About

We are foodie friends Rachel, Debbie and Jo and will be taking turns in hosting a new blogging event under the name of COOK THE BOOKS. We discovered that we love reading and cooking very very much so combining the two was ideal.

Rachel’s blog, The Crispy Cook, comes to you from Saratoga County, New York and reflects a cooking style that involves a lot of fresh vegetables and food from her garden and local farmers’ markets.  Rachel likes to do canning and preserving, and likes to try out new recipes and cuisines, much to the consternation of her two teenage daughters (“Did you make this stuff for the blog?”), so there’s always something interesting bubbling out of the Crispy Cook kitchen.  All the recipes are gluten-free, as Rachel’s husband Dan has celiac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered by eating wheat, barley and rye (and oats not processed in dedicated gluten-free facilities).  A majority of the recipes are also vegetarian, though there are fish and seafood dishes represented too.  Come visit if you would like to see how we are eating and growing in the garden.  Rachel and Dan also own Old Saratoga Books, a used and rare bookstore, so feel free to stop by or send an email if you are in search of an out-of-print book or having trouble ordering a copy of any Cook the Books Club selection.

 Deb’s Blog, Kahakai Kitchen is written in Honolulu, Hawaii.  Kahakai is the Hawaiian word for beach, a favorite spot for Deb when she isn’t cooking (and it also went well with Kitchen!)  Deb had been visiting Hawaii regularly for work and then moved there in 2001.  Her blog focuses on good food and trying new things, new foods and unusual ingredients.  She tries to take advantage of the local foods and cuisine whenever possible but her blog goes round the globe in cooking style and recipes.  Deb is a voracious reader of books and cookbooks and is always looking for new ideas and recipes.  Until recently, Deb was a busy Human Resources professional but is going to be taking some time off to figure out what she wants to be when she grows up, a journey that should be interesting as she tries to discover a career she is passionate about.  Come by anytime for some good food and a dash of Aloha!

Jo’s blog, FoodJunkie not Junk food comes from Athens, Greece. Jo is  a split personality, two names (Ioanna and Johanna), two languages, one love: THE GOOD LIFE. An archaeologist by profession, Jo currently working for the Ministry of Culture, but loves to wine and dine and will be sharing with you her cooking adventures. All food  on the blog has been freshly cooked and photographed in situ, to use a very archaeological term… GEIA MAS!