Lush Life - by Valerie Rice (Hardcover)

About the Book

Lush Life is a California dream of a cookbook that will inspire readers to eat and drink what's in season, grow their own, cook it fresh, and pour a luscious beverage.

Book Synopsis

A California Dream of a Cookbook

A 2023 Next Generation Indie Book Award Winner for Best Nonfiction Design

A 2023 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist for Best Cookbook

"A charming take on California cuisine... This well-crafted cookbook serves as an excellent guide to living in tune with nature and the seasons." -- Publishers Weekly

Eat and drink what's in season and you'll never grow bored, your menus will be less complicated, and everything will taste better. That's Valerie Rice's motto, and it's guided her to become an accomplished gardener, cook, and cocktail maker, three talents that--along with her charm and no-fuss style--have made her EatDrinkGarden Instagram and blog a hit. In Lush Life, Valerie brings together 156 of her favorite seasonal recipes for entertaining, family meals, snacks, and so much more, including cocktail recipes and wine advice. Rigorously home tested and gorgeously photographed by Gemma and Andrew Ingalls, Lush Life is a California dream of a cookbook that will inspire readers to grow their own, cook it fresh, and pour a luscious beverage.

With wine commentary by James Beard winner Raj Parr and a foreword by Suzanne Goin, author of Sunday Suppers at Lucques.

Perfect for home cooks, garden enthusiasts, and anyone looking to add a bit of freshness to their everyday meal prepping.

Review Quotes

"A charming take on California cuisine... This well-crafted cookbook serves as an excellent guide to living in tune with nature and the seasons."-- Publishers Weekly

"By the book's end, it's easy to imagine Rice as your well-traveled neighbor you only wish asked you over for tapas a bit more frequently." --California Review of Books

"Readers can follow Valerie Rice's recipes to re-create her seasonal and locally sourced fare, or simply enjoy an imaginary visit to her Southern California home through the inviting photos and enthusiastic text...Meyer lemons and fig trees may not grow in your garden, but Valerie Rice's Lush Life is yours to savor." --Shelf Awareness

"Reading Lush Life, I was transported out of my hot, humid home in New Orleans back to Valerie's sunny and lush California backyard. The recipes and photos explode with vibrant colors and images that make me long for Val's focused and rich California cooking. Lush Life truly captures all that makes this cuisine so unique and beautiful." --Donald Link, James Beard Award-Winning Chef, Restauranteur, and Author of Real Cajun and Down South

"Everything Valerie Rice touches, grows, and cooks exudes natural beauty, elegance, and soul. If ever there were someone's home, garden, kitchen (and life!) I would dream of occupying, it would be hers. Lush Life gets you deliciously from seed to table, and just a step closer to living and eating as beautifully as Val does." --Caroline Styne, James Beard Award-Winning Wine Director and Restauranteur, The Lucques Group

"I found myself truly inspired as I pored over the lush life created in this garden and kitchen. Valerie Rice has opened her front door and let us all into her home and passion. Thank you for such a lovely invitation." --Christine Moore, Chef and Author of Little Flower Baking and Little Flower: Recipes from the Cafe

"More than a cookbook--it's a glorious celebration of Val's garden-to-table lifestyle. And her recipes, which showcase her homegrown crops, are sure to inspire every gardener/cook; I want to try them all." --Kathleen Norris Brenzel, Editor of The Sunset Western Garden Book

"When I first met Valerie sixteen years ago, I made two dishes: overcooked mustard salmon drowned in tartar sauce and roasted chicken on the dry side. My friendship with Valerie changed the way I live. She makes cooking, gardening, and entertaining look and feel effortless and fun. She is my guru when I want the evening to look beautiful and taste great. I even have a kitchen garden! Watch out... Lush Life might just change the way you live, too!" --Joanna Kerns, Actor and Director of This is Us and High School Musical

About the Author

Valerie Rice was born and raised in Southern California, and the California lifestyle is apparent in all her endeavors. A serial entertainer, master gardener, passionate margarita maker, and skilled home cook, Valerie shares her passions on her popular food and lifestyle site, eatdrinkgarden.com, as well as on her EatDrinkGarden Instagram account. Valerie has been featured in Sunset, House Beautiful, C Magazine, Santa Barbara Magazine, and Flutter and has appeared on Access Hollywood Live and Hallmark's Home & Family. Valerie lives in Santa Barbara with her husband, two daughters, a couple of labradoodles, and a coop full of chickens.