Meet Fifi O’Neill. The wonderful visionary behind one of the most beautiful and tasty cookbooks on the market, The Romantic Prairie Cookbook. When I was first introduced to Fifi I didn’t realize how much I would relate to her cooking style and outlook on food and life. I know that you will find her to be as genuine, talented, and truly lovely as I do.
Born and raised in Paris, France, Fifi O’ Neil grew up in the midst of all things French and began to develop her trademark style early on. Her formative years, varied skills set, and distinctive style have been the foundation for her multi-faceted career.
Her culinary knowledge first lead to the opening of Deliciously Yours, a successful catering business followed by ownership of 3 hands-on award-winning restaurants in Sarasota, Florida, and a Food editor position for House Home & Living magazine.
Coincidentally, Fifi pursued her writing and styling passions producing feature articles on home decorating, food, and gardening.
As editor, writer and photo stylist, Fifi O’Neill has produced numerous features for national publications, among which The New York Times, Coastal Living, Country Living, Home Companion, Quick & Easy Decorating, Creative Home, Real Life Decorating, and for Italian and Scandinavian magazines such as Casa Romantica and Casa Antichi (Italy), Jeanne d’Arc Living (Denmark) and many more.
Fifi is the author of Romantic Prairie Style, a lifestyle and decorating book, The Romantic Prairie Cookbook (both published by Ryland Peters & Small.) She is also the founder and executive editor of the new national magazine, Romantic Prairie Style.
THE ROMANTIC PRAIRIE COOKBOOK
Field-Fresh Recipes and Homespun Settings
Only after the last tree has been cut down;
Only after the last fish has been caught;
Only after the last river has been poisoned;
Only then will you realize
that money cannot be eaten.
Cree Indian Prophecy
The Romantic Prairie Cookbook champions environmental harmony and celebrates the stewardship of the land by using homegrown, flavorful ingredients directly from field to table as it was customary centuries ago when living off the land and home cooking were essential to survival.
This time-honored tradition brings to the forefront the unique talents of a collection of artisanal practices–from gardening to harvesting, baking, cheese making, preserving, pickling and more.
Recipes, steeped in the modest but imaginative and hearty heritage of the Prairie, showcase the home cooks and artisans passion and respect for creating healthy, tasty and satisfying dishes.
Food fads come and go. The only “trends” these home cooks follow are those rooted in family traditions and the respect for the land and its inhabitants, may they be humans or animals.
They also share a collaborative effort for sustainable local production and consumption, a common devotion to good simple food and the belief that there is something unique about harvesting homegrown crops that connects them to the earth and their place.
Through their thoughtful recipe choices they create seasonal dishes that romance regional ingredients, satisfy our needs for flavors, and comfort body and soul.
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But there is yet another fundamental element to this genuine and generous way of cookery. One that creates and maintains a link to childhood and the lessons learned growing up on harvests from grandma’s garden, stirring a pot under mom’s watchful eye, or gathering still warm eggs from an aunt’s chicken coop. There is a determination to reclaim such simple yet powerful experiences for their own children, to turn back the clock to a simple and healthier time, to reject the machine of supermarket in a grass root effort to restore a safe environment and know where their food comes from.
We invite you to explore the delicious and divine world of Fifi. The Romatic Prairie Cookbook is sold in various retail outlets as well as online on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
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