Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Cooking
Learn to cook with the seasons. Family style, no fuss cooking to nourish the body, spirit and soul...
Learn to cook with the seasons. Family style, no fuss cooking to nourish the body, spirit and soul...
Learn to cook with the seasons. Family style, no fuss cooking to nourish the body, spirit and soul...
Inspiration & personal growth, Paganism & neo-paganism, Seasonal
Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Cooking is a book designed to take you through the seasons. Working with produce when it is at its best with recipes for everyone and menu ideas reflecting the energy of each month of the year, it presents family style, no fuss cooking to nourish the body, spirit and soul.
Recipes include; meat main, vegetarian/vegan main, soups, standard and vegan desserts, bread and of course...cake; both standard and vegan options.
An Alternative Guide to Cooking is the first volume in an exciting new lifestyle series from Moon Books, which offers body, mind and planet-friendly alternatives for everyday tasks.
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Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Reading a cookbook is nothing unusual for me. Reading a cookbook written by a witch is not highly unusual for me. But reading about a witch from the UK making biscuits and gravy Southern style is unusual. Loved this book, loved the recipes and the look into her life that she gives the readers. I have tried some of the recipes and will try some more. Every month has different recipes. I recommend this book. ~ Marie Angel (Reviewer), NetGalley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Love the ideology behind the book, written well and with true passion for the subject. Comprehensive recipes and a great source of inspiration for cooking ideas. ~ Yelena Chzhen (Media), NetGalley
A delight to browse through and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Practically Pagan: An Alternative Guide to Cooking" is an ideal resource for menu planning all year round and will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. ~ The Cookbook Shelf, Mid West Book Review
Do you like cooking, and using ingredients that are in season? Or maybe mixing it up a bit? such as chocolate and mayonnaise?? well this book is most definitely for you, This book takes you through the year and shows you how to use food when its at its best or cheapest, family favourites and recipes for all, from meat eaters to vegans, and of course cake, which has to be the best part, for me. At the back of the book it covers some basics too, a great book to have in your kitchen. ~ CosmicDancer, Amazon
"I'd been wanting to buy this cookery book for a little while and as a treat for working hard I did just that and am so pleased - it's so easy to read , flows very naturally; I could not put it down and with all the different recipes I'm now itching to try- and for vegans/ veggies and meat-eaters alike; savoury and sweet options throughout; this book really comes from a place of love; there's no judgement or preciousness over the foods used or situations; the descriptions are warm and inviting; the author is wholeheartedly transparent with where she's coming from and writes with a direct approach whilst being sensitive to her varied readership and that needs to be applauded. I love the way that the book is divided up into months, considering what would be harvested and what foods would be used by way of celebration or using up. I've been a keen gardener of veg mainly from seed for the last 5 years and I've been looking for a book like this & this is the first of its kind. The fact that this book is 'practically pagan' with loads of vegan options, both I've been studying for just under a year, is the powdered sugar icing on top the mayonnaise cake! Yes, I'll be trying that! In fact this morning I made the vegetable pelau and it's so yummy - and easy - that's going to be a family favourite of ours now. Loved all the translations & for the USA language / systems too. Again, the book feels about inclusivity, bulldozing through barriers so that the script is equally for Elders to enjoy as it is for people who are brand new to Paganism and / or cooking. I'll definitely be making some of the recipes with both my kids but the chocolate flapjack brownies may have to be experimented with in a secret session! I feel that this book has answered many questions and I'm so glad it's been written and as well as it has. Thank you to the Author Rachel Patterson and to the Publisher Moon Books." ~ Nat Lenton, Amazon
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I like the approach of this book; focusing on seasonal ingredients, minimal waste etc. There are some recipes that I am interested to try also. A good book. ~ Poppy Angell (Reviewer), NetGalley
5 Star rating: If you are familiar with Rachel Patterson and her books, you will know that cooking is a big part of her life. She has put her experience as a witch, author, and cook together to write this fabulous cookbook that is filled with recipes of all kinds. This cookbook different than others in that she begins by discussing various concerns many of us have, such as ethical cooking, foraging, using herbs, and several others. And perhaps the most useful aspect of the organization of this book is that she has arranged the recipes by month, and consequently season. For Pagans and other nature-based cooks, this is particularly useful for preparing meals around various times of the year. The recipes are easy to follow and are so varied. Many of the recipes have a vegan option, and the recipes are easy to prepare, which is important for most of us who are busy working and caring for our families. I haven't yet tried all the recipes, but two of my favorites are the lemon thyme cookies and the caramel swirl cake, which are the pictures I've shared. If you are looking for inspiration to cook more seasonally, bake for rituals, or just need some great recipes, this is the cookbook for you! ~ Paul Chamness Lida, Amazon
5 Star rating: Another fantastic book from Rachel Patterson. The recipes all look and sound amazing, she has included some vegan and gluten free recipes, and many of the other recipes have suggestions for adapting them to either diet should you need to. There are no fancy expensive ingredients, these are all favourite recipes that Rachel cooks for her own family. I have tried a couple so far and they are delicious, my only problem is deciding what to cook next! Whether you are pagan or not, and whatever your diet, this cook book will become a firm favourite. ~ S Perryman, Amazon
5 Star Rating: Rachel Patterson is my favorite author! This book does not disappoint. Made the Indian Fry Bread today. Absolutely awesome!! Thanks Rachel for another superb book. ~ Michele Fitzgerald, Amazon
5 Star rating: I have a few of Rachel’s books and this one is equally as wonderful as the others. It is filled with delicious recipes that are based on what is in season ( including yummy cakes, cookies and biscuits) and I already have my eye on a couple of recipes to tickle the tastebuds! ~ Maria Panayi, Amazon
