Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You A Pie

By JULIETTE ROSSANT What would Edna Lewis think of Robbin Gourley's Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie (Clarion Books 2009)? She would probably smile one of her broad toothy grins and be pleased that children will be encouraged to learn about eating fresh food in season. Sadly, Edna passed away in 2006 (see Super Chef) and never wrote her childhood story. Robbin brings Edna's story to life with lovely watercolors of children, Edna and "Brother", "Sister" and other family members picking berries, greens, and apples as the seasons change. The story opens with Edna hearing the Whipporwill calling signaling that its time to start picking strawberries. It follows Edna's family as they pick the bounty of their farm and the woods and fields around them throughout the year. Edna dips her finger in the bucket. "Honey on her biscuits sweetens the morning," she says, smacking her lips. Then she recites: "A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay. A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon. A swarm of bees in July is not worth a fly." (p.14) Each food has a song to celebrate it or Edna imagines the best dish to make while she picks. The story ends with Edna examining a full larder for the winter, and we see the peppers dried on strings, the apples in baskets, and the jars holding pickles, jams and preserves. Then the family sits down to a full table while the weather grows colder outside. At the end of the book is an Author's Note about the story of Edna Lewis and how Robbin draws on her own childhood memories visiting her grandmother on her farm in North Carolina. She includes five easy recipes that Edna would have liked, including Strawberry Shortcake and Nut Butter Squares that kids can make with a little help - there's even Apple Crisp, but unfortunately, no pie! Previous articles: Edna Lewis RIP [Childrens Cookbooks - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, cookbooks, cookbook reviews --> back to Cookbook Reviews --> back to Super Chef