Carmen Perr releases cookbook 'Cook What Grows' featuring seasonal recipes
Carmen Perr, a Los Angeles-based content creator known as Carmen in the Garden, has released her debut cookbook, "Cook What Grows: Seasonal Recipes & Gardening Wisdom for Everyday Eating." The publication contains roughly 100 recipes designed to highlight fresh produce in accessible and flavorful ways. Perr, the youngest of six children, told Fox News Digital that she grew up in a household where fast food was a staple. She began gardening more than a decade ago while working in real estate acquisitions, starting with potted herbs as a method to manage stress and anxiety. As her available space increased, her garden expanded to include fruits and vegetables, which required her to learn how to prepare ingredients she had not previously used. Perr noted that she had never cooked an artichoke until she grew one. The author argues that eating seasonally is often misconstrued as expensive, pointing out that seasonal items at farmers markets or local grocery stores are typically the more inexpensive options. She advises shoppers to use their senses to select produce, looking for vibrant colors, appropriate firmness, and fragrant herbs. Perr stated that the cooking process begins when selecting ingredients and encouraged consumers to slow down to appreciate the experience. The cookbook emphasizes that herbs can serve functions beyond finishing a dish, noting that fresh, dried, and seeded forms of the same herb taste different. Perr encourages home cooks to experiment rather than follow strict rules, citing examples such as fresh oregano steeped in hot oil with feta and dill-marinated chicken wings finished with dill salt and sauce. She described the latter as a full dill immersion in a chicken wing format. The text also notes that sage's drying quality balances rich, fatty dishes and was traditionally rubbed between hands as a home remedy for clamminess. For dried herbs, Perr recommends crushing them by hand before adding them to a dish to release their oils and enhance flavor. Her primary goal is to help people feel more connected to the food they cook by inspiring them to cook what grows and grow what they cook.
Carmen Perr, a Los Angeles-based content creator known as Carmen in the Garden, has released her debut cookbook, "Cook What Grows: Seasonal Recipes & Gardening Wisdom for Everyday Eating." The publication contains roughly 100 recipes designed to highlight fresh produce in accessible and flavorful ways. Perr, the youngest of six children, told Fox News Digital that she grew up in a household where fast food was a staple. She began gardening more than a decade ago while working in real estate acquisitions, starting with potted herbs as a method to manage stress and anxiety. As her available space increased, her garden expanded to include fruits and vegetables, which required her to learn how to prepare ingredients she had not previously used. Perr noted that she had never cooked an artichoke until she grew one. The author argues that eating seasonally is often misconstrued as expensive, pointing out that seasonal items at farmers markets or local grocery stores are typically the more inexpensive options. She advises shoppers to use their senses to select produce, looking for vibrant colors, appropriate firmness, and fragrant herbs. Perr stated that the cooking process begins when selecting ingredients and encouraged consumers to slow down to appreciate the experience. The cookbook emphasizes that herbs can serve functions beyond finishing a dish, noting that fresh, dried, and seeded forms of the same herb taste different. Perr encourages home cooks to experiment rather than follow strict rules, citing examples such as fresh oregano steeped in hot oil with feta and dill-marinated chicken wings finished with dill salt and sauce. She described the latter as a full dill immersion in a chicken wing format. The text also notes that sage's drying quality balances rich, fatty dishes and was traditionally rubbed between hands as a home remedy for clamminess. For dried herbs, Perr recommends crushing them by hand before adding them to a dish to release their oils and enhance flavor. Her primary goal is to help people feel more connected to the food they cook by inspiring them to cook what grows and grow what they cook.