he said this:
Reminded me of my own dear Editor (at Trailer Park Karma) who frequently comments on how we're each just 'bags of soup'... The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook's recipes help you concoct your own little bag o' soup.
The story of how Cindy Bailey, one of FKC's co-authors (along with her cooking, science-patent-holding husband, Pierre Giauque, Ph.D.), went from having her baby dreams dashed in a doctor's office to boosting her own fertility via lifestyle changes hearkens to compadre Julia Indichova's personal journey. Julia, author of one of the first books that essentially scoffed at the You're Too Old To Have a Baby soapbox years ago, is credited by Cindy and Pierre as inspiration and support. That clicks with me, since I count Julia as a friend and colleague.
An especially inviting aspect of The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook is that Pierre created the 60 recipes. He grew up helping his single working mom cook for his siblings. More connections abounding: You know how much I like hearing single mom stories, but to add to it a son who grows up to be a culinary artist toting a physics Ph.D. -- we're talking yum yum.
Allow me to gush just a bit more: this book was created by a groovy, internationally-traveled, northern Cali-living couple who sometimes use CANS in their cooking. Ahhh... that's relaxation in the kitchen from my vantage point. And if your culinary time is uptight, that's no good for the whole baby-making scene.
I've left more than a few books in their boxes when the intimidation factor is too high. Life is short and full, so I'm mostly attracted to things I can pull off with just enough effort. I'm done with trying to make an impression. I'm also a huge skeptic. What some folks call "easy"... well, let's just say many of my best friends are slackers, and that's fine by me. The subtitle of FKC is "Simple Recipes for Optimizing Your Fertility" -- and after I took a deep breath, preparing for "simple" ingredients that require costly purchases either online or at peculiarly-stocked boutique stores, I found myself instead drooling over the photos in this cookbook. Maybe it was just my lunchtime, but this IS a lovely production, and primarily because of its simplicity.
Besides the mouth-watering photos, the recipes are brief, clear, and cut to the chase. Nothing in this book looks too challenging for daily use. And that's the point: if you're eating with a specific physiological goal in mind (in this case, getting pregnant), then you're looking for direction that's not hard to follow every single day.
There's nothing magic in these combinations of ingredients. Of course, the authors are thrilled to have their own little production (son, Julien) front-and-center on the book's cover suggesting evidence of a wholesome diet's benefits. The bottom line for me, though, is that this is healthy cooking done easy. I'm looking forward to trying a lot of Pierre's ideas -- with nary a babydust wish in mind.
So, anyway -- cooking with the goal of getting pregnant is no longer my issue. Hallelujah.
BUT -- there's a clamoring horde out there who will do anything, and I mean ANYthing, to grab those pink-and-blue rings and bring that baby home. This review's mostly for them.
I may not be an active participant in the fertility arena, but creating things that taste good and keep my dependents chugging along -- big fan of that. So every now and then, my worlds collide (the one where I'm Followed By Sperm Banks and the one where I try to keep my abode's pantry stocked) and I find myself reading things like The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook.
Right off the bat, I connected with this book (not the first of its kind, by the way, but more options are always better than none) by way of the forward written by Dr. Philip Chenette. After explaining the threads between what we eat and how we conceive, he said this:
"Our science is only beginning to unravel these mysteries, but there is no doubt that every human is a product of a unique recipe in the form of DNA from the sperm and egg in combination with nutritional building blocks needed to interpret that recipe. A good recipe, with adequate building blocks, is essential to the outcome of a healthy child."
Reminded me of my own dear Editor (at Trailer Park Karma) who frequently comments on how we're each just 'bags of soup'... The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook's recipes help you concoct your own little bag o' soup.
The story of how Cindy Bailey, one of FKC's co-authors (along with her cooking, science-patent-holding husband, Pierre Giauque, Ph.D.), went from having her baby dreams dashed in a doctor's office to boosting her own fertility via lifestyle changes hearkens to compadre Julia Indichova's personal journey. Julia, author of one of the first books that essentially scoffed at the You're Too Old To Have a Baby soapbox years ago, is credited by Cindy and Pierre as inspiration and support. That clicks with me, since I count Julia as a friend and colleague.
An especially inviting aspect of The Fertile Kitchen Cookbook is that Pierre created the 60 recipes. He grew up helping his single working mom cook for his siblings. More connections abounding: You know how much I like hearing single mom stories, but to add to it a son who grows up to be a culinary artist toting a physics Ph.D. -- we're talking yum yum.
I've left more than a few books in their boxes when the intimidation factor is too high. Life is short and full, so I'm mostly attracted to things I can pull off with just enough effort. I'm done with trying to make an impression. I'm also a huge skeptic. What some folks call "easy"... well, let's just say many of my best friends are slackers, and that's fine by me. The subtitle of FKC is "Simple Recipes for Optimizing Your Fertility" -- and after I took a deep breath, preparing for "simple" ingredients that require costly purchases either online or at peculiarly-stocked boutique stores, I found myself instead drooling over the photos in this cookbook. Maybe it was just my lunchtime, but this IS a lovely production, and primarily because of its simplicity.
Besides the mouth-watering photos, the recipes are brief, clear, and cut to the chase. Nothing in this book looks too challenging for daily use. And that's the point: if you're eating with a specific physiological goal in mind (in this case, getting pregnant), then you're looking for direction that's not hard to follow every single day.
There's nothing magic in these combinations of ingredients. Of course, the authors are thrilled to have their own little production (son, Julien) front-and-center on the book's cover suggesting evidence of a wholesome diet's benefits. The bottom line for me, though, is that this is healthy cooking done easy. I'm looking forward to trying a lot of Pierre's ideas -- with nary a babydust wish in mind.
Love this review. (Of course, I'm partial.) But really enjoyed the flavor and energy with which you write! (Uh... no pun intended on "flavor.") If your readers want to learn more, please visit us at www.fertilekitchen.com.
Thanks, Tracy!
Posted by: cindy bailey | February 24, 2010 at 05:50 PM
My pleasure, truly! I'm looking forward to cooking up the book and reporting back on Trailer Park Karma.
Posted by: Tracy, Of course | February 24, 2010 at 08:40 PM