5 Star rating: A wonderful selection of recipes, taking you through each month, discussing seasonal ingredients. Rachel has made all the recipes, she explains the methods simply and with humour, her style encourages you to try something different, it almost feels as if she is in the kitchen with you. ~ Heather Jane Dewhurst, Amazon
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. I'm a fan of Rachel Patterson and was happy to read this ARC. It's an informative, engrossing and entertaining read with a lot of interesting recipes and food for thought. I loved it and I strongly recommend it. ~ Anna Maria Giacomasso (Reviewer) , NetGalley
Some really nice recipes. I have started to really like her writing. Goes month by month and a selection of recipes for that month. Some food information and how cooking and paganism can relate. ~ Alexandra Roth (Reviewer) , NetGalley
Absolutely brilliant book, love the recipes in her. Rachael's books are some of the very best I have ever read, I'm proud to say I own all of them and have read them all more than once... this is one that is going to join that list! ~ Helen Setford, Amazon
..........Kitchen witch Rachel Patterson shows with this book that everybody can embrace paganism in their cooking and makes it quite accessible. She cuts it into twelve chapters corresponding to the twelve months of the year. Besides talking about some of the pagan and Wiccan holidays celebrated in those months and intentions to keep in mind, she lists different vegetables and fruits that are harvestable in that time and could be used in the many recipes throughout the book...........I would absolutely recommend this book to others who are into cooking following the natural cycles of the earth, as well as to other pagans.. ~ Deborah Van den Berg (Reviewer), NetGalley
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. The book is divided by seasons each containing foods that are available for the specific time of year. She lists the food that are generally found fresh for her area. I love that she talks about using everything with little waste. In January, she has a recipe for chili with minced beef that doesn’t have tomatoes in it. I cannot wait to try it. The corn muffin recipe sounds so simple to make. For February, there is a recipe for Colcannon. My husband has been wanting to try it and I was looking for a good recipe. I cannot wait to make it. I also love the recipe for sticky toffee pudding. The recipe calls for muscovado sugar and I had to look for substitutes but easily found some. The Depression Cake is a great recipe for now since some groceries are getting hard to find. There is a leek, potato and sage soup for March. There is a Greek custard pie and anise cookies for dessert. In April, the recipe for Cottage or Shepherd’s pie sounds better than any recipe I have made before. The recipe for cheese, bacon and rosemary loaf is on my list of things to make this month. I love the variations for the potato salad she included in May. I just bought three pounds of bananas and cannot wait to make the banana tarte-tatin. The spinach and broccoli soup along with the scones for June sound amazing. The chocolate cream cake is calling my name! This is only a sampling of the recipes offered in this book. The directions are easy to follow, and the ingredients were not hard to find. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in eating closer to the seasons and cooking at home. ~ Dawn Thomas (Reviewer), NetGalley
This was a great guide to cooking for each month! It has wonderful recipes and is very inclusive as it has options for meat, vegetarian, and vegan (even for baking!). ~ Amanda Gold (Reviewer) , NetGalley
I was beyond excited for this book and it didn't disappoint. I have been wanting to learn more about using seasonal produce. This book is full of great recipes, all using what's in season. It's so much more though. It's a great addition to any kitchen witch's shelf. ~ Cassandra Wengewicz (Reviewer), NetGalley
Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Cooking by Rachel Patterson is the type of cookbook I really enjoy. Although there are no pictures, at least not in the version I read, the recipes are straightforward and pictures aren't as necessary as in some more elaborate books........I highly recommend this to cooks who want to serve hearty meals using in season ingredients when possible. This is about day-to-day and month-to month, maybe better season-to-season, cooking and living rather than the periodic "look what I made" special dinners. I love those kinds of cookbooks too, but I find myself using them once in a great while, while I can see myself referencing this book regularly. ~ Earl Messer (Reviewer), NetGalley
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I really liked this book, as it had lots of recipes I wanted to try, both some more basic and some with a fun twist. It's also arranged by month, which I found really fun, as there's some pagan info for each month in addition to focusing on what produce is in season at that time. ~ Kristin Jørgensen (Reviewer), NetGalley
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Besides reading, my other main interest is cooking. Although there are no pictures in this recipe book, it didn't really matter to me. I enjoyed reading the comments as to what Rachel Patterson thought about each recipe. Whether it was a favourite or as to why she had slightly varied a recipe. Several of the recipes i'm already familiar with, having cooked them over the years. I've not had bacon roly poly for years, but the idea of baking rather than steaming, now has me wanting to try. The chocolate puddle pudding is something that i aim to make soon, as well as the Florentine rice tart. There are not many recipes containing meat, but then i don't eat as much meat as i used to. Whether one is Pagan or not (I'm not), this recipe book is worth a read. ~ Jeanette Styles (Reviewer), NetGalley
Very interesting approach to cooking. The chapters are set up by months and indicate what produce is generally available at that time. Several of the recipes sounded great and I made Chans and Spinach Curry. It contained easy to find ingredients (most I had at home) and it was easy to make. Very good and will be a nice addition to my menu rotation. ~ Kathy Pagan (Educator) , NetGalley
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. .....I'm reading an advanced copy of Rachel's new book 'Practically Pagan - An Alternative Guide to Cooking' right now. Even though I'm not Pagan, I'm really enjoying it. My practice as a gnostic can benefit.......I'm sharing this right now on my bookstagram page @aprilsbookishlife and goodreads as well as my facebook group The Broom Closet Spiritual Learning Group where I also shared your latest blog post. I'll be slowly working my way through your book this week but I can already tell it's fantastic. Thank you Rachel, Moon Books and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review it. ~ April Jernigan (Reviewer) , NetGalley