Using the Plot : Tales of an Allotment Chef

Tired of poor-quality supermarket food and disillusioned with the dubious ethics of large corporations, Paul Merrett decided to live off the fruit and vegetables he and his family could grow from their allotment for one year. This engaging account follows Paul, his wife and their two reluctant children as they learn to garden, build relationships with fellow allotmenteers, and slowly watch their crops start to flourish. As the asparagus poke through the soil and the battle against the lettuce-munching slugs is won, Paul turns his humble vegetables into more than 80 delicious recipes, including such simple dishes as Tomato Tart with Roasted Peppers and Meringue Cake with Summer Berries, as well as more involved meals such as Pork Belly Curry with Grilled Red Onion Relish and Scallops with Carrot Juice and Cardamom Broth. Sprinkled with humor and lush photographs, this is the story of a famous foodie making it on the farm.

Paul Merrett is the presenter of the BBC 2's Ever Wondered About Food and is the coathor of The Best.