Yum!

"Multicookers such as the GoWISE USA and Instant Pot Duo are hugely popular; however, most recipes are unreliable or are designed to work in only one model of multicooker--and most often, they use only the pressure-cook setting. Enter Multicooker Perfection (from America's Test Kitchen), a collection of foolproof recipes tested and developed to work in any multicooker and conform to your schedule. Make each recipe "fast" using the pressure-cook setting or let dinner cook while you're out by preparing it "slow" on the slow-cook setting. These crowd-pleasing recipes are perfectly suited for cooking at the touch of a button, from soups and stews like Easy Beef and Barley Soup and Chipotle Pork and Hominy Stew; to weeknight-friendly meals like Braised Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes and Capers, Ziti with Sausage Ragu, and Thai Braised Eggplant; to company-worthy dishes like Tamarind Braised Beef Short Ribs and Osso Buco with Sweet and Spicy Peperonata. Plus, you'll find a chapter of unexpected recipes like Boston Brown Bread, Buffalo Chicken Wings, and even a perfectly creamy Cheesecake. Make cooking easier and better with this must-have cookbook for any multicooker owner." (from Amazon.com)

"In 85 innovative recipes, Lindsay-Jean Hard—who writes the “Cooking with Scraps” column for Food52—shows just how delicious and surprising the all-too-often-discarded parts of food can be, transforming what might be considered trash into culinary treasure. Here’s how to put those seeds, stems, tops, rinds to good use for more delicious (and more frugal) cooking: Carrot greens—bright, fresh, and packed with flavor—make a zesty pesto. Water from canned beans behaves just like egg whites, perfect for vegan mayonnaise that even non-vegans will love. And serve broccoli stems olive-oil poached on lemony ricotta toast. It’s pure food genius, all the while critically reducing waste one dish at a time." (from Amazon.com)

"With gorgeous full-color photos, artful writing, and out-of-the-box recipes, you'll see why this duo's successful and heart-healthy website, MayIHaveThatRecipe.com, has such a dedicated following. Drawing on the ancient traditions of Turkey, Lebanon, and Israel to the trendy palates of Barcelona, Spain, Cohen and Fox showcase delicious vegan dishes with sophisticated flavor profiles and beautiful, crowd-pleasing presentations. From brunch specials such as Chickpea and Pepper Shakshuka and Zucchini Fritters with Yogurt Cucumber Sauce, to rich, intensely-flavored desserts, like Creamy Tahini Cheesecake and Rose Water Pudding Tartelettes with Pomegranate and Pistachios, there's a dish for every meal. Paired with fresh greens, the salads and appetizers can more than hold their own for an easy weeknight supper that is healthy, filling, and beautiful. Entrées such as Harissa meatless meatballs with Aromatic Turmeric Broth and Sweet and Savory Quinoa Stuffed Eggplant do double duty for everyday or holiday. With detailed explanations of Middle Eastern foods, and suggestions on the best way to build up a home pantry of staples, you'll discover a world of flavor. Once you begin cooking from Tahini & Turmeric, you'll find yourself experimenting with pistachios and pomegranate syrup--and, of course, tahini and turmeric." (from Amazon.com)

"Inspired by the landscape and flavors of his childhood on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Timothy Pakron found his heart, soul, and calling in cooking the Cajun, Creole, and southern classics of his youth. In his debut cookbook, he shares 125 plant-based recipes, all of which substitute ingredients without sacrificing depth of flavor and reveal the secret tradition of veganism in southern cooking. Finding ways to re-create his experiences growing up in the South--making mud pies and admiring the deep pink azaleas--on the plate, Pakron looks to history and nature as his guides to creating the richest food possible. Filled with as many evocative photographs and stories as easy-to-follow recipes, Mississippi Vegan is an ode to the transporting and ethereal beauty of the food and places you love." (from Amazon.com)

And in honor of National Lawn & Garden Month...

Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30^th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.
Eliot Coleman’s books and innovative methods have helped innumerable organic farmers build successful farms in deep accordance with nature. The wisdom in this seminal book holds true even as the modern agricultural canon has grown―in large part due to Coleman’s influence as a wise elder with decades of experience. New information has been included in this edition to showcase the new tools and techniques that Eliot has been developing over the last thirty-five years.
Inspired by the European intensive growers, The New Organic Grower, 30^th Anniversary Edition, offers a very approachable and productive form of farming that has proven to work well for the earth and its stewards for centuries. Gardeners working on 2.5 acres or less will find this book especially useful, as it offers proof that small-scale market growers and serious home gardeners can live good lives close to the land and make a profit at the same time. The New Organic Grower is ideal for young farmers just getting started, or gardeners seeking to expand into a more productive enterprise.
New material in this edition includes:

• Beautiful color photographs throughout, taken by master gardener and author Barbara Damrosch (Eliot’s wife and co-farmer)
• Updated information throughout on how Eliot’s practices have changed through his experiments over the years
• A new section from Damrosch about incorporating flowers on the small farm
• More information on new tools Eliot has invented that don’t appear in any of his other books

It's National Poetry Month!

We are in the middle of National Poetry Month and our library is saluting Mississippi poets on our Facebook page.

Why not check out some of the many talented poets from our state? 

• Maxwell Bodenheim ('Georgie May' - MC)
• Hubert Creekmore ('The long reprieve, and other poems from New Caledonia' - MC)
• William Faulkner ('Helen, a courtship ; and, Mississippi poems' - MC)
• Ellen Gilchrist ('Starcarbon: a meditation on love' - F)
• Natasha Trethewey ('Monument: poems : new and selected' - 811 T799m)
• Richard Wright ('Haiku: this other world' - 811.52 W952h)

Good Ideas from The Academy of American Poets

30 Ways to Celebrate National Poetry Month

1. Request a free copy of the National Poetry Month poster until mid-April; posters can be purchased for $5.00 each in our Poets shop thereafter (while supplies list).
2. Sign up for Poem-a-Day and read a poem each morning.
3. Sign up for Teach This Poem, a weekly series for teachers.
4. Memorize a poem.
5. Create an anthology of your favorite poems on Poets.org.
6. Encourage a young person to participate in the Dear Poet project.
7. Buy a book of poetry from your local bookstore.
8. Review these concrete examples of how poetry matters in the United States today.
9. Learn more about poets and poetry events in your state.
10. Ask your governor or mayor for a proclamation in support of National Poetry Month.
11. Attend a poetry reading at a local university, bookstore, cafe, or library.
12. Read a poem at an open mic. It’s a great way to meet other writers in your area and find out about your local poetry writing community.
13. Start a poetry reading group.
14. Write an exquisite corpse poem with friends.
15. Chalk a poem on the sidewalk.
16. Deepen your daily experience by reading Edward Hirsch’s essay “How to Read a Poem.”
17. Ask the United States Post Office to issue more stamps celebrating poets.
18. Celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day today! The idea is simple: select a poem you love, carry it with you, then share it with coworkers, family, and friends. 
19. Read about different poetic forms.
20. Read about poems titled “poem.”
21. Watch a poetry movie. 
22. Subscribe to American Poets magazine or a small press poetry journal.
23. Watch Rachel Eliza Griffiths’s P.O.P (Poets on Poetry) videos.
24. Watch or read Carolyn Forche’s talk “Not Persuasion, But Transport: The Poetry of Witness.”
25. Recreate a poet’s favorite food or drink by following his or her recipe. 
26. Read or listen to Mark Doty’s talk “Tide of Voices: Why Poetry Matters Now.”
27. Read Allen Ginsberg’s classic essay about Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass.”
28. Sign up for a poetry class or workshop.
29. Get ready for Mother’s Day by making a card featuring a line of poetry.
30. Read the first chapter of Muriel Rukeyer’s inspiring book The Life of Poetry.

(All content copied from https://www.poets.org/national-poetry-month)

Try the April Reading Challenge! What Book Will You Choose?

We're two weeks into Spring, so our April reading challenge is all about Spring!

Let us know what Spring titles you've read.  Happy reading!