^{I was given this product to review. All opinions expressed are my own.}

Living the Gourmet is pleased to present Carina Contini's Kitchen Garden Cookbook, a masterful journey through her unique take on fusing Italian and Scottish cuisine.
While checking all the boxes on putting her culinary prowess on full display, Kitchen Garden Cookbook is also a deeply personal work, delving into her family heritage and life story to frame her cooking and give context to where and how she arrived at her unique fusion of two seemingly polar-opposite cuisines. For example, the book begins with a literal 'cast of characters' in an overview of her family, framing them as actors on the stage of her life. While I was uncertain of both the necessity and execution of this introduction, I came to not only understand but also to enjoy it, as once the reader begins delving into the book, it becomes a clear necessity for the context of her cuisine, allowing the reader a much deeper appreciation for what is on offer through the month-titled chapters.

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The Book Review
A Springtime Dinner
Chicken Breasts with Spiced Pickled Cabbage

The Book Review

The 'meat' of the book opens in good form, with the author giving a brief, two-page overview of cooking basics and essentials, touching on items such as olive oil, rapeseed, freezer etiquette, and vinegars. The author also makes mention of using a mortar and pestle, something I was instantly intrigued by as this is a superb but vastly underused and misunderstood kitchen item - albeit its use is making a slight uptick thanks primarily to fusion cuisine.

From that point, the book becomes a combination of seasonal chronicles and accompanying seasonal recipes, with each month receiving its own chapter, and featuring recipes that one can assemble based on the produce in season for that month.

For example, January leads off with a winter chard and bean soup, and also features items such as chicory toast, Isle of Mull Macaroni Cheese with Cauliflower, and a simply must-try recipe for 'steak pie.' The chapter ends with growing notes for cauliflower, Swiss chard, and winter cabbage. February contains similarly hearty fare, with seasonal items, signaling that these and similar ingredients will feature prominently in its recipes.

The chapter 'March' combines winter hardiness with milder summer fare, with light salads featured prominently. It ends with some desserts such as 'toffee brittle,' making for a very well-rounded chapter that I believe best encompasses the overall focus of the book's intention, while summarizing its texture palette.

Moving fully into the summer, the chapters for May, June, and July complement one another exceptionally well. Seasonal items from the months include chicory, crab and cod from May, with June giving us beetroot, lamb, and pork, with fennel, tomatoes, and raspberries coming into season in July.

The late-summer and fall months bring us somewhat heartier dishes as we slowly begin to enter the holidays and long winter months beyond.

The book ends where it started, returning to winter seasonal cooking with the chapters November and December. All in all, Carina Contini's Kitchen Garden is as unique as it is delectable, a masterful take on a truly unique fusion of Scottish and Italian cuisines, while teaching us the art of eating through the seasons. For that reason, Living the Gourmet can strongly recommend picking up a copy.

Chicken Breasts with Spiced Pickled Cabbage

A Springtime Dinner

Today's recipe is adapted from the Kitchen Garden. A perfect welcome to the still brisk days of Spring with the promise of warmer days ahead- it combines the comforting of a hearty meal with the vibrance of fresh vegetables and bright flavors.

This simply seasoned chicken breast served alongside spiced pickled cabbage and rice is my idea of a satisfying and cozy feel-good dinner.