Cook What Grows

Immerse yourself in the simple magic of everyday cooking and living through 100 seasonal, garden-forward recipes, from Carmen Perr of Carmen in the Garden.

After growing up in a busy household where drive-thru dinners and microwave meals were the norm, Carmen Perr came to see food as more than just fast fuel when she first planted herbs on the balcony of her college apartment. Her debut cookbook, Cook What Grows, invites home cooks to savor the details, connect with nature, and rediscover the joy of slowing down in a world where mealtime is often rushed and forgettable.

Through seasonal recipes and thoughtful, poetic guidance, Carmen shows not just what to cook, but how to root those choices in the rhythms of real life. Organized by the shape of a day rather than by season, Cook What Grows gently dismantles the idea that seasonal eating is expensive, time-consuming, or out of reach, offering practical gardening wisdom alongside 100 nourishing, flexible recipes that prioritize produce, flavor, and resourcefulness. 

There are bountiful breakfasts like the Spring Frittata with Asparagus, Leeks, and Chives; vibrant small bites and drinks like Brown Butter Sage White Bean Dip and Passionfruit Pisco Sours; vegetable-forward dishes like Brothy Spring Pea Orzo and Gingered Sweet Potato Soup; comforting mains like Mom’s Sticky Chicken Adobo with Green Beans and Slow Braised Short Rib and Bean Tacos with Root Veggie Slaw; and desserts like the Chamomile Carrot Cake with Whipped Mascarpone.

More than a collection of recipes and stunning food and lifestyle photographs, Cook What Grows is a tender guide to living well. With reflections on cooking, composting, growing, and gathering woven throughout, Carmen reminds us that meals are acts of care—for ourselves and for those we feed.

This is not a cookbook that demands perfection. It asks you to be present: to notice what’s in season, cook with intention, and fill your table with beautiful, uncomplicated food